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Abstract Ixodid ticks are distributed across all countries of the Western Balkans, with a high diversity of species. Many of these species serve as vectors of pathogens of veterinary and medical importance. Given the scattered data from Western Balkan countries, we have conducted a comprehensive review of available literature, including some historical data, with the aim to compile information about all recorded tick species and associated zoonotic pathogens in this region. Based on the collected data, the tick fauna of the Western Balkans encompasses 32 tick species belonging to five genera: Ixodes, Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor, Rhipicephalus and Hyalomma. A range of pathogens responsible for human diseases has also been documented, including viruses, bacteria and parasites. In this review, we emphasize the necessity for integrated surveillance and reporting, urging authorities to foster research by providing financial support. Additionally, international and interdisciplinary collaborations should be encouraged that include the exchange of expertise, experiences and resources. The present collaborative effort can effectively address gaps in our knowledge of ticks and tick-borne diseases. Graphical Abstract

Despite the significant health risks associated with Dermanyssus gallinae infestations in humans, they are often overlooked. This study investigated a household case of D. gallinae infestation and explored the resulting clinical manifestations and risk of infection in family members. Microfluidic PCR was employed for high-throughput screening of pathogens in collected mites and blood samples from both chickens and family members. Morphological and molecular examinations confirmed the identity of the mites as D. gallinae sensu stricto (s.s.), with evidence indicating recent blood feeding. Results indicated that the mites exclusively harbored various pathogens, including Bartonella spp., Ehrlichia spp., Apicomplexa, and Theileria spp. Blood samples from family members and poultry tested negative for these pathogens, suggesting a potential reservoir role for D. gallinae. The study further identified haplotypes of D. gallinae, classifying them into D. gallinae s.s., cosmopolitan haplogroup A. Serological analysis revealed elevated IgE seroreactivity against mite proteins in the family member with bite lesions. Antibodies against Bartonella spp. were detected in this individual, indicating exposure to the pathogen. In summary, this study sheds light on the clinical manifestations, pathogen detection, and genetic characterization of D. gallinae infestations, underscoring the necessity of adopting comprehensive approaches to manage such infestations effectively.

Animal and human dirofilariosis is a vector-borne zoonotic disease, being one of the most important diseases in Europe. In Serbia, there are extensive studies reporting the presence of Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens, mainly in the north of the country, where the human population is concentrated and where there is a presence of culicid mosquitoes that transmit the disease. Ecological niche modeling (ENM) has proven to be a very good tool to predict the appearance of parasitosis in very diverse areas, with distant orography and climatologies at a local, continental, and global level. Taking these factors into account, the objective of this study was to develop an environmental model for Serbia that reflects the suitability of the ecological niche for the risk of infection with Dirofilaria spp. with which the predictive power of existing studies is improved. A wide set of variables related to the transmission of the parasite were used. The potential number of generations of D. immitis and the ecological niche modeling method (ENM) were used to estimate the potential distribution of suitable habitats for Culex pipiens. The highest probability of infection risk was located in the north of the country, and the lowest in the southern regions, where there is more orographic relief and less human activity. The model was corroborated with the location of D. immitis-infected dogs, with 89.28% of the country having a high probability of infection. In addition, it was observed that the percentage of territory with optimal habitat for Culex spp. will increase significantly between now and 2080. This new model can be used as a tool in the control and prevention of heartworm disease in Serbia, due to its high predictive power, and will serve to alert veterinary and health personnel of the presence of the disease in the animal and human population, respectively.

Q fever is a globally widespread zoonosis, which has a large number of animal reservoirs. In humans, Q fever is asymptomatic in 60% of cases but may appear in the form of acute or chronic disease. The disease is mostly asymptomatic in animals but may be a cause of abortions or stillbirths. The aim of this study was to present and analyze the epidemiological characteristics of Q fever in Srem district, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia. We conducted a descriptive study using data from the registries of infectious diseases of the Institutes of Public Health of Vojvodina and Institute of Public Health Sremska Mitrovica in the period 2011-2020. A total of 76 human cases of Q fever were registered in Srem district over ten-year period. The majority of patients (89.47%; N = 68) were registered in municipalities of Sremska Mitrovica and Šid. One third of patients were hospitalized (32.89%; N = 25). Males were 3.2 times more affected than females (M : F = 3.22 : 1). Working age population (20–59 years) were most affected (82.89%; N = 63) with a significantly higher incidence compared to the age category 0-19 years (p < 0.05). The majority of cases were registered in February (60.53%; N = 46). Probable routes of transmission of Coxiella burnetii were: direct contact with animals and the airborne route of transmission (50.00% vs. 47.37%). The highest seroprevalence of Q fever recorded in goats (55.54%) and sheep (11.88%) in the municipality of Šid, which is connected to outbreak in Kukujevci 2017. The high seroprevalence in goats, recorded in Inđija (22.87%) was not accompanied by Q fever in humans. Q fever still represents a significant problem of both veterinary and human medicine and therefore continuous disease monitoring and more efficient cooperation of the veterinary and human health care sectors is necessary.

Abstract One Health recognises the interdependence between the health of humans, animals, plants and the environment. With the increasing inclusion of One Health in multiple global health strategies, the One Health workforce must be prepared to protect and sustain the health and well-being of life on the planet. In this paper, a review of past and currently accepted One Health core competencies was conducted, with competence gaps identified. Here, the Network for Ecohealth and One Health (NEOH) propose updated core competencies designed to simplify what can be a complex area, grouping competencies into three main areas of: Skills; Values and Attitudes; and Knowledge and Awareness; with several layers underlying each. These are intentionally applicable to stakeholders from various sectors and across all levels to support capacity-building efforts within the One Health workforce. The updated competencies from NEOH can be used to evaluate and enhance current curricula, create new ones, or inform professional training programs at all levels, including students, university teaching staff, or government officials as well as continual professional development for frontline health practitioners and policy makers. The competencies are aligned with the new definition of One Health developed by the One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP), and when supported by subjectspecific expertise, will deliver the transformation needed to prevent and respond to complex global challenges. One Health Impact Statement Within a rapidly changing global environment, the need for practitioners competent in integrated approaches to health has increased substantially. Narrow approaches may not only limit opportunities for global and local solutions but, initiatives that do not consider other disciplines or social, economic and cultural contexts, may result in unforeseen and detrimental consequences. In keeping with principles of One Health, the Network for Ecohealth and One Health (NEOH) competencies entail a collaborative effort between multiple disciplines and sectors. They focus on enabling practitioners, from any background, at any level or scale of involvement, to promote and support a transformation to integrated health approaches. The updated competencies can be layered with existing disciplinary competencies and used to evaluate and enhance current education curricula, create new ones, or inform professional training programs at all levels-including for students, teachers and government officials as well as continual professional development for frontline health practitioners and policymakers. The competencies outlined here are applicable to all professionals and disciplines who may contribute to One Health, and are complimentary to, not a replacement for, any discipline-specific competencies. We believe the NEOH competencies meet the need outlined by the Quadripartite’s (Food and Agriculture Organisation, United Nations Environment Programme, World Health Organisation, World Organisation for Animal Health) Joint Plan of Action on One Health which calls for cross-sectoral competencies.

Abstract Background Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is a viral disease, caused by the Equine Infectious Anemia virus (EIAV) belonging to the Retroviridae family, genus Lentivirus. Horses (or equids) infected with EIAV are lifelong carriers and they remain contagious for other horses even in the absence of clinical signs. So far, EIAV infection has been reported among horses in North and South America, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary and Romania, with no publication regarding the presence of EIAV in horses in Serbia. To determine the circulation of EIAV among, approximately, the 5000 horses of the Vojvodina region, northern part of Serbia, 316 serum undergone serological testing for EIA. Then, identification and full genome sequencing using next generation sequencing was performed from one EIA positive horse. Results the 316 sera were tested with 3 different commercial agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) tests and two different commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). With the three AGID kits, 311 (98.4%) among the 316 tested sera were negative and only five (1.6%) sera were positive for EIA. Some discrepancies were seen for the two ELISA kits tested since one exhibited the same results as AGID test and the second gave 295 sera with negative results, five with a positive result and 16 with doubtful outcome. Phylogenetic analysis performed using the full genome sequence showed that EIAV characterized from a horse in Serbia is different from those identify so fare around the world and form a distinct and separate group together with another EIAV strain. Conclusions This study demonstrate for the first time that EIAV is circulating at a low level in the horse population from the Northern part of Serbia. Interestingly, phylogenetic data indicates that this EIAV from the western Balkan region of Europe belongs to a new cluster.

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).

This study attempts to summarize epidemiological characteristics of human leptospirosis and to determine the seroprevalence of this disease among domestic animals in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, for the period 2009-2018. Chronological, demographic and topographic characteristics of human cases were analyzed. Pearson's correlation was used to explore correlations between different meteorological factors and trends in time-series of human cases. Overall 87 human cases of leptospirosis and five subsequent deaths (CFR: 5.75%) were recorded in the ten-year period. The average annual incidence rate was 0.45/100,000 (range: 0.16-1.50/100,000). The disease was more prevalent in males (M/F=16.40:1), with the majority of cases reported in August (N=23; 26.44%), September (N=20; 23.00%) and October (N=15; 17,24%). A statistically significant weak positive correlation was observed between the mean monthly air temperature and the number of human cases of leptospirosis of the same month (r=0.30, p

Dirofilariosis and leishmaniosis are severe parasitic diseases in dogs, and their causative agents can also be pathogenic to humans. In this study, we conducted a multicentric survey in the regions of Serbia and North Macedonia with the goal to establish an epidemiological scenario of dirofilariosis and leishmaniosis in the territory of Central Balkan. Using molecular analyses, a total of 535 dogs from Northern Serbia (NS), Southern Serbia (SS) and North Macedonia (NM) were screened for the presence of Dirofilaria spp. and Leishmania spp. We confirmed that Central Balkan is an endemic region for Dirofilaria (D.) immitis, as it was found to be the dominant species in this area, with the highest prevalence of 8.75% in NM, followed by NS (6.68%) and a significantly lower prevalence in SS (1.51%). Two dogs (2.5%) from NM were positive for Leishmania (L.) infantum infection. None of the dogs from Serbia tested positive for Leishmania spp. High prevalence and dominance of D. immitis species, and the rising threat of L. infantum spread to the territory of Serbia, suggest that preventive measures are of a great necessity to combat the spread of these vector-borne zoonoses.

Dirofilariasis is a vector-borne zoonotic disease caused mainly by Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens that affect dogs and humans all over the world. Serbia is considered an endemic country to both forms of dirofilariasis, although most of the population is concentrated in the north of the country. The aims of this study were to show the prevalence of D. immitis and D. repens in dogs and the seroprevalence in humans compared to previous studies in Northern Serbia. In total, 346 dog sera samples and 265 human samples were analyzed. Dog blood samples were analyzed using the modified Knott's method to check whether there were Dirofilaria spp. microfilariae and serum samples were checked by a commercial D. immitis antigen test. Human serum samples were analyzed with a non-commercial ELISA for detection of specific anti-D. immitis, anti-D. repens, and anti-Wolbachia IgG antibodies, and confirmed by western blotting. The overall prevalence for Dirofilaria spp. in dogs was 29.19%. The overall prevalence for D. immitis was 26.30%. The percentages of D. immitis and D. repens microfilaremia in dogs were 25.72 and 1.45%, respectively, while D. immitis./D. repens microfilaremia co-infections were also 1.45%. The overall seroprevalence for Dirofilaria spp. in humans was 3.77%. The overall seroprevalence for D. immitis was 1.51, 1.13% for D. repens, and for D. immitis/D. repens co-infections was 1.13%. The results indicate that D. immitis and D. repens are present in dogs and humans in the province of Vojvodina, in the northern part of Serbia. It is most likely associated with the presence of many rivers, the climate, and presence of mosquitoes in the area, so there could be a real public health risk.

A nine-year-old male dog of Doberman breed was taken to the laboratory for animal reproduction of the Scientific Veterinary Institute „Novi Sad“ for semen quality control. The sample of the ejaculate was taken without difficulty; however, the sample contained a significant amount of fresh blood (total ejaculate volume was 5 ml). The assessment of semen quality from such sample was not possible because blood components mask the spermatozoa. Nevertheless, the sample of ejaculate drop was placed for microscopic observation and analysis. In the semen, a lot of blood cells and only a few spermatozoids (mostly not moving) were found; however, something else was observed - the presence of a live motile organism, long-shaped, looking very much like a larval stage of a parasite Dirofilaria sp. Next day, the blood sample was taken for the analysis for dirofilariosis. The result of the ELISA test for Dirofilaria immitis antigen was negative indicating the absence of adult worms of Dirofilaria immitis. The result of modified Knott test showed the presence of larval stages of Dirofilaria repens.

The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) causes a life-threatening disease named Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). The clinical symptoms associated with TBE range from non-specific to severe inflammation of the central nervous system and are very similar to the clinical presentation of other viral meningitis/encephalitis. In consequence, TBE is often misclassified by clinical physicians, mainly in the non-identified high-risk areas where none or only a few TBE cases have been reported. Considering this situation, we hypothesized that among persons from northern Serbia who recovered from viral meningitis or encephalitis, there would be evidence of TBEV infection. To test this hypothesis, in this observational study, we evaluated the seroreactivity against TBEV antigens in patients from northern Serbia who were hospitalized due to viral meningitis and/or viral encephalitis of unknown etiology. Three cases of seroreactivity to TBEV antigens were discovered among convalescent patients who recovered from viral meningitis and/or encephalitis and accepted to participate in the study (n = 15). The clinical and laboratory findings of these patients overlap with that of seronegative convalescent patients. Although TBE has been a notifiable disease in Serbia since 2004, there is no active TBE surveillance program for the serologic or molecular screening of TBEV infection in humans in the country. This study highlights the necessity to increase the awareness of TBE among physicians and perform active and systematic screening of TBEV antibodies among patients with viral meningitis and/or encephalitis.

Abstract Dirofilaria repens is a nematode affecting domestic and wild canids, transmitted by several species of mosquitoes. It usually causes a non-pathogenic subcutaneous infection in dogs and is the principal agent of human dirofilariosis in the Old World. In the last decades, D. repens has increased in prevalence in areas where it has already been reported and its distribution range has expanded into new areas of Europe, representing a paradigmatic example of an emergent pathogen. Despite its emergence and zoonotic impact, D. repens has received less attention by scientists compared to Dirofilaria immitis. In this review we report the recent advances of D. repens infection in dogs and humans, and transmission by vectors, and discuss possible factors that influence the spread and increase of this zoonotic parasite in Europe. There is evidence that D. repens has spread faster than D. immitis from the endemic areas of southern Europe to northern Europe. Climate change affecting mosquito vectors and the facilitation of pet travel seem to have contributed to this expansion; however, in the authors’ opinion, the major factor is likely the rate of undiagnosed dogs continuing to perpetuate the life-cycle of D. repens. Many infected dogs remain undetected due to the subclinical nature of the disease, the lack of rapid and reliable diagnostic tools and the poor knowledge and still low awareness of D. repens in non-endemic areas. Improved diagnostic tools are warranted to bring D. repens diagnosis to the state of D. immitis diagnosis, as well as improved screening of imported dogs and promotion of preventative measures among veterinarians and dog owners. For vector-borne diseases involving pets, veterinarians play a significant role in prevention and should be more aware of their responsibility in reducing the impact of the zoonotic agents. In addition, they should enhance multisectorial collaboration with medical entomologists and the public health experts, under the concept and the actions of One Health-One Medicine.

Whilst multiple countries in Europe have wildlife health surveillance (WHS) programmes, they vary in scope. In many countries, coordinated general surveillance at a national scale is not conducted and the knowledge of wildlife health status in Europe remains limited. Learning lessons from countries with established systems may help others to effectively implement WHS schemes. In order to facilitate information exchange, the WHS Network of the European Wildlife Disease Association organised a workshop to both collate knowledge and experience from countries that had started or expanded WHS programmes and to translate this information into practical recommendations. Presentations were given by invited representatives of European countries with different WHS levels. Events that led to the start-up and fostered growth spurts of WHS were highlighted, including action plan creation, partnership formation, organisation restructuring and appraisal by external audit. Challenges to programme development, such as a lack of funding, data sharing, infrastructural provision and method harmonisation, were explored. Recommendations to help overcome key challenges were summarised as: understanding and awareness; cross-sectoral scope; national-scale collaboration; harmonisation of methods; government support; academic support; other funding support; staff expertise and capacity; leadership, feedback and engagement; and threat mitigation and wildlife disease management. This resource may enable the development of WHS programmes in Europe and beyond.

Abstract Background Leishmaniasis in Serbia was an endemic disease, and is considered to be eradicated for more than 40 years. In the past decade sporadic cases of canine leishmaniasis started to emerge for the first time in Vojvodina Province (previously non-endemic region of Serbia). Reports of introduced, and later on autochthonous cases of leishmaniasis alerted the possibility of disease emergence. The aim of this study was to bridge more than a half a century wide gap in entomological surveillance of sand fly vectors in Vojvodina, as well as to verify the presence of the vector species that could support Leishmania spp. circulation. Results During the period 2013–2015, a total of 136 sand flies were collected from 48 of 80 surveyed locations. Four sand fly species of the genus Phlebotomus were detected: P. papatasi, P. perfiliewi, P. mascittii and P. neglectus. Detection of P. mascittii represents the first record of this species for the sand fly fauna in Vojvodina and in Serbia. All female specimens (n = 80) were tested for Leishmania spp. DNA, and three blood-fed P. papatasi specimens were positive (4%). One positive DNA sample was successfully amplified by ITS1 nPCR. The RFLP analysis of the resulting 350 bp fragment showed a typical pattern of L. infantum, and the ITS1 partial sequence blasted in GenBank confirmed 100% identity with L. infantum and L. donovani complex sequences. This result represents the first record of both Leishmania spp. and L. infantum DNA from sand flies in Vojvodina, and in Serbia. Conclusions Presence of autochthonous canine leishmaniasis cases, records of Phlebotomus (Larroussius) species proven vectors of L. infantum (P. perfiliewi and P. neglectus) and detection of L. infantum DNA from wild caught (non-competent) vectors, prove that L. infantum is present in Vojvodina and indicates a probable circulation in the region.

In this paper we briefl y described the worldwide distribution of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) in dogs and cats. Th e most common sequence type of MRSP strains in dogs is ST71 as it was detected in isolates on four continents (Europe, Asia, North and South America). However, several diff erent MRSP sequence types are detected in small animals, and the presence of new genetic variants is continually reported. Sometimes isolates belonging to the same sequence type (ST) are detected in dogs, cats, their owners, and veterinarians. MRSP is oft en multidrug-resistant and its resistance patterns are usually linked to certain sequence types. Th e resistance to non-beta-lactam antibiotics such as erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, gentamicin, enrofl oxacin and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim is also recorded. Taking into account that MRSP tends to confer multidrug-resistant phenotype, it is quite challenging for veterinarians to give adequate therapy in clinically ill animals. It would seem as if the signifi cance of MRSP in the clinical epidemiology of humans is not fi rmly established. However, the importance of MRSP in human medicine should not be underestimated given the fact that all methicillinresistant Staphylococcus spp. carry resistance and virulence genes and have the potential to share their genetic elements with other bacteria.

The aim of this study is to summarize the data on the occurrence, presence and prevalence of some zoonotic flaviviruses, which have been actively circulating in the territory of the Republic of Serbia during past decade. The genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae,encompasses vector-transmitted viruses with zoonotic potential. The genus is comprised of more than 70 viruses transmitted to humans by mosquitoes and ticks. Some of those are associated only with human diseases (such as yellow fever and dengue fever), whereas others can cause diseases in both humans and animals. Animals are major reservoirs and primary hosts for the latter group. The virus transmission to other animal species or humans occurs via diverse vectors – mostly mosquitoes and ticks. A range of these virus species is widely distributed worldwide, especially in tropical and sub-tropical climatic zones. Some representatives of these species have only recently been identified at the territory of Republic of Serbia. This paper gives an evidence on the presence and distribution of West-Nile virus, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus and Usutu virus that were conducted within the study in Serbia. The research pointed out the presence of recently detected West-Nile virus and Usutu virus as well as the current circulation of tick-borne encephalitis virus, for which only limited serological evidence on the presence of virus-specific antibodies in humans was available so far. In the aspect of public health, the full understanding of the importance of identification and prevalence of different flaviviruses still require further comprehensive entomologicalacarological, seroepidemiological, clinical and virological research.

Ovine brucellosis can cause epididymitis and reduce fertility in rams and therefore is an important disease in sheep and rams from economic point of view. Sometimes it causes abortions and increased perinatal mortality in sheep as well, but it primarily affects male animals. Brucella ovis was first identified in northern region of Serbia, in 2008-2009 during a research study. Specific antibodies against Brucella ovis were detected in the sheep that originated from Becej and Titel municipalities in the South Bačka district. The prevalence was low, only 0.89%. For the purpose of this study, a total number of 6,407 serum samples from rams and sheep were used. All of the samples were from the northern part of Serbia, belonging to South Bačka and Srem districts. Serological test was performed in order to determine the presence of specific antibodies against Brucella ovis in rams and sheep, by ELISA test (indirect ELISA - iELISA). The prevalence varied from 0% - 19.3% during the years. If we look into the municipalities of South Bačka and Srem district, we can see that the numbers of positive samples are different, and the number of analyzed samples varies. The overall seroprevalence from 2014-2018 in South Bačka and Srem district is 6.15%, but it varies significantly among different municipalities from 0 to 26%. The majority of analyzed sample were from rams and all of the positive findings are in rams. Only a small number of sheep (female) has been examined so far, so the prevalence among females is still unknown.

Obesity is a malnutrition disorder of global concern with increasing prevalence driven by underlying societal, economic and environmental mechanisms leading to changed physical activity patterns, eating behaviors and diet compositions in both humans and in their pet-dogs. A questionnaire-based study was carried out as a joint effort across 11 European countries. It was considered a One Health (OH) initiative between scientists from human and animal health sectors aiming to identify factors associated with obesity in dog owners and their dogs. Expected outcomes of this approach included new insights unachievable by single-sector research initiatives, and hence potentially leading to new cross-sectorial solutions. We performed an internal evaluation among the actors of the obesity initiative using the framework for evaluation developed by the “Network for Evaluation of One Health” (NEOH). It served as a case-study for the NEOH consortium to illustrate the application and provide feedback on the utility of the framework. The evaluation was performed by a subgroup of scientists also involved in the obesity study group, and it consisted of: (1) the definition of the initiative and its context, (2) the description of the theory of change, and (3) the qualitative and quantitative process evaluation of operations and supporting infrastructures scored on a scale from 0 to 1. In the One Health operations, the obesity study initiative scored medium high on OH-thinking (0.5) and OH-planning (0.45), and relatively high on OH-working (0.7). The supporting infrastructure score was high for systemic organization (0.8), but low for sharing (0.45) and learning (0.28). The calculated OH-index was 0.29 (on scale 0 to 1) indicating that the full potential of health integration and collaboration was not exploited in the initiative, and the main issue identified was a lack of stakeholder engagement. The OH-ratio of 1.1 indicated equal focus on operations and supporting infrastructures. Hence, the evaluation identified potentially counterproductive as well as beneficial characteristics, which are further discussed in this paper in relation to the expected outcomes. The NEOH framework for evaluation requires that the evaluators have a good understanding of systems thinking and the mechanisms of the health issue targeted by the initiative.

Dermanyssus gallinae or the poultry red mite is currently the most im-portant ectoparasite aff ecting egg-laying hens in several countries causing reduced poultry welfare, mortality and even allergic reactions in poultry farms workers. Its short life cycle, which in optimal conditions can be com-pleted within 7 days, and ability to survive in extreme circumstances with-out a blood meal up to 13 months, and the ability to infest new fl ock, makes it even more diffi cult to eradicate. Dermanyssus gallinae prevalence rates in diff erent European countries, including Serbia, can reach up to 80-90%. Also, the poultry red mite is responsible in vector transmission of several bacterial and viral avian diseases, including Salmonella spp, Chlamydia spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp., Pasteurella multocida, Newcas-tle disease and Fowl poxvirus. Besides that, the poultry red mite can also transfer antimicrobial resistance genes by carrying pathogenic bacterial fl ora. Control of Dermanyssus gallinae can be divided into conventional and alternative methods. Conventional methods are mostly focused on pre-venting infestations and/or killing Dermanyssus gallinae, while alternative methods include the use of essential oils, vaccines, light, odors, predatory mites, fungi, nematodes and bacterial endosymbionts, and temperature in order to eliminate the poultry red mite. Nevertheless, this small ectopara-site still makes millions worth damage to global poultry industry.

Lyme disease is the most common vector borne disease in regions with moderate climate. The cause of the disease is Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi s.l.), whereas infection is spread via bite from a tick carrying the causative agent. The objective of this work is the examination of descriptive-epidemiological characteristics of Lyme disease in North Backa region in the period from 2012 to 2016. In terms of classifi cation, Lyme dis-ease does not fall into the category of diseases that must be reported when infection occurs among animals. The average rate of incidence in humans during the observed five-year period is 7/100.000. Th e highest incidence of this disease among humans was observed in 2013 (In 12.2/100,000) with 22 reported cases, whereas the lowest incidence was in 2015 (In 5.0/100,000) with 9 reported cases. The highest rate of incidence was recorded in Bačka Topola municipality – 15.9/100.000; followed by Mali Iđoš with 7.2/100.000; while the lowest rate was recorded in Subotica being 5.0 cases per 100,000 residents. Th e presence of the disease was confi rmed in all patients via labo-ratory (serological) tests. Women were more likely to become infected, with the male-female patient ratio being 41%-59%. The disease was documented predominantly among people aged 50-69. The majority of cases were re-corded during spring and summer, in the period from May to June (71%). Among animals, the disease was documented in Subotica and Mali Iđoš municipality, with average prevalence rates among dogs and horses being 0.07%; and 1.52% respectively. Subotica municipality has the most accurate records of cases and a prevalence of 0.06% among dogs, and 1.43% among horses, while Mali Iđoš municipality has higher prevalence, being 2.99% among horses and 0.14% among dogs. The highest occurrence of Lyme disease among animals was documented in 2015, with a prevalence of 2.85% among horses. The presence of causative agents among examined ticks in Mali Iđoš municipality was 16.28% on average, predominantly in 2015 (in 21.21% of examined ticks).

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis is a bacterial, vector-transmitted infection caused by Ehrlichia canis. Th e pathogen is mainly transmitted by ticks Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The disease highest distributionis most widely distributed in tropical and subtropical countries but it is also reported in Mediterranean countries of Europe (Spain, France, Italy, Turkey). Temperate continental climate and presence of these tick species are responsible for the maintenance and spreading of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis within the dog population in our region as well. Since hunting dogs are more exposed to tick bites then pet dogs, ed thisour study was conducted with the aims of determining the seroprevalence and basic epidemiological characteristics of monocytic ehrlichiosis infection in the population of hunting dogs, and comparing the obtained results with the results of other authors. This research involved 58 hunting dogs from the region of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. All dogs were clinically examined and their basic epidemiological characteristics were recorded. Then, blood samples were collected in order to determine the presence of specifi c G class antibodies against Ehrlichia canis antigens. An indirect immunofl uorescence test manufactured by VMRD, U.S.A., was used. In this study, the seroprevalence of monocytic ehrlichiosis in a population of examined hunting dogs from the region of Vojvodina was 13.79%. Th is rate is similar to the seroprevalence of monocytic ehrlichiosis in the general population of dogs in Vojvodina.

Equine infectious anemia is a consequence of a persistant infection of the horses with Lentivirus. Pathogenesis of the disease is very variable, what can bee seen through a wide range of clinical forms of the disease – from inaparrent infection to death. Diagnostics of EIA is based on clinical symptoms, detection of antibodies and virus. Antibodies can be identified with Hi, VN, CFIT, cELISA, SA-ELISA and AGID test. RT-PCR technique enables the detection of and/or quantifi cation of viral RNA level in blood of infected animal. First reliable serological test for EIA was AGID test. Modified AGID test is considered today as aknowledged, international standard for the detection of antibodies against EIA virus and it enables detection of more then 95% of ll positive animals. Horses with positive fi ndings with this test are considered infected and should be euthanized or placed in strict isolation. Further measures to control the spread of this disease are insectvector control and disinfection of surgical and other equipment in use on successive animals. Th e results of a study during a twenty year period, in the region of AP Vojvodina show that from the total of 11.972 horses blood samples, with te use of AGID test, positive results were found in 21 or 0,17% of horses.

Within the multifactorial etiology of respiratory infections in cattle, Mycoplasmae play an important role. Most of the Mycoplasma microorganisms play a minor role in the development of the infections in cattle, contrary to Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) that is commonly the primary agent of the disease. Respiratory tract mucosa is the primary colonization site of M. bovis in cattle. Colonization of the upper respiratory tract of calves with M.bovis oft en occurs within the fi rst few weeks of life. Animals with chronic infection and without clinical symptoms occasionally shed M.bovis and they are highly important for the epidemiology of the infection. Stress factors such as transportation, entrance into the feeding object, coldness, etc. are associated with the secretion of M. bovis from a nose. Diagnostic procedure relies on clinical symptoms and detection of causative agent, regardless of whether the infection is found in individual animals or in the entire herd. Serological detection of M.bovis antibodies is often a reliable diagnostic method. The most used indirect method is ELISA test. During a two-year period, blood serum samples from calves (beef cattle) were examined and analyzed. Calves originated from cattle farms (big and small) of Holstein- Friesian and Simmental breed. The total number of 3777 samples was examined applying ELISA (Biovet Inc. Mycoplasma bovis Antibody Test Kit Bovichek® M.bovis). Positive fi ndings were obtained in 182 animals, i.e. 4.81%. Th e obtained results confi rmed the presence of M.bovis in cattle herds. Further research from epizootical aspect and the role of M.bovis in the occurrence of health problems in cattle population is necessary.

“One Health” has been defi ned as “the collaborative eff ort of multiple disciplines — working locally, nationally, and globally — to attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment”. One Health is a new initiative, but with the concept that extends back to ancient times. One Health is an interdisciplinary concept for complex health challenges from a holistic integrated perspective, more then a divided perspective based on different disciplines. Th ere is no isolation, wild animals, domestic animals, pathogens and diseases do not know of the political borders. The aim of the One Health initiative is to form unifi ed solutions applicable for the improvement of health of humans, animals and the environment. A workshop was organized for the representatives of all structures and levels of medical and veterinary services of Serbia. During four tasks, among joint working groups, the most important structure of One Health was proposed, introducing possible concept in Serbia.

The color, aroma and fl avor are major sensory characteristics of honey, which are mainly determined by the botanical origin of honey as well as by processing and storage conditions. Increased moisture content above the maximum permitted level could result in honey spoilage, which aff ects its sensory properties. The higher water-in-honey content, the greater possibility of yeast fermentation and thus the change of the fl avor and color of honey. Fermentation process results in alcohol formation and, in the presence of oxygen, the alcohol will break down to acetic acid and water, which causes honey to have sour taste. Thus, moisture content of honey is a critical parameter for its quality as it aff ects the stability of honey and its resistance to microbial spoilage during storage. Physicochemical analysis of moisture content and acidity of honey play an important role in determining the overall characteristic of honey and final assessment of its quality. In this study, the investigation of aforementioned parameters resulted in positive quality assessment for 48 of 50 examined honey samples produced in 2013 in the territory of Vojvodina.

The significance of each domestic animal in the epidemiology of Q-fever is different in various regions and it depends on the number of animals, level of infection, herd size, type of breeding and the conditions of hygiene. Epizootiological studies in our country show greater prevalence in sheep, than in cattle. Q-fever is maintained in Vojvodina in endemo-epidemic form. In Q-fever management programs for control of in sheep and cattle, serological examination and vaccination of the animals is recommended. Efficiency of the application of these measures should be conducted by applying recommended serological tests and detection of causative agent should be done by PCR method. A study on the comparative examination of efficiency, of different vaccination protocols has not yet been conducted. This would refer primarily to the duration of vaccination program, animal categories that are supposed to be vaccinated and timing for vaccination. A significant decrease in the level of infection was found after vaccination during the first years upon application of vaccination program. When vaccination in heifers was done before pregnancy with vaccines containing C.burnetii phase I strains, it was five times less likely that the infection would occur. Vaccination of cows with chronic infection prevents shedding of riketsia via milk, regardless whether the shedding is constant or intermittent. Vaccination represents a new concept of suppression of this zoonozes in the terms of human protection, and also in the terms of creating areas free from Q-fever in endemic regions. General preventive measures applied in the case of Q-fever infection are: movement restriction, separation of animals, restriction of milk and wool, adequate hygiene, using the protective clothing, desinfection of equipement and vechicles, removing of placenta particles, removing of manure, quarantine after calving and lambing and not use common grazing. People proffesionally exposed to the risk from infection should be educated about the disease.

Keeping up-to-date with modern diagnostic techniques for leptospirosis as well as continuous improvement of laboratory diagnostic methods resulted in abundant knowledge on the nature and consequences of this infection and its importance in both human and veterinary medicine. In that respect, development and introduction of novel diagnostic tests and procedures have become the paramount issue in the diagnostics of leptospirosis and related infectious diseases. Thus, the goal of this research was to investigate the application of diverse laboratory methods and to evaluate their validity in the diagnostics of leptospirosis. Eleven rabbits were artificially infected with live cultures of L. interrogans serovar hardjo by the method of skin scarification. Blood and blood serum samples of challenged animals were collected every other day throughout the 3-week period (i.e. until day 21), and then once weekly during following five weeks. Blood sera were tested for the presence of L. interrogans serovar hardjo specific antibodies applying the methods of microscopic agglutination (MA) test and ELISA. Blood samples were examined using the method of cultivation in liquid medium by Johnson supplemented with 200μg/1ml 5- fluorouracil (5-FU). Presence/absence of L.interrogans serovar hardjo was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. In this reaction, a pair of primers separated from the basic structure of the Leptospira interrogans rrs (16S) gene. In MA test, the presence of specific antibodies against L. hardjo in rabbits was confirmed in 67 (36.61%) of 183 investigated sera. Initial positive specific antibody finding was recorded on day 9 post challenge, and it persisted until day 17. In ELISA test, positive and suspect findings were confirmed in 67 and 18 samples, respectively. Initial ELISA-positive finding was observed on day 15, showing increasing tendency throughout the monitoring period and reaching its maximum value on day 42. Method of blood sample cultivation resulted in isolation of L. interrogans serovar hardjo in 33 (18.03%) on day 3 at the earliest, whilst highest isolation rate was observed on day 17 post challenge. Applying polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, genome or genome sequences of L. interrogans serovar hardjo were detected in 67 (56.30%) out of 119 blood serum samples. PCR method revealed positive finding as early as on day 1 post challenge, whereas the highest rate of positive findings was recorded on day 19. Comparison of the results obtained by methods of cultivation and PCR during the period from experimental day 1 to 21, i.e. period prior to administration of chemotherapeutic agents, demonstrated high level of linear correlation of r = 0.8105 at the 0.01 significance level. After dihydrostreptomycin therapy administered from day 21 post infection, L. interrogans serovar hardjo could not be isolated using the method of blood sample cultivation. Contrary to that, PCR method revealed the presence of L. interrogans serovar hardjo genome in 23 samples.

Ticks are vectors for many infectious diseases and represent a constant threat to human population and other animals, especially with respect to zoonoses. Th e cause of granulocyte anaplasmosis Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a gram-negative, obligate intracellular bacterium that infects people as well as various domestic and wild animals. Th e agent is spread worldwide, persisting in the natural environment through an enzootic circle between ticks and their hosting vertebrae. Th e aim of this paper is to demonstrate the distribution of ticks’ infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum in the territory of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. Ticks were collected at ten locations in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia, which are a rural habitat for ticks. By applying the nested PCR method, the ticks were examined for the presence of specifi c DNA p44/msp2 Anaplasma phagocytphilum. Of the ten examined pools of ticks collected in the area of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, the presence of genome of the agent Anaplasma phagocytophilum was confi rmed in six pools applying the PCR method. In five pools of ticks of the species Ixodes ricinus, presence of agent Anaplasma phagocytophilum was confi rmed. Th ese ticks were found at the following locations: Poplar Research Institute (2 locations), Fruška gora (2 locations) Poloj-forest Bačka Palanka (1 location). In one pool of ticks of the species Dermacentor reticulatus from the location Poloj-forest Bačka Palanka, we confi rmed the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum genome. This infection can be a problem for public health, so further and more comprehensive acharological and epidemiological research is necessary in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina.

During the last few years more than 20 different types of Mycoplasma, Ureaplasma and Acholeplasma microorganisms have been isolated from cattle with different clinical signs. Most of Mycoplasma microorganisms have a secondary role in the appearance of infection in cattle. Differently, Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) has a primary role in the infection of cattle. It has been proved that M. bovis frequently causes pneumonia, mastitis and arthritis in cows. Besides, M. bovis is identified as a causative agent in meningitis, middle ear infection, keratoconjunctivitis, decubitus abscesses, vaginitis and miscarriages in cows. Diagnostic was done based on the clinical signs and detection of the causative agent, in individual animals and in the herds as whole. The methods used for diagnostic can be cultivation of the causative agent or fluorescence test for antigen detection in pathological material. Also, the detection of specific antibodies can be done, applying different serological methods: fast agglutination on a plate, indirect hemiinhibition, agar gel immunodifussion, CF, ELISA, etc. Polymerasa chain reaction (PCR) is a sensitive method which is mostly used for confirmatory etiological diagnostic. The treatment of Mycoplasma infection is very demanding due to the resistance to most frequently used antibiotics and therefore very different from treating any other bacterial infection. M. bovis is one of the most complicated agents for control as its response to the treatment is weak. A good program for eradication of mycoplasmosis is based on early carrier detection and they are excluded the herds.

Research on vectors and zoonozes in Serbia has been going on for more than a decade now. Due to the climate changes during the last years, the presence of vectors has changed and also the presence of zoonotic agents inside them has changed, too. Vectors that can be found are ticks, mosquitoes, flies, etc. Ticks that can be found in Vojvodina are Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus bursa, Haemaphysalis punctata. The most common diseases known as tick borne in Vojvodina are piroplasmosis, Q fever and Lyme disease. The study done recently has shown that the presence of ticks can be found throughout the whole year in Northern part of Serbia (Vojvodina province). During the last five years different surveys have shown that ticks in Serbia are infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. at a rate of 25-30%, depending on the region. Also, a number of clinical cases of Lyme disease has been registered in humans and dogs. The percentage of ticks infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. in the province of Vojvodina ranges from 25-28%. An analysis of ticks in selected urban regions performed during a three-year period revealed an infection rate of 25%. During the three-year study period, a total of 1224 ticks were collected from different locations in Vojvodina. The dominant species was Ixodes ricinus, accounting for 62% of all collected ticks. Mosquitoes are another vectors that can be found in Vojvodina very often during the warm period of the year (June-October). Diseases that they can carried are blue tongue disease, equine infectious anemia, dirofilariosis in humans and dogs, etc. Diagnostic of dirofilariosis in Serbia begun some 4 years ago when Dirofilaria were found (Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens) in dogs and later on in humans. First cases of dirofilariosis were found in dogs during the autopsy as a side finding. The presence of Phlebotominae has been detected in southern Serbia long time ago and they are known as vectors for leishmaniosis. Their presence has still not been detected in Vojvodina. Three years ago ago several dogs were found with clinical signs (epistaxys, cachexia, pale mucosa, skin leisures, blindness, lethargy) and seropositive finding for leishmaniosis in the central part of Serbia and Vojvodina. At first, all of the dogs were infected abroad, but since 2010, few dogs have been found that have never left their homes. During the period 2008-2010 in Scientific Veterinary Institute „Novi Sad“ 23 dogs vere examined for the presence of antibodies against leishmania by ELISA serological method.

Dirofilariasis is a parasitic disease, caused with Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens. Dirofilariasis can appear as a heart form and as a cutaneus form. For the spreading of dirofilariasis, the presence of mosquitoes is nessessary, because they serve as vectors Also a part of dirofilaria life cycle is developed with in the vector. Dirofilariasis can be found in dogs and cats and sometimes in humans. Even though dirofilariasis was primeraly known as a disease found in mediteranian countries, through the years it has spread out to the north and west of Europe, so now clinical cases of dirofilariasis can be found in middle Europe, including Srbija. First data on dirofilariasis in Serbia were published in 1999. and since that time there is a follow up on dirofilariasis in several regions of Serbia. During a six year period (2004. to 2010.) a study on dirofilariasis in millitary dogs within the army of Serbia was done. A few cases of adult dirofilaria were found in dogs hearts at autopsy. The study was done on 71 serum samples, from dogs of diferent age, during the study period and a total seroprevelance of 14% was found.

One of the greatest challenges of modern laboratory diagnostic is selection of methods and procedures for fast and reliable diagnostic. Contemporary laboratory diagnostic is faced with the request to develop the technologies for rapid detection of agents and identification of biological features, as for example pathogenicity, group affiliation, sensitivity, or even genetic sequencing. Beside the aforementioned requests, laboratory diagnostic must implement numerous international standards and apply the principles of good laboratory practice. By compliance to international standards, i.e. good laboratory practice, laboratory diagnostic has considerably been improved, especially regarding the validity of the obtained results. With the aim to improve laboratory diagnostic of infectious diseases in veterinary medicine, this paper presents the demands of the standard SRPS ISO/IEC 17025:2006 (General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories), SRPS ISO 15189:2008 (Medical Laboratories – Particular Requirements for Quality and Competence) as well as the demands of World Organization for Animal Health (O.I.E). Implementation of these standards is presented through the procedures of laboratory diagnostic of most important bacterial and viral animal infections on the territory of the Republic of Serbia. This paper presents the demands regarding the reference material, equipment, workspace and staff, for the laboratory diagnostic of the following diseases: anthrax, leptospirosis, paratuberculosis, Q fever, chlamydiosis, tuberculosis, mycoplasmosis, brucellosis, listeriosis, pasteureliosis, salmonellosis, clostridiosis, Aujeszky’s disease, blue tongue, rabies, infectious bronchitis in poultry, influenza, atypical poultry plague, infectious bursitis, Mareck’s disease, bovine viral diarrhea, enzootic bovine leukosis, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, equine infectious anemia, equine rhinopneumonitis, equine viral arteritis, maedi-visna, classical swine fever and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome.

Diagnostics of paratuberculosis aims at two goals: first, monitoring the herd, and second, reliable identification of positive animals. Bovine paratuberculosis is diagnosed by the application of direct methods, i.e. by identification of the agent, or indirectly by measuring immunology response. The relevance of a diagnostic method is determined by the stage of the disease in animal. Direct identification of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in a feces sample is limited by the fact of small number of secreted bacteria by intermitent secretion. Bacteriological examination of feces is a valuable diagnostic procedure for detection of animals with clinical symptoms and the animals with subclinical manifestation. Direct identification of MAP in feces and organ samples using PCR method considerably shortens the time for proving the evidence of a disease. The indirect methods for proving the prevalence are complicated and limited. ELISA assay is considered the method of choice for diagnosis of paratuberculosis due to its rapidity and relatively low costs. Despite continual and numerous research, the problem of detecting subclinical infection has not been solved yet especially in the herds with low prevalence of positive animals. Numerous efforts of researches have been done in order to improve the current methods and develop new diagnostic procedures for diagnosis of paratuberculosis. However, already now the control of the disease is possible due to the combination of regular diagnostic through sanitary measures and identification of the infected animals.

Brucella ovis is caused by clinically manifested disease named ram epididimytis. The causative agent is a gram-negative coccobacillus or short rod, facultative intracellular pathogen. The diseases is characterized by genital lesions manifested in a form of epididimytis and plecentitis in sheep, but the in fection may also be subclinical. The consequences of this disease are reduced fertility in rams, frequent abortions in sheep and in creased perinatal mortality. Most of ten the infection enters into a flock through in fected rams, that shed great num ber of Brucella, however passive genital transmission is the usual way of infec tion. B. ovis causes inflammation of epididymis, semen and influences the fertility of rams, but in sheep it causes abortion and placentitis. Rams are more susceptible than sheep, and the disease affects adult animals. The diagnosis based only on clinical identification most of ten is not sufficiently reliable, so the samples of semen, vaginal swab, milk and the smears of susceptible tissues are taken and then stained, microscop i cally examined and cultivated on nutritive agar. Our examination encompassed sheep and rams from the munic ipalities in South ern Bačka and Srem district, as well as the samples from Middle Banat. The examination included also the rams with clinicalsymptoms of epididimytis, what had bee proven by NIV-NS. There were 1500 sera samples from sheep and rams examined by the method of complement fixation (MCF). The findings of specific antibodies against B. ovis in dilution 1:5 was considered positive. Specific antibodies against B.ovis were de tected in the sheep that originated from Bečej and Titel municipality, Southern Bačka district. The prevalence was very low and was 0.89%. In Middle Banat district, where only rams were examined, a higher prevalence was diagnosed for B. ovis (4.29%), but in Srem district no animals were seropositive on B. ovis. The examined rams with clinical symptoms of epididimytis were not seropositive on B.ovis.

Canine dirofilariasis is a parasitic disease. The causative agent is Dirofilaria immitis or Dirofilaria repens. It may appear as skin or as a heart disease. The heart form of the disease is often named "heartworm" disease, because the adult parasites live in the heart. In the last five years, several cases of dirofilariasis have been reported (Dimitrijević, 1999; Savić-Jevđenić et al., 2004). At the beginning dirofilarias was discovered only as a by-the-way finding during autopsy, but last two years there were more requests for examination of dirofilariosis in alive dogs. Clinical symptoms in dogs with dirofilariosis are occasional coughing, apathy, breathing difficulties, heart failure, progressive loss of weight and rapid fatigue. The variety of symptoms depends on the intensity of infection, and the symptoms depend on the activity of a dog. For the diagnostics of dirofilariosis, the modified Knott's test or another serology methods may be used. In our research we used 45 blood samples, taken from the dogs in the region where dirofilariosis was detected mostly through autopsy, but also from the dogs with clinical symptoms in which cases the owners or veterinarians had sent the samples for analysis. The modified Knott's test was used for proving microfilaria in full blood and ELISA test was applied for detection of D. immitis antigen. Out of 35 examined dogs with no clinical symptoms, in 4 dogs the presence of antigene Dirofilaria immitis was detected in blood sera, which is 11% of the examined dogs. The examination of 10 dogs with clinical symptoms (coughing, difficult breathing, apathy and rapid fatigue) showed the presence of microfiliaria in circulation (ELISA test) and the presence of antigen D. immitis in 8 dogs. Therapy was successful in two cases.

Scientific Veterinary Institute „Novi Sad” operates in the environment that requires different approaches, different ways of thinking and different structures. Modern philosophy of an organization is based on premises that the organization is successful because of its human resources, as a factor of competitiveness. Successful business includes human resources. Many good scientific institutes have discovered that the best indicator of overall success is the ability to attract, encourage and keep scientific talents. Focusing on human resources companies develop different means to measure success, establish the way of evaluation, measure and develop human resources – they evaluate satisfaction of employees and estimate the success of the employees.