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The model vaccine prepared as w/o/w enchanched serological response within the range of immunodiffusion titer 1:2 and 1:4 (mean value ID titer 1:3). As opposed to this, adsorbate vaccine enchanced production of significanly lower titer of antibodies (ID titer 1.1) and water suspension yielded no visible precipitation line.

Fifteen strains were identified as members of Mollicutes (primers MW 28/29). No strains were found to belong to MmmSC (SC3NEST1-L/R)The examined were identified as MmmLC/Mmcapri. No strains were found to belong to MmmSC (SC3NEST1-L/R.

Tetanus neurotoxin consists of H and L disulfide-linked proteins. Our preparation of the tetanus toxin was compared with national standard. The preparations were characterized by SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis. Comparing SDS-PAGE bands with immunologicaly reactive bands detected after western blotting revealed that about 2/3 of the protein bands were immunologically active. Comparison of the national standard with our preparations shows that immunologicaly active protein content of both preparations does not differ significantly.

The most of 9 tested antimicrobial agents showed considerable in vitro effectiveness against tested M. conjunctivae isolates. The most effective were enrofloxacin, tiamulin, chlortetracycline and oxytetracycline, followed by tylosin and gentamicin. The highest resistance was recorded with chloramphenicol, neomycin, and streptomycin Until now only a limited number of reports on sensitivity testing of M. conjunctivae isolates are available. Remarkable in vitro sensitivity of our M. conjunctivae isolates to tetracyclines was verified by good results obtained by topic and systemic administration of these drugs during the first outbreak of ovine infectious keratoconjunctivitis in Croatia. It can be concluded from our study that enrofloxacin, tiamulin, tetracyclines and tylosin are promising for the local and/or systemic treatment of IKC in small ruminants. Taking into account the broader antibacterial activity and possibilities of incorporation in ophthalmic preparations, tetracyclines may be preferred.

Primjena svjetlosnog i elektronskog mikroskopa pokazala se je korisnom u brzoj analizi vakcinalnog pripravka u tijeku proizvodnje vakcine za imunizaciju protiv bedrenice.

Nakon vizualizacije gela i nitrocelulozne membrane usporedbom SDS-PAGE vrpci i vrpci detektiranih western blot analizom uočeno je da je oko 2/3 linija proteina vezano za specifične konjske imunoglobuline. Sadržaj proteina u pretraženim pripravcima nije se bitno razlikovao.

Conected with the previously report on an outbreak of OIKC in Croatia, further investigation in epidemiology and microbiology was carried out. M. conjunctivae was not isolated from the animals derived from previously infected flocks. However many of the examined animals with a mild conjunctivitis were infected with B. ovis.

Tyzzerova bolest je akutna, često smrtonosna bakterijska infekcija od koje pretežno oboljevaju laboratorijske životinje, sporadično ždrebad, a rijetko ostale domaće i divlje životinje. Bolest uzrokuje bakterija Clostridium piliforme. Obično se očituje multiplim nekrozama u jetri i enteritisom Raširena je po cijelom svijetu.

Connected with the import of several thousand sheep from Australia and N Zealand in Croatia during 1995 a great number of native sheep that have been in contact with the imported animals acquired a severe ocular disease closely resembling OIKC. M. conjunctivae was isolated from 44 per cent and B. ovis from 56 per cent of microbiologically examined conjunctival swabs. For many resons most of the farmers ekiminated imported animals from their flocks and only sporadic cases of OIKC were recognised in 1996. By the end of 1997 all inspected flocks were clinacally free from OIKC. At this time conjunctival swabs were taken for microbiological examination from 63 animals originated from 6 previously infected flocks, and from 28 animals derivad from the flocks with no history of OIKC. The age of animals varied from several months to five years. All examined animlas were free from M. conjunctivae infection. Two Acheloplasma strains and two glucose- and arginin-negative mycoplasma isolates were ascertained in one flocks. B. ovis was cultured from 42, 9 per cent of examined animals from the flocks with previous history of OIKC. Heavy growth of B. ovis was generally associated with mild conjunctivitis. Independently of clinical signs of conjunctivitis this bacteria was isolated in a small number of colonies from the conjunctivas of only one animal derived from the flocks with no history of OIKC.

In the production of tetanus antitoxin healthy animals are immunized with the toxin produced by C. tetani, and the obtained hyperimmune serum or plasma is then purified. In present work flocculation test was applied to test 20 samples of tetanus anitoxin of unknown potency. Standard test toxin was used as antigen. Precipitation of immunocomplex occurred after incubation at 52 C degree, when the toxin and antitoxin reached aamost equivalent volumens. During titration unlike antitoxin, the amount of antigen was constant. In the test tubes with consecutive serial dilutions of antitoxin its leveles raised, but never to exceed one tenth of the levels in the middle of the range. Estimated error was below 5 per cent. Obtained values of in vitro flocculation test corresponded to the assumed values in iu/ml.

Toxin of the C. tetani is used for immunisation of horses during the production of kyperimmune sera, as well as in the bioproductions of vaccines. to keep the quality of our products at high level it is necessary to control our laboratory standard of tetanus toxin regluarly. For this reason, the methods of our choise for characterisation of tetaunus toksin SDS-PAGE and Western blott analysis. In our study we have analysed lab. standard of C. tetani toksin in comparison with national standard. After visualization of the gel and nitrocellulose membrane it was noticed that about 2/3 of protein bands of the lab. standard of C. toxin and the national standard were coupled with specific horse immunoglobulins. Comparison of the standards shows that content of both standards does not differ significantlly.

Elektronskom mikroskopijom i elementarnom analizom istražene su osobine spora vakcinalnog soja B. anthracis.

Epizootical and clinical observations during an outbreak of ocular disease in sheep were indicative in ovine infectious keratoconjunctivitis. Clinical diagnosis was cinfirmed by numerous isolation of mycoplasmas and Branhamella ovis. All investigations clearly indicated that the epizootic of OIKC in native sheep was related to the import of infected animals. Introduction of imported sheep and rams into the floks and direct contact with them were mostly responsible for the appearance of the disease in native sheep. From the glucose-fermenting arginin-negative strains, 10 out of 12 isolates were identified by PCR as M. conjunctivae. It therefore can be assumed that the majority of the other isolates with the same characteristics morphological and physiological properties also belonged to this species.The finding of M. conjunctivae in a large number of animals from the affected native floks, especially in those untreated with antibiotics, and the absence of infection in the healthy native floks supported the hypothesis that mycoplasmas were the primary cause of ovine keratoconjunctivitis. Although Branhamella ovis could not be assumed as primary etiological agens of OIKC as shown by others, its incidence rate their close relation with the disease.

At the begining of 1995. approximately 6 000 sheep from Australia and New Zealand were imported in Croatia as donation and distributed to private farmers all over the country. During the spring and summer of the same year a great number of native seep thate were in conctat with imported animals developed the signs of an ocular disease closely resembling to ovine keratoconjunctivitis. This disease has not been yet etiologically diagnosed in Croatia. Microbiological examination of conjunctical smears revealed a great number of animals infected with glucose-fementing mycoplasmas and Branchamella ovis. The infection with Chlamydia psittaci was not establishesd in any examined case. At the time of sampling the imported animals did not reveal clear-cut signs of disease, but were frequently found infected with mycoplasma and branhamella. Besides the results of microbiological investigation of epizootia, an outline of literature data on infectious ovine keratokonjunctivitis was given in the paper.

Cilia-associated respiratory bacillus (CAR bacillus) is an unclassified, gram-negative microorganism pertaining to the group of gliding and flexing filamentous bacteria. It is named for its unique ability of colonization the cilia of respiratory tract epithelium in infected animals. The bacterium grows only in chicken embryo allantoic fluid, cell culture or cell culture medium supplemented with fetal calf serum. Histologic sections of tracheal mucosal scraping prepared with silver impregnation technique can be used as rapid way to identify the CAR bacillus. Natural infections with this bacterium are known in laboratory and wild rats, mice, rabbits, Mystromys albicaudatus, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. In experimental infections with the agent typical pulmonary lesions of chronic respiratory disease in rats and mice were produced. There is a possibility that CAR bacillus impairs the normal mucociliary activity and predisposes the animal to infection with other pathogens.

The paper presents bacterial vaccines for cattle, sheep and goats, developed in PLIVAs Research Institute. PLIVA has prepared bacterial vaccines for ruminants, based on technological development and characterisation of the bacterial antigene biomass, in attempt to preserve and modernize the existing vaccine assortiment, and extented it with new vaccines.

Epizoothiological, clinical and microbiological observations of epizootic of caprine mycoplasmosis in Croatia were described.

In two separate herds of fattening calves a sudden-onset outbreak of ocular disease with profuse lacrimation occurred. The disease resembled the early stage of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis but after a few days the clinical signs of bronchopneumonia appeared. From conjunctival swabs Mycoplasma (M.) bovigenitalium, M. bovirhinis and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus were isolated.Moraxella bovis infection was not established. In one of the herds M. bovigenitalium was also found in the pneumonic lungs of dead calves. In one herd M. bovoculi was isolated from a cow with chronic keratoconjunctivitis, housed together with affected calves. Mycoplasmas were not isolated from ocular swabs of six bulls originating from a Reproductive Centre with temporary occurrence of unilateral serous conjunctivitis resistant to antibiotic therapy.

In the control of fowl mycoplasmoses various antimicrobials have been used. Of these, tetracycline antibiotics, tylosin, tyamulin, linco-spectin, danofloxacin and enrofloxacin are therapeutics of choise in current poultry praxis. Exept general view in sensitivity of avian mycoplasmas to various antimicrobials, in this paper the principles of their selection and use in the prophylaxis and therapy of mycoplasmoses caused by single avian pathogens are presented.

In several articles under common title Fowl Mycoplasmoses an outline of scientific achievements on ethiopathogenesis of these diseases in fowl and other avian species is given. Except epidemiology, clinical and pathoanatomical findings, diagnostics procedures of mycoplasmoses are described. Immunoprophylaxis, as well as the use of antibiotics in treatment and prevention of these diseases is presented. Eradication of mycoplasmal infections in intensive fowl production is also described.

In the paper general principles and procedures of sanitation of mycoplasmal infections in intensive poultry production are reviwed. Also some informations about avian mycoplasmas and choise appropriate disinfectans are presented.

In several subtitles of this paper peculiarities of immune reaction against avian mycoplasmas, their immunogenic properties and possibilities of acquiring immunity are reviewed. Special attention is paid to the encouraging results of use inactivated or attenuated mycoplasmal vaccines in prophylaxis of poulty mycoplasmosis.

General principles and procedures on eradication of mycoplasmal infections from intensive poultry production are outlined. Besides the antibiotics or heat treatment of hatching eggs to prevent the egg-transmission of the mycoplasmas, monitoring program by cultural and serological methods and high standards of hygiene during hatching and rearing to prevent lateral transmision are described.