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Donkey milk is usually sold for human consumption directly at farms and agricultural households and it is used in the raw state because of its well-known medicinal properties. Sometimes, however, such milk has poor microbiological status due to inappropriate conditions during hand milking and storage. The aim of this paper was to examine the microbiological status of donkey milk exposed to different temperature treatments (refrigerated at 4 ℃ for 3 h, frozen at −18 ℃ for 1 day, and pasteurized at 80 ℃ for 10 minutes). The number of molds and yeasts, total viable count, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, and the presence of foodborne pathogens, including Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter spp. were evaluated to estimate the microbiological status of donkey milk. As expected, freezing and pasteurization reduced the number of tested microorganisms, and no examined foodborne pathogens were detected. The total viable count was reduced by 0.64 log CFU/mL by freezing and by 2.23 log CFU/mL by pasteurization. The total molds and yeasts and total Enterobacteriaceae count were significantly reduced by pasteurization. In conclusion, frozen and pasteurized donkey milk is safer than raw milk. In order to be able to recommend the best temperature treatment before consumption, the effects of freezing and pasteurization on the quality and antibacterial properties of donkey milk have to be further investigated.

Infection of cattle with lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) is very important from the aspect of livestock production. Although it can cause significant economic losses, available serological assays are still not sufficiently efficient and reliable. A 3-day VNT was performed using Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cell line and LSDV isolated from clinically infected cow to improve serological diagnostics of lumpy skin disease (LSD).

During July 2018, the first clinical case of neurological West Nile virus (WNV) infection was reported in a Belgian sports mare in Belgrade, Serbia. Typical symptoms, such as hypersensitive skin reaction, disorientation, weakness, ataxia and the loss of equilibrium were reported. Detection of WNV IgM antibodies by commercial ELISA in the serum samples of the diseased mare strongly indicated acute infection. The ELISA positive results were confirmed by VNT. Hematological and biochemical parameters were in the reference range. The only finding was a minor lymphopenia. WNV RNA was not detected by RT-qPCR in the blood sample extracted seven days after the disease had broken out. The horse improved clinically in two weeks while other horses at the same premises remained asymptomatic. The clinical, serological, biochemical and molecular analyses applied confirmed the first clinical case of neuroinvasive WNV infection in horses in Serbia. The West Nile virus has been circulating in Serbia in the last decade in mosquitoes, birds, and horses, but no evidence of equine WNV clinical cases were registered so far.

During 2015/2016, fecal and intestinal samples from live diseased and/or dead pigs with suspected PEDV and/or TGEV and signs of rotavirus infection were collected from in total seven different farrow-to-finish swine farms located in Northern Serbia region (Vojvodina Province). A total of 14 samples (2 pools per farm) of small intestine with fecal content were submitted to laboratory molecular investigation (multiplex RTPCR). On these farms the clinical signs included the occurrence of diarrhea in suckling and weaned piglets, with weak or no response to the applied antimicrobial therapy. The epidemic of severe diarrhea affecting pigs of all ages on one farrow-to finish swine farm was detected in January 2016. Watery diarrhea in all swine categories was associated with vomiting and a reduction in feed consumption. Diarrheic, gaunt and dehydrated piglets, covered with feces were found in 90% litters. The disease affected most severely the suckling piglets, and the mortality in newborn piglets was up to 35%. In the weaned piglets and fatteners the mortality was up to 2.5% and 1.2%, respectively. The PEDV RNA was detected in pooled feces and samples of small intestines derived from diseased and dead suckling piglets from only one investigated farm. The PEDV positive samples showed to be negative for rotavirus group A and TGEV. The transport vehicles were identified as the main possible route of PEDV introduction. This is the first report demonstrating the presence of PEDV in Serbia.

Simple Summary: The domestic donkey is an endangered equid species. There are 199 donkeys in the Special Nature Reserve "Zasavica", out of the estimated 1000 that are assumed to exist in Serbia. The aim of this study was to assess the exposure of donkeys in the Special Nature Reserve "Zasavica" to some of the most significant viral pathogens and establish the seroprevalence of equine infectious anemia, African horse sickness, equine herpesvirus type 1 infection, equine influenza and equine viral arteritis. In tested blood samples, antibodies against equine herpesvirus type 1 and equine influenza virus (subtype H3N8) were found, while all samples tested negative for African horse sickness virus, equine infectious anemia virus and equine arteritis virus. To our knowledge, this study represents the first results of detection of these pathogens in the population of domestic donkeys in Serbia. The paper presents the findings of specific antibodies in the blood sera of donkeys against the following viruses: equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), African horse sickness virus (AHSV), equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), equine influenza virus subtype H3N8 (EIV) and equine arteritis virus (EAV). The analyses were conducted during the year 2022. From a total of 199 donkeys bred in "Zasavica", blood was sampled from 53 animals (2 male donkeys and 51 female donkeys), aged 3 to 10 years. Specific antibodies against EIAV were not detected in any of the tested animals using the agar-gel immunodiffusion (AGID) assay. No specific antibodies against AHSV, tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), or antibodies against EAV, tested by the virus neutralization test (VNT) and ELISA were detected in any of these animals. A positive serological result for EHV-1 was determined by the VNT in all animals, with antibody titer values ranging from 1:2 to 1:128, while a very low antibody titer value for EIV (subtype H3N8) of 1:16 was determined in 18 donkeys using the hemagglutination inhibition test (HI test). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis/infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IBR/IPV) are diseases that affect cattle population of all breeds, categories and age. Both diseases, especially infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), poses severe health threat and causes major economic losses and is considered one of the “most costly” disease in cattle industry. The causal agent of the disease is a virus and any detection of IBR/IPV specific antibodies in non-vaccinated cattle, either in blood or milk, indicates that animal is infected and represents the source of infection. Countries with developed and intensive cattle breeding have been developed and implemented their national eradication programs to control IBR/IPV in accordance with international regulations. In this article, we outlined the needs and program for the eradication of IBR/IPV in the Republic of Serbia. The eradication program for IBR/IPV is an extensive process that requires systematic strategy involving different phases and activities. The eradication process from the moment of implementation until obtaining IBR/IPV-free status can last over several years and requires joint work and considerable financial resources that will be compansated with the elimination of IBR/IPV from the herd. This article gives an overview of all stages and activities regarding eradication of the disease and certification and maintaining of IBR/IPV-free herd status.

The results on serological testing of blood sera from stallions and mares used for breeding and the presence of the viral genome of Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) in stallion semen are presented. The blood and semen samples were taken from a horse stable on the territory of the Republic of Serbia during 2012, 2013 and 2014. Detection of anti-EAV specific antibodies in blood sera was performed by the virus neutralization test (VNT), and identification of EAV genome RNA in stallion semen was done by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In 2012, high seroprevalence of EAV was detected in the investigated stable. In total, 45% and 65 % of stallions and mares reacted positive, respectively, and the antibody titre values ranged between 2 and 10 log2. High seroprevalence was confirmed in the same animals again in 2013. Out of two stallions tested semen samples in 2013, the viral genome was detected by RT-PCR in 3 examined semen samples from a seropositive stallion, while EAV was not detected in 3 semen samples of a seronegative stallion. During 2014, 11 semen samples were collected from two seropositive stallions. Again, the presence of EAV was confirmed by RT-PCR in all 8 semen samples originating from the same stallion with the EAV genome positive semen result in 2013, whereas the virus was not detected in semen samples originating from the second anti-EAV antibody positive stallion. The presence of EAV-specific antibodies was confirmed in the blood sera of the mares inseminated with the semen of seropositive stallions in 2012 and 2013.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a neurovirulent mosquito-borne Flavivirus with zoonotic potential. Virus is maintained in nature in an enzootic transmission cycle between avian hosts and mosquito vectors, but occasionally infects other vertebrates. The infection in horses and humans can be asymptomatic or it can have different clinical manifestations ranging from light febrile diseases to fatal meningoencephalitis. Recently, the number, frequency and severity of outbreaks with neurological consequences for birds, humans and horses have increased dramatically throughout central and south Europe, including Serbia, posing a serious veterinary and public health problem. The emergency of WNV infections in Serbia is described through the current epidemiology situation based on recent data on the incidence of WNV infection among virus natural hosts and vectors; sentinel (horses) and other animal species, and in human population. The results of the WNV serology studies conducted on horse blood samples collected in different occasions during the last six years, and the results of the serology studies conducted among other animal species like pigs, wild boars, roe deer and dogs in Serbia are presented and discussed. Also, the results of the first studies on WNV presence in mosquito vectors and in wild birds as virus natural hosts in Serbia are presented and analyzed. In addition, the data on the WNV serology studies conducted in human population in Serbia in the last few years, and the existing data of WNV outbreaks in 2012 and 2013 are included. Regarding the existing knowledge on WNV epidemiology situation, the crucial role of veterinary service in early detection of WNV presence and ongoing national program of WNV surveillance in sentinel animals, mosquitoes and wild birds are discussed.

Common carp is the most important freshwater fish in aquaculture in Republic of Serbia. Excess fat deposition in the meat and abdominal cavity of farmed carp can affect carp flesh quality, dressing percentage and consequently restrict the further development of aquaculture production. The reasons for lipid deposition in carp flesh and around visceral organs are not well known, and it is important to develop method which would enable us to understand process which occurs in common carp lipid cells. The aim of this study was to establish a new model of common carp preadipocytes and evaluate proliferation and differentiation capacity of carp preadipocytes in vitro. The establishment of the cell culture of preadipocytes of common carp could serve as a valuable tool for studying fat metabolism in this fish species.

To establish the presence of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in the animal population in Serbia after the human WNV outbreak, the presence of anti-WNV IgG antibodies was examined by commercial ELISA of blood sera samples of 130 horses collected in 2012 from 6 stables and 1 settlement in Vojvodina Province, northern Serbia. During the blood sampling, hibernating mosquitoes in the vicinity of the sampled horses were collected (31 pools from 4 locations) and tested for WNV presence by real-time RT-PCR. The presence of anti-WNV antibodies was observed in 49.23% (64/130) horses. Per stable, the percent of seropositive animals ranged from 35% to 64%. All 31 analyzed pools of hibernating mosquitoes tested negative for WNV RNA. The WNV-antibody prevalence of 49.23% obtained in horses during 2012 was much higher than the prevalence (12%) found in horses during 2009/2010. These results, including the confirmed seroconversion in eight horses that tested negative in 2010, indicated an intensive WNV circulation during 2012 in Serbia, and the necessity of implementing surveillance programs. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR31084 and III43007]

The paper presents the results of investigations of the presence of the bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) in samples of blood serum from 106 cows and 107 of their calves (one cow had twins). Blood was sampled from the cows immediately after parturition, and from the calves before feeding on colostrum. The examined cows and their calves originated from 5 herds in which previous investigations had shown infection with the bovine herpesvirus-1. The determination of antibodies against BHV-1 was performed using the method of virus neutralization in culture of MDBK cells with 100 TCID/50 viruses (BHV-1, TN-41 Am. Bio Research, USA). Antibodies against BHV-1 were determined in all blood serum samples of cows and in 16 samples of precolostral blood serums of calves. The antibody titer values in cows ranged from 1:4 to 1:512, and in calves the determined values were from 1:2 to 1:16. The results indicate that cows that are seropositive to BHV-1 can deliver calves seropositive to BHV-1 in about 15% cases. This must be kept in mind in selecting cows for the production of breeding material, in particular bulls for reproduction centers, as well as in making a programme for the immunoprophylaxis of calves against BHV-1. .

Parvoviral infection of swine is a disease which is manifested in reproductive disorders in sows and gilts in the form of anestria, premature births, miscarriages, mummified fetuses, the birth of poorly vital piglets and/or a reduced number of piglets in the litter. The infection is present in farms with intensive breeding conditions in the form of an endemic infection, all over the world, and also in our country. Timely diagnostics and adequate prophylaxis prevent the occurrence and spread of this disease. Experimental investigations covered 21 sows, divided into two experimental and a third, the control, group. Animals of the first experimental group were vaccinated once before exposure to the boar using an inactivated vaccine, Porcilis Parvo, and animals of the second experimental group were vaccinated twice at an interval of 3 weeks, also using an inactivated vaccine, Parvovax. Sows of the control group were not vaccinated. Blood samples were taken from all animals four times during the course of the experiment, and specific antibodies against the swine parvovirus were determined using the method of hemagglutination inhibition (HI test). The results of the investigations indicate that there was an increase in the titre of specific antibodies following the vaccination of persistently infected sows with the swine parvivirus, and that the present antibodies did not prevent the creating of an immune response. It was established following a comparison of the geometric mean values of antibody titres of vaccinated sows that there was a significant increase in the antibody level following the two vaccinations using the Parvovax vaccine, against the titre values in sows vaccinated once with the Porcilis Parvo vaccine. In control animals, the average value of the antibody level was many times lower in comparison with the established values in the experimental groups. This provides justification for the implementation of immunoprophylaxis against swine parvovirosis by the vaccination of sows and gilts before mating using inactivated vaccines.

Intrauterine infection of the fetus occurs if a pregnant non-vaccinated sow is infected with the virus of classical swine plague (CSF). The infection of the fetus results in the occurrence of viremia and the distribution of the virus in fetal tissue is similar to the distribution which is established in post-natal infected swine. The objective of these investigations was to determine intrauterine (transplacental) infection in the event of the appearance of CSF in different periods of pregnancy in non-vaccinated and vaccinated sows. The examined material were organs and tissue of fetuses within two examined cases of CSF in non-immune pregnant sows. In the third examined case of CSF, the material comprised the blood of piglets before suckling the colostrum, animals originating from vaccinated sows, at a farm in which CSF had been diagnosed. Samples of tissue and blood of the piglets were examined for the presence of antigens and specific antibodies against the CSF virus using the immunoenzyme technique (ELISA). Even though the investigations were performed on a small number of samples, the obtained results raise the question of the possibility of the occurrence of intrauterine infection with a CSF field virus in sows vaccinated with the C-strain of CSF. The syndrome of a carrier sow and persistent infections are the chief problem factors that need to be considered within the programme of curbing and eradicating classical swine plague.

The program of curbing and outrooting classical swine fever (CSF) in our country has for years been based on the vaccination of all categories of swine with the Kina (K) strain of the CSF virus, and, after the establishment of the source of infection, with the non-harmful removal of the infected swine herd, as well as on the implementation of all measures prescribed by the valid regulations. However, in spite of the implementation of all the listed measures, CSF still occurs continually. The epizootiological situation in our country in the course of 2005 was extremely unfavorable from the aspect of the number of identified CSF crisis spots, and it can be pointed out at this time that the disease was diagnosed clinically, pathomorphologically and using laboratory methods in 51 farms in a single examined epizootiological district. Under conditions when CSF appears continually throughout the year, vaccination using a modified live vaccine must continue being the basic measure in preventing the appearance, spreading, curbing, and eradication of CSF. With the objective of securing a concept of the most efficient further strategy for control and curbing of this disease, the paper presents the most important aspects regarding efficacy, safety, as well as field experience in applying vaccines which are based on the K strain of the CSF virus. .

The ELISA technique is one of the most commonly used laboratory-diagnostical methods for diagnosing many infective diseases in humans and animals today. Due to its high specificity and sensitivity this technique is considered a method of choice in diagnosing many viral diseases. The phases and components of the ELISA technique are constantly improved because of its mass use, as well as the high demands of laboratory diagnostics. Therefore it is necessary to continually inform the expert public of all the innovations, forms and possibilities of the ELISA technique. This paper describes the factors that caused the genesis of the ELISA technique and shows its forms. The methodological and practical aspects of the ELISA technique, when applied in laboratory diagnostics of veterinary medicine are also presented.

Copyright of Archives of Veterinary Medicine / Arhiv Veterinarske Medicine is the property of Scientific Veterinary Institute Novi Sad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Croatian Journal of Infection / Infektoloski Glasnik is the property of Croatian Society for Infectious Diseases and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Veterinary Medicine / Arhiv Veterinarske Medicine is the property of Scientific Veterinary Institute Novi Sad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Studies conducted during the past few years have confirmed active West Nile virus (WNV) circulation in Serbia. Based on these studies and the epidemiological situation, the Veterinary Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection launched national WNV surveillance programmes in 2014 and 2015. The programmes encompassed the territory of Serbia and were conducted by the veterinary service in collaboration with entomologists and ornithologists. The objective of the programmes was early detection of WNV and timely reporting to the public health service and local authorities to increase both clinical and mosquito control preparedness. The WNV surveillance programmes were based on direct and indirect surveillance of the presence of WNV by the serological testing of initially seronegative sentinel horses and chickens as well as through viral detection in pooled mosquito and wild bird samples. The most intense WNV circulation was observed in all seven districts of Vojvodina Province (northern Serbia) and Belgrade City, where most of the positive samples were detected among sentinel animals, mosquitoes and wild birds. The West Nile virus surveillance programmes in 2014 and 2015 showed satisfactory results in their capacity to indicate the spatial distribution of the risk for humans and their sensitivity to early detect viral circulation at the enzootic level. Most of the human cases were preceded by the detection of WNV circulation as part of the surveillance programmes. According to the existing data, it can be reasonably assumed that WNV infection, now an endemic infection in Serbia, will continue to present a significant problem for the veterinary service and public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is responsible for infections in equids. It can spread easily within the horse population and has a major impact on the horse breeding industry. No EAV outbreak has ever been reported in Serbia. To determine whether EAV is nonetheless circulating there, especially in the Vojvodina region, 340 horse serum samples were subjected to serology testing to detect EAV antibodies. In parallel, semen samples from three seropositive stallions were collected to evaluate their EAV status, using RT-qPCR and virus isolation on cell culture. Results: Horse sera with EAV antibodies represented 15.88% (54/340) of the tested samples, 83.23% (283/340) being negative, and just three samples (0.89%) being uninterpretable due to cytotoxicity. Only 7.2% (10/138) of horses kept by private owners on their own property were seropositive for EAV, whereas 21.8% (44/202) of horses kept on stud farms had EAV antibodies. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Serbian EAV isolate was most closely related to isolates from the neighbouring Hungary. Conclusions: EAV is circulating in the Serbian horse population, especially among the breeding population certainly due to the use of EAV shedder stallions since there is no surveillance programme in Serbia and only limited checks on racehorses. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis indicates that the EAV isolated from a Lipizzaner stallion in Serbia is closely related to isolates from Hungary, and together form a new cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archives of Veterinary Medicine / Arhiv Veterinarske Medicine is the property of Scientific Veterinary Institute Novi Sad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Veterinary Medicine / Arhiv Veterinarske Medicine is the property of Scientific Veterinary Institute Novi Sad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

West Nile virus (WNV) is maintained in nature in an enzootic transmission cycle between birds and mosquitoes, but it also infects many other vertebrates, including humans and horses, in which it can induce severe neurological diseases; however, data about virus circulation in other mammals is scarce. WNV has a history of recent outbreaks in Europe, including Serbia, where it was identified for the first time in 2010 in mosquitoes and in 2012 in birds and humans, being responsible for over 300 confirmed human cases and 35 deaths there along 2013. To assess WNV circulation among mammals in the country, 688 samples obtained from 279 farm pigs, 318 wild boars, and 91 roe deer were investigated for the presence of antibodies to WNV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and viral neutralization test (VNT), and the specificity of their reactivity was assayed against Usutu virus (USUV). ELISA-reactive sera were identified in 43 (15.4%) pigs, 56 (17.6%) wild boars, and 17 (18.7%) roe deer. Of these, 6 (14%), 33 (59%), and 4 (23.5%) respectively, neutralized WNV. One out of the 45 ELISA negative sera tested, from a roe deer, neutralized WNV. Cross-reactivity neutralization test indicated that all deer and pigs neutralizing sera were WNV specific, while in 5 (15.2%) of the wild boar samples the specificity could not be established. Four wild boar sera showed USUV specificity. All these data confirm the circulation of both flaviviruses in Serbia, and highlight the need for the implementation of global coordinated surveillance programs in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is rarely reported in industrialized countries, but recent studies have revealed quite variable seroprevalence rates among European populations, including blood donors. In Serbia, very limited data about HEV seroprevalence are available. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies and HEV RNA in the sera of volunteer blood donors in Serbia. Methodology: Serum samples from 200 volunteer blood donors were tested for the presence of anti-HEV IgG by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using ORF-2 HEV genotype 3 recombinant proteins as antigen, and for the presence of HEV RNA by nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: In total, 15% of the volunteer blood donors were seropositive. The prevalence increased with age; 21.5%, 14.2%, and 5.4% HEV seroprevalence rates were found in individuals older than 51 years, between 31 and 50 years, and in those younger than 30 years of age, respectively. However, no HEV RNA was detected in any of the individuals analyzed. Conclusions: The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG among blood donors as representatives of the general population is quite high in Serbia compared to data from many European countries. One of the reasons for this could be the high prevalence of HEV among Serbian pigs and the traditional consumption of piglet meat in the country. The relatively high HEV seroprevalence found among Serbian blood donors indicates the need for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of the Serbian national integrated West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance program conducted in 2018 and funded by the Serbian Veterinary Directorate are presented. The WNV surveillance program encompassed the entire territory of Serbia and was conducted by the veterinary service in collaboration with entomologists and ornithologists. The objective of the program was early detection of WNV circulation in the environment and timely reporting to the public health service and local authorities to increase clinical and mosquito control preparedness. The program was based on the detection of WNV presence in wild birds (natural hosts) and mosquitoes (virus vectors) and on serological testing of sentinel horses (WNV-specific IgM antibodies). The season 2018 was confirmed to be the season of the most intensive WNV circulation with the highest number and severity of human cases in Serbia ever reported. The most intense WNV circulation was observed in the northern and central parts of Serbia including Vojvodina Province, the Belgrade City area, and surrounding districts, where most positive samples were detected among sentinel animals, mosquitoes and wild birds. The majority of human cases were preceded by the detection of WNV circulation during the surveillance. The WNV surveillance program in 2018 showed satisfactory results in the capacity to indicate the spatial distribution of the risk for humans and sensitivity to early detection of WNV circulation in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to detect West Nile virus (WNV) in the Vojvodina province, northern Serbia, commenced with human and mosquito surveillance in 2005, followed by horse (2009) and wild bird (2012) surveillance. The knowledge obtained regarding WNV circulation, combined with the need for timely detection of virus activity and risk assessment resulted in the implementation of a national surveillance programme integrating mosquito, horse and bird surveillance in 2014. From 2013, the system showed highly satisfactory results in terms of area specificity (the capacity to indicate the spatial distribution of the risk for human cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease - WNND) and sensitivity to detect virus circulation even at the enzootic level. A small number (n = 50) of Culex pipiens ( pipiens and molestus biotypes, and their hybrids) females analysed per trap/night, combined with a high number of specimens in the sample, provided variable results in the early detection capacity at different administrative levels (NUTS2 versus NUTS3). The clustering of infected mosquitoes, horses, birds and human cases of WNND in 2014–2015 was highly significant, following the south-west to north-east direction in Vojvodina (NUTS2 administrative level). Human WNND cases grouped closest with infected mosquitoes in 2014, and with wild birds/mosquitoes in 2015. In 2014, sentinel horses showed better spatial correspondence with human WNND cases than sentinel chickens. Strong correlations were observed between the vector index values and the incidence of human WNND cases recorded at the NUTS2 and NUTS3 levels. From 2010, West Nile virus was detected in mosquitoes sampled at 43 different trap stations across Vojvodina. At 14 stations (32.56%), WNV was detected in two different (consecutive or alternate) years, at 2 stations in 3 different years, and in 1 station during 5 different years. Based on these results, integrated surveillance will be progressively improved to allow evidence-based adoption of preventive public health and mosquito control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study was conducted to evaluate the seroprevalence of West Nile virus (WNV) in the horse population of northern Serbia. Furthermore, it aimed to provide insight and an updated overview on the circulation of this re-emerging pathogen in this part of southeastern Europe. At the time of manuscript preparation, no clinical cases of WNV infection in horses were reported in this area. Methodology: Between 2007 and 2011, a total of 252 equine serum samples were collected from seven different locations in northern Serbia. The presence of WNV-reactive IgG antibodies was examined by using commercial and in-house ELISAs. Selected ELISA-positive samples were re-tested by a WNV lineage 2 plaque reduction neutralization test 90% (PRNT-90). Results: In 28.6% of the 252 tested equine serum samples antibodies against WNV were detected. The results obtained with the in-house ELISA corresponded to the outcome of the commercial kit in 90% of the samples. All selected WNV antibody ELISA-positive samples were confirmed by PRNT-90 with neutralizing antibody titers of 1:23 to > 1:512. Conclusion: This study confirms the circulation of WNV in northern Serbia. No striking regional differences in seroprevalences were identified suggesting WNV circulation also in other parts of Serbia. Distances between wetlands or forests and stud farms do not appear to have an influence on WNV seroprevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]