Pearsonema plica is a widely distributed nematode parasite that occurs in the urinary tract of various domestic and wild carnivores. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and geographical distribution of P. plica and associated urinary bladder pathology in 112 red foxes (70 males, 42 females; 87 adults >1 year, 25 juveniles <1 year) from six different geographical regions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The urinary bladders of the red foxes were subjected to gross examination and histopathology. Urine content (n = 40) and mucosal smears (n = 71) of the urinary bladders were examined microscopically for the presence of P. plica. Overall, adults and eggs of P. plica were detected in 65 (58.0 %; 95% CI 48.9-67.2%) of the foxes. Out of the positive foxes, 42 were males (64.6%) and 23 females (35.3%). According to age, 49 adults (75.3%) and 16 juveniles (24.6%) were positive. There were no statistically significant differences in the infection prevalence between the geographical regions (p = 0.701), sex (p = 0.693), or age (p = 0.646) of the host. Also, no significant differences in the prevalence of parasites in urine content (48.7%; 20/41) and mucosal smears (63.3%; 45/71) were observed (p = 0.165). Eosinophilic cystitis characterized with mild to severe infiltrates of eosinophils in the propria of the bladder mucosa accompanied by hyperemia and edema was observed in 36 examined foxes, 24 of which were P. plica positive. Parasites attached and embedded into the mucosa and free in the lumen were recorded in both cystitis positive and negative foxes. Beside clear numerical differences, the influence of P. plica infection on the occurrence of cystitis was not significant (p = 0.309). The results of this study give the first insight into the distribution of P. plica infection among the red fox population in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Observed microscopic changes may contribute toward a better understanding of pathology caused by this widely distributed parasite in free-ranging red foxes.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the histopathological changes on the kidneys of the brown trout (Salmo trutta m. Fario) inflicted by per os lead poisoning in the 46-week experimental period. The fish were kept in well-oxygenated freshwater basins. Approximately calculated toxic doses of lead-acetate for fish were 550 mg/kg. Following the experimental period, fish organs, in particular kidneys, were examined by light microscopy. Only fish with lesions observed in kidneys were further examined by electron microscopy. An accumulation of proteinaceous material in the glomeruli of the kidneys, and thickening of the basal membrane were observed histopathologically. This proteinaceous material was also observed in the lumina of the kidney tubules. Electron microscopic examination completely supported this finding. Furthermore, to the authors' previous knowledge, undocumented damage of the brush borders of the proximal kidney tubules was also observed

The angular rough shark, Oxynotus centrina (Linnaeus, 1758), is a poorly known and rare bathydemersal shark inhabiting continental shelves and upper slopes with a significant lack of data and rarely published records in the Adriatic Sea in this century. In this paper, we present 20 new occurrences recorded from May 2015 to September 2021, of which 19 are in Croatian and one in Montenegrin territorial waters. Records of juveniles, subadults and adults are reported. Higher number of records off the Kornati archipelago in the central Adriatic Sea suggest that this area is of particular importance for this species. Furthermore, habitats in the Southern Adriatic might have lower density. Due to the nonsystematic research and nonprobabilistic data collection, it is difficult to establish whether the greater number of records in the continental shelf is just an ostensible phenomenon.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the histopathological changes on the organs of the brown trout (Salmo trutta m. fario) inflicted by per oral cadmium and zinc poisoning in the 46-week experimental period. The fish were kept in well-oxygenated freshwater basins which were purposely set for the experiment. During the investigation, we set up two experimental basins along with the control one. We put 30 specimens of one-year-old brown trout of the average weight of 15 grams in each basin. According to Venugopal, peroral toxic doses for fish can not be determined precisely. Accurate lethal doses (LD 50 and LD) can only be established for a number of laboratory animals. However, it is possible to calculate the approximate toxic doses for fish from peroral lethal doses for rats. The calculated values for cadmium chloride are 4,4 mg/kg and 11 mg/kg for zinc sulphate, respectively. In the experimental stage we soaked the fish food in solutions made in conformity with the aforementioned values of cadmium chloride and zink sulphate. As a result, the fish consumed the aforementioned toxic doses in the experimental stage, considering that the feeding regimen included the food ration of 2% body weight/day.Keywords: Heavy metals, fish, peroral poisoning, histopathological. Kronik Uygulanan Kadmiyum ve Çinkoya Maruz Kalan Kahverengi Alabalığın (Salmo trutta m. fario) Böbrek ve Solungaçlarına Histopatolojik Etkileri ÖzetBu çalışmanın amacı, 46 haftalık deney süresinde beher kadmiyum ve çinko zehirlenmesine uğrayan kahverengi alabalığın (Salmo trutta m. fario) organları üzerindeki histopatolojik değişiklikleri belirlemektir. Balıklar, deney için oluşturulan oksijenli tatlı su havzalarında muhafaza edilmiştir. Araştırma süresince kontrol bölgeyle birlikte iki deney havzası oluşturulmuştur. Her havzaya ortalama ağırlığı 15 gram olan, 30 adet ve bir yaşında kahverengi alabalık koyulmuştur. Venugopal'a göre balıklar için peroral toksik dozlar tam olarak tespit edilemez. Kesin ölümcül dozlar (LD 50 ve LD) yalnızca birkaç laboratuar hayvanı için tespit edilebilir. Fakat fareler için olan peroral ölümcül dozlardan, balıklar için yaklaşık toksik dozlar hesaplamak mümkündür. Hesaplanan değerler sırasıyla kadmiyum klorür için 4,4 mg/kg ve çinko sülfat için 11 mg/kg'dır. Deneysel aşamada sözü edilen kadmiyum klorür ve çinko sülfat değerlerine uygun olarak hazırlanan çözeltide balık yemi bekletilmiştir. Sonuç olarak beslenme rejiminin %2 vücut ağırlığı/gün yem rasyonu içerdiği dikkate alındığında balıklar deneysel aşamada bahsi geçen toksik dozları tüketmiştir.Anahtar Kelimeler: Ağır metaller, balık, oral zehirlenme dozu, histopatolojik etki.

Background: Towards preparation for a possible influenza pandemic, investigation of the molecular characteristics of the circulating avian H5N1 influenza virus strains is of crucial importance. These H5N1 viruses continue to spread, to infect animals and humans and to evolve and diversify providing so an ever-looming pandemic threat. Aim: To identify genetic structure and molecular biological characteristics of BiH's isolates of H5N1 HPAI as well as to assess the level of pathogenicity, phylogenetic origin and host-specificity of the isolates. Material and Methods: SPF embryonated chicken eggs were used for virus isolation. Viral RNA extracted using QIAamp viral RNA kit and manufacturer's protocol (QIAGEN®) was used for PCR amplification. cDNA synthesis and PCR amplification of the coding region, using gene specific primer sets (primer sequences available on request), were carried out for all eight viral RNA segments separately. The Prism Big Dye Terminator v1.1 cycle sequencing kit (Applied Biosystems) was used and products were analyzed on an automatic ABI PRISM 3130 genetic analyzer (Applied Biosystems). Nucleotide sequences were analyzed using Bioedit software (v. 7.0.9.0) with an engine based on the ClustalW 1.4 algorithm. MEGA software (v. 4,0), using the neighbor joining tree inference analysis with the Tamura-Nei γ-model, was used to estimate phylogenies and calculate bootstrap values from the nucleotide sequences. Results: Full-length nucleotide sequences of the A/Cygnus olor/BIH/1/2006 (H5N1) strain were deposited in EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database under accession nos. FN186008 to FN186014 and FM20943. The pathogenicity and host specificity of this strain, as polygenic traits, are determined in silico by the structure of its proteins, especially surface glycoproteins, HA and NA. Multibasic amino acid stretch PQGERRRKKR/GLF, marker of strains highly pathogenic to poultry, was present at the HA cleavage site of BiH strain. The RBS was typical for avian influenza viruses and contained Gln and Gly at positions 238 and 240 (H5 numbering) that is,226 and 228 according to H3 numbering with seven potential glycosylated sites but with increased binding to alpha2-6 sialoglycans thanks to substitutions, as follows, 110N, 171N, 171N, 172A, 205R and 251P. NA structure assigned this strain to the Z genotype, characterized also by the deletion of the five amino acid residues of the NS1 protein (positions 80-84). Amino acid residues, typical for the avian influenza viruses, were revealed in 40 out of 43 positions of M1, M2, NP, PA, PB2 and HA, determining the host range specificity. Phylogenetic analysis of the HA gene revealed that BiH isolates belonged to genetic clade 2.2., and presence of aspartic acid at the position of 403 of HA locate BiH isolates in 2.2.2. sub-clade. Conclusions: The BiH's isolates were determined as HPAI virus with genes sequences closely related to A/Cygnus olor/Astrakhan/ Ast05-2-10/2005 (H5N1). Three residues (M2 -28V and 78K, NP -33I), typical of human influenza viruses, were found, indi...