The objective of the investigations was to study the causes of abortion in sheep and goats in Hungary during a 7.5-year period. The authors investigated 246 cases of ovine and 75 cases of caprine abortions by different diagnostic methods. An infectious origin was found in 126 cases (51.2%) of ovine and 19 cases (25%) of caprine abortions. The most important cause of ovine and caprine abortions was Chlamydophila abortus infection with a prevalence of 46% and 17%, respectively. Other infections causing sheep and goat abortions were present only in 5.2% and 8% of the cases, respectively. The results obtained by different diagnostic methods are discussed.

In this study one spleen-intact dog (A) and two splenectomised dogs (B SE , C SE ) were infected with Babesia canis. All animals developed an acute disease characterised by fever, haemoglobinuria and anaemia, the latter being more severe in the splenectomised dogs. Fever and parasitised red blood cells were detected for three days after imidocarb treatment in the splenectomised animals. Haematological abnormalities included regenerative anaemia, thrombocytopenia and leukopenia (due to neutropenia and lymphopenia) in the acute phase, soon followed by leukocytosis, neutrophilia and left shift a few days later. Acute hepatopathy was detected in all dogs with elevated ALT activity, which was more seriously altered in the splenectomised dogs. Diffuse changes in liver structure and hepatomegaly were seen by ultrasonography. Liver biopsy and histology revealed acute, non-purulent hepatitis in the splenectomised dogs. Both splenectomised dogs were successfully cured after collection of 400 ml highly parasitised blood, proving that large-amount antigen production is possible with rescuing the experimental animals. Whole blood transfusion, imidocarb and supportive care with infusions, antipyretics, glucocorticoids and diuretics were applied. The spleenintact dog clinically recovered after receiving supportive treatment, with no imidocarb therapy. Microbial infections developed in both splenectomised animals (B SE : haemobartonellosis, C SE : osteomyelitis caused by Escherichia coli), probably as a consequence of immunosuppression after splenectomy and glucocorticoid therapy.

The prevalence of gastric Helicobacter infection in finishing pigs and the influence of this infection on gastric lesions was studied. Stomachs of 89 finishing pigs from 27 randomly selected herds were sampled at the slaughterhouse. Forty cases (Group A) were selected based upon the presence of gross pathological lesions in the pars oesophagea, and further 49 cases were obtained at random (Group B). Three samples of gastric tissue (junction of pars oesophagea and pars cardiaca, fundic area, and pyloric area) were collected from each stomach for histological and immunohistochemical examination. Helicobacter antigen was detected in 76 cases (85.4%). No association was found between the presence of Helicobacter in the stomach and the occurrence of gross pathological lesions in the pars oesophagea or gastritis detected on histological examination. However, a significant association was found between the occurrence of Helicobacter in the pyloric area and the presence of erosions/ulcers in the pars oesophagea (OR: 7.01, p = 0.022) in Group B. A significant association was also evident between the presence of Helicobacter and glandular lesions (dilatation of the glands + glandular abscess + degeneration of glandular epithelial cells). In conclusion, Helicobacter infection seems to be a contributing factor to pathological changes in the stomach of finishing pigs.

Hungarian cattle herds were surveyed for bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) infection by ELISA of milk and serum samples. In 1993, 75% of the large cattle herds (consisting of more than 50 cattle) and all small herds (small-scale producers stocks), while in 1997 90% of the small herds were included in the survey. In the case of large herds, 79.3% of the herds and 64.1% of the samples tested were found to be positive. Of the small herds, 13.5% and 15.7% tested positive in 1993 and 1997, respectively. The majority of large herds were Holstein-Friesian dairy stocks. Small herds with an infection rate markedly exceeding the average were found in those counties where the small herds had been in close contact with the large-scale farms, or where new herds were established by using animals of uncontrolled infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) status originating from large farms. Attention is called to the importance of maintaining the IBR-free status of small herds that constitute one-third of the Hungarian cattle population.Key words: Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1), cattle, ELISA, serum, milk, prevalence, HungaryThe different disease entities caused by bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) cause substantial economic losses in the cattle herds. The disease occurs throughout the world (Straub, 1990). Since its appearance, serological tests for the detection of antibodies to BHV-1 have been performed in numerous countries in order to confirm BHV-1 infection or to elucidate the aetiology of diseases thought to be of viral origin (Msolla et al., 1981;Frost and Wagner, 1982;Albrecht et al., 1985;Edwards, 1988;Ackermann et al., 1989;Enders, 1989;Durham and Hassard, 1990;Niewöhner, 1990;Tanyi et al., 1990;Behymer et al., 1991;Hartman et al., 1997). Those surveys, however, were limited to relatively small administrative units and did not cover the entire cattle population of the countries concerned.

The 2006 epidemic due to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N1 in Hungary caused the most severe losses in waterfowl which were, according to the literature at the time, supposed to be the most resistant to this pathogen. The presence of pathological lesions and the amount of viral antigen were quantified by gross pathology, histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the organs of four waterfowl species [mute swans (n = 10), domestic geese (n = 6), mulard ducks (n = 6) and Pekin ducks (n = 5)] collected during the epidemic. H5N1 subtype HPAIV was isolated from all birds examined. Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRRT-PCR) was also applied on a subset of samples [domestic geese (n = 3), mulard (n = 4) and Pekin duck (n = 4)] in order to compare its sensitivity with IHC. Viral antigen was detected by IHC in all cases. However, the overall presence of viral antigen in tissue samples was quite variable: virus antigen was present in 56/81 (69%) swan, 22/38 (58%) goose, 28/46 (61%) mulard duck and 5/43 (12%) Pekin duck tissue samples. HPAIV subtype H5N1 was detected by qRRT-PCR in all birds examined, in 19/19 (100%) goose, 7/28 (25%) mulard duck and 12/28 (43%) Pekin duck tissue samples. As compared to qRRTPCR, the IHC was less sensitive in geese and Pekin ducks but more sensitive in mulard ducks. The IHC was consistently positive above 4.31 log10 copies/reaction but it gave very variable results below that level. Neurotropism of the isolated virus strains was demonstrated by finding the largest amount of viral antigen and the highest average RNA load in the brain in all four waterfowl species examined.