Search

Objectives: Although bluetongue is not a contagious disease, it is easily transmitted and spread by appropriate insect vectors, causing great economic damage. Climate change has led to the fact that vectors and diseases have spread to the top of Northern Europe, causing great economic losses in livestock production. An even greater problem is controlling the disease, because numerous species of domestic and wild ruminants are susceptible to bluetongue. The most effective tool against bluetongue disease is vaccination., Methods: Our goal was to carry out laboratory tests of the starting material and the finished product of the candidate inactivated vaccine against BTV4, and to comment on the obtained laboratory results and the results of previously performed clinical studies. There is no ideal vaccine against the bluetongue virus (BTV) due to the serotype diversity of its strains. Thus, there is a need for a vaccine for at least 24 clinically significant serotypes. Sometimes, it is difficult to obtain the desired amount of vaccine against a defined serotype on the market, and this has led to the need for a new vaccine against bluetongue disease. In this study, we tested an experimental inactivated vaccine against BTV4. The master seed BTV4 was examined and characterized by sequencing., Results: The candidate BTV4 vaccine induced the onset of immunity at the latest at day 21 after the application of the first dose in more than 80% of the vaccinated individuals, while the ELISA test detected specific antibodies against BTV for more than a year. Along with our laboratory results, the preliminary results of safety and efficacy trials are also presented., Conclusions: The side effects of this inactivated BTV4 vaccine are within the limits of permissible local reactions without generalized changes in the health status, while the serology and challenge test leads to the conclusion that this vaccine against BTV4 protects a high percentage of vaccinated individuals against BTV4 or causes a significant reduction in the intensity and duration of the clinical signs in the vaccinated sheep. Based on the trial results, the new vaccine has given encouraging results in terms of quality, safety, and preliminary efficacy tests. Thus, we believe that a new vaccine against BTV is on the horizon.

Background: Clinical data warehouses provide harmonized access to healthcare data for medical researchers. Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) is a well-established open-source solution with the major benefit that data representations can be tailored to support specific use cases. These data representations can be defined and improved via an iterative approach together with domain experts and the medical researchers using the platform. To facilitate these discussions, it is important to understand how users interact with the system., Objective: The objective of this work was to develop metrics for describing user interactions with clinical data warehouses in general and i2b2 in particular. Moreover, we aimed to develop a dashboard featuring interactive visualizations that inform data engineers and data stewards about potential improvements., Methods: We first identified metrics for different data usage dimensions and extracted the relevant metadata about previous user queries from the i2b2 database schema for further analysis. We then implemented associated visualizations in Python and integrated the results into an interactive dashboard using Dash., Results: The identified categories of metrics include frequency of use, session duration, and use of functionality and features. We created a dashboard that extends our local i2b2 data warehouse platform, focusing on the latter category, further broken down into the number of queries, frequently queried concepts, and query complexity. The implementation is available as open-source software., Conclusion: A range of metrics can be derived from metadata logged in the i2b2 database schema to provide data engineers and data stewards with a comprehensive understanding of how users interact with the platform. This can help to identify the strengths and limitations of specific instances of the platform for specific use cases and aid their iterative improvement., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Not applicable. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Objectives : The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of silent coronary artery disease (CAD) in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and assess long-term prognosis in terms of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE)-free survival. Materials and Methods : This was a prospective study conducted at the Clinic for Cardiac Surgery, University Clinical Center of Serbia, in asymptomatic patients with severe AS, normal LVEF and stress test without signs of myocardial ischemia. Adverse cardiovascular events (cardiac death, myocardial infarction and any hospitalization due to heart disease) was monitored during one year of follow up. Results : A total of 116 asymptomatic patients with severe AS were included in the study. The average age was 67.3 ± 9.6 years, and 56.9% of patients were men. The most common cause of AS was degenerative valvular disease (83.5%). The incidence of significant CAD was 30 out of 116 patients (25.9%). The median Society for Thoracic Surgeons (STS) predicted risk of mortality score was 1.62% (25th to 75th percentile: 1.15-2.76%). The overall mean gradient across aortic valve (Pmean) was 52.30 mmHg ± 12.16, and the mean indexed AVA (AVAi) was 0.37 ± 0.09 cm 2 /m 2 . The mean LVEF was 68.40% ± 8.01%. Early surgery for aortic valve replacement was performed in 55 patients (55.2%), while 52 (44.8%) patients received conservative treatment. Twenty-two patients (42.3%) in the conservative treatment group underwent surgery during follow up. There were a total of 44 (37.9%) patients with MACE during one year of follow up. Univariate Cox regression analyses identified the following significant risk factors for MACE-free survival: presence of CAD and early conservative treatment ( p = 0.004), age ( p = 0.003), diabetes mellitus ( p = 0.016) and STS score ( p = 0.039). According to multivariate analysis, the presence of CAD with early conservative treatment was the most important predictor of MACE-free survival in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis ( p ≤ 0.001). Conclusions : Early surgery for aortic valve replacement in asymptomatic patients with severe AS and concomitant CAD is beneficial for long-term survival.

Sharing biomedical data for research can help to improve disease understanding and support the development of preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic methods. However, it is vital to balance the amount of data shared and the sharing mechanism chosen with the privacy protection provided. This requires a detailed understanding of potential adversaries who might attempt to re-identify data and the consequences of their actions. The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive list of potential types of adversaries, motivations, and harms to targeted individuals. A group of 13 researchers performed a three-step process in a one-day workshop, involving the identification of adversaries, the categorization by motivation, and the deduction of potential harms. The group collected 28 suggestions and categorized them into six types, each associated with several of six distinct harms. The findings align with previous efforts in structuring threat actors and outcomes and we believe that they provide a robust foundation for evaluating re-identification risks and developing protection measures in health data sharing scenarios.

Background and Objectives : Despite advances in surgical techniques, industry adjuncts, and cerebral perfusion techniques, the in-hospital mortality rate of type A acute dissection (TAAD) remains at 15-30%. This study aimed to investigate the influence of different extents of aortic resection on survival and quality of life (QoL) after long-term follow-up. Materials and Methods : A retrospective observational trial was performed, including 165 patients operated upon for TAAD. Patients were divided into two groups according to the extent of their aortic repair: the first group comprised patients who had ascending aorta replacement and the second included patients who had hemiarch or total arch replacement. The groups were compared with regard to their baseline characteristics, operative characteristics, survival, complications, and QoL during nine years of follow-up. Results : The mean follow-up time was 75.6 months (1-108 months). The mean survival in the ascending aorta repair group was 89.651 (81.242-98.061) months and was 54.801 (40.053-69.548) months in the hemiarch and arch group; the difference between the groups was significant (log-rank p < 0.001). The rate of new postoperative neurological deficits was statistically higher in the hemiarch and arch group (17.5% vs. 8.4%, p = 0.045), the most common being stroke, and was also more frequent in the hemiarch and arch group than in the ascending aorta group (with statistical significance (15.7% vs. 6.5%)). The mean SF-12 physical score from the QoL questionnaire was higher in the ascending aorta replacement group than in the hemiarch and arch group (50.1 ± 7.3 vs. 44.0 ± 11.9, p = 0.017). Additionally, the mean SF-12 mental score was higher in the ascending aorta replacement group (52.3 ± 7.3 vs. 47.1 ± 12.8, p = 0.032). Conclusions : A more aggressive approach involving aortic arch repair means a lower survival rate and lesser quality of life after long-term follow-up in comparison with the replacement of the ascending aorta. If clinically applicable, a more defensive strategy may be considered.

Background: Mechanical forces at the micro-scale level have been recognized as an important factor determining various biological functions. The study of cell or tissue mechanics is critical to understand problems in physiology and disease development., Objective: The complexity of computational models and efforts made for their development in the past required significant robustness and different approaches in the modeling process., Method: For the purpose of modeling process simplifications, the smeared mechanics concept was introduced by M. Kojic as a general concept for modeling the deformation of composite continua. A composite smeared finite element for mechanics (CSFEM) was formulated which consists of the supporting medium and immersed subdomains of deformable continua with mutual interactions. Interaction is modeled using 1D contact elements (for both tangential and normal directions), where the interaction takes into account appropriate material parameters as well as the contact areas., Results: In this paper we have presented verification examples with applications of the CSFEMs that include the pancreatic tumor tissue, nano-indentation model and tumor growth model., Conclusion: We have described CSFEM and contact elements between compartments that can interact. Accuracy and applicability are determined on two verification and tumor growth examples.

Brucellosis is one of the most important bacterial zoonotic diseases worldwide, characterized in domestic animals by long-term reproductive disorders. As known, wild boars ( Sus scrofa ) are natural hosts for Brucella suis biovar 2, in which the infection passes in inapparent form, increasing the pathogen transmission risk to domestic pigs, other domestic animals and humans. So far, no studies regarding brucellosis in wild boars in Serbia have been published. During the hunting season 2020/2021, 480 sera of wild boars living in Serbia were collected and tested for the presence of anti- Brucella antibodies. For the serological survey, the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) were used. Of the 480 sera, 45 sera tested positive, indicating the acquired Brucella seroprevalence in wild boars of 9.4%. The greatest numbers of Brucella seropositive animals were detected in the eastern parts of the country and in one of the central districts, i.e., Pomoravski, Branicevski, Borski and Juznobanatski. This study provides the first data regarding brucellosis in the wild boar population in Serbia, revealing the seroprevalence of Brucella , thus indicating that wild boars as natural hosts and/or vectors of Brucella likely present a risk for the infection of other animals., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Sleeping disease is a highly infectious viral disease caused by salmonid alphavirus subtype 2 (SAV2 FW), affecting mainly rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss farmed in freshwater. During March to May 2014, disease episodes with clinical signs of sleeping disease in rainbow trout fingerlings occurred almost simultaneously in 2 trout farms located in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Serbia. The infection of rainbow trout with SAV2 FW in 2 farms was confirmed by virus isolation and molecular methods. This is the first isolation and molecular characterization of SAV2 FW in BiH and Serbia.

The aim of this study was to examine the incidence and significance of right heart failure (RHF) in the early and late phase of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation with the identification of predictive factors for the development of RHF. This was a prospective observational analytical cohort study. The study included 92 patients who underwent LVAD implantation and for whom all necessary clinical data from the follow-up period were available, as well as unambiguous conclusions by the heart team regarding pathologies, adverse events, and complications. Of the total number of patients, 43.5% died. The median overall survival of patients after LVAD implantation was 22 months. In the entire study population, survival rates were 88.04% at one month, 80.43% at six months, 70.65% at one year, and 61.96% at two years. Preoperative RHF was present in 24 patients, 12 of whom died and 12 survived LVAD implantation. Only two survivors developed early RHF (ERHF) and two late RHF (LRHF). The most significant predictors of ERHF development are brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), pre-surgery RHF, FAC < 20%, prior renal insufficiency, and total duration of ICU stay (HR: 1.002, 0.901, 0.858, 23.554, and 1.005, respectively). RHF following LVAD implantation is an unwanted complication with a negative impact on treatment outcome. The increased risk of fatal outcome in patients with ERHF and LRHF after LVAD implantation results in a need to identify patients at risk of RHF, in order to administer the available preventive and therapeutic methods.

West Nile virus (WNV) is an arthropod-born pathogen, which is transmitted from wild birds through mosquitoes to humans and animals. At the end of the 20th century, the first West Nile fever (WNF) outbreaks among humans in urban environments in Eastern Europe and the United States were reported. The disease continued to spread to other parts of the continents. In Serbia, the largest number of WNV-infected people was recorded in 2018. This research used spatial statistics to identify clusters of WNV infection in humans and animals in South Banat County, Serbia. The occurrence of WNV infection and risk factors were analyzed using a negative binomial regression model. Our research indicated that climatic factors were the main determinant of WNV distribution and were predictors of endemicity. Precipitation and water levels of rivers had an important influence on mosquito abundance and affected the habitats of wild birds, which are important for maintaining the virus in nature. We found that the maximum temperature of the warmest part of the year and the annual temperature range; and hydrographic variables, e.g., the presence of rivers and water streams were the best environmental predictors of WNF outbreaks in South Banat County.

Background: Heart failure is the most frequent cause of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) and its severity may predict the development of heart failure (HF) and is known to be a prognostic factor of poor outcome after heart transplant (HTx). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of preoperative PAH related to left-sided HF on long-term survival after HTx and to identify the hemodynamic parameters of PAH that predict survival after HTx., Methods: A prospective observational trial was performed, and it included 44 patients subjected to heart transplantation. Patients were divided into two groups: The first one with the preoperative diagnosis of PAH and the second one without the PAH diagnosed prior to the HTx. The two groups were compared for baseline characteristics, operative characteristics, survival, and hemodynamic parameters obtained by right heart catheterization. Survival was analyzed using Kaplan Meyer analysis, and Cox regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictors of survival., Results: The median follow-up time was 637.4 days (1-2028 days). The median survival within the group of patients with preoperative PAH was 1144 days (95% CI 662.884-1625.116) and 1918.920 days (95% CI 1594.577-2243.263) within the group of patients without PAH (P = .023), HR 0.279 (95% [CI]: 0.086-0.910; P = .034. The 30-day mortality in patients within PAH group was significantly higher, six versus two patients in the non PAH group (χ2 = 5.103, P < .05), while the long-term outcome after this period did not differ between the groups. Patients with preoperative PAH had significantly higher values of MPAP, PCWP, TPG and PVRI, while CO and CI did not differ between the two groups. Mean PVRI was 359.1 ± 97.3 dyn·s·cm-5 in the group with preoperative PAH and 232.2 ± 22.75 dyn·s·cm-5 in the group without PAH, P < .001. TPG values were 11.95 ± 5.08 mmHg in the PAH group while patients without PAH had mean values of 5.16 ± 1.97 mmHg, P < .001. Cox regression analysis was done for the aforementioned parameters. Hazard ratio for worse survival after HTx for elevated values of PVRI was 1.006 (95% [CI]: 1.001-1.012; P = .018) TPG had a hazard ratio of 1.172 (95% [CI]: 1.032-1.233; P = .015)., Conclusion: Pulmonary artery hypertension is an independent risk factor for higher 30-day mortality after HTx, while it does not affect the long-term outcome. Hemodynamic parameters obtained by right heart catheterization in heart transplant candidates could predict postoperative outcome. PVRI and TPG have been identified as independent predictors of higher 30-day postoperative mortality.

Backgroud: The presence of PCV3 genome has been detected in pigs affected by different clinical and pathological conditions as well as in healthy animals. Its presence has been reported in many countries of North and South America, Asia and Europe. However, there is no evidence of the presence and genetic characteristics of PCV3 in many European countries and especially the countries of the Balkan Peninsula., Purpose: The major objective of this study was to investigate the presence and obtain further genetic characterization of PCV-3 in the pig populations in Serbia., Methods: To demonstrate the presence of PCV-3 DNA a conventional PCR assay was performed. The samples where no PCR product was observed (n=32), were further tested with a real-time PCR assay. The six PCR samples that were strongly positive for PCV-3 were subjected to amplification and sequencing of their entire cap genes and complete viral genome., Results: We report on the first identification, genetic diversity and potential association in pathogenesis of some systemic and respiratory swine diseases of PCV-3 in Serbia., Conclusion: The results imply that PCV-3 circulates widely in the pig population and has a high similarity with previously reported isolates. Detected PCV-3 can be associated with some swine systemic and respiratory diseases but these associations are strongly influenced by the clinical or pathological condition of the animals. Our findings demonstrate that there are certain PCV-3 loads in pigs suffering from active PRRSV infection, Glässer's disease, APP pleuropneumonia, pneumonic pasteurellosis and PRDC; however, the significance of this viral load, as well as the mechanism by which PCV-3 may act as a secondary agent in aggravating the severity during co-infections of these pathogens, requires further research.

The aim of this study was to analyze different aspects of food waste in the specific context of prisons by introducing the nudging method , thanks to the collaboration of District House and Prison of Larino (Italy) involving staff and guests of the penitentiary structure, providing them with the knowledge of the topic and encouraging them to propose creative and effective solutions to prevent and reduce food waste. The study involved n. 50 participants out of total of about 200 prisoners. Data were collected using n.3 questionnaires related to the knowledge of food waste food, the second related to the origin of consumed and food waste and the third collected the participants' proposals how to reduce food waste. The results show that effects of nudging has awakened the prisoners' conscience about the social, ethical and economic importance of reducing food waste and a proactive attitude in providing proposals for the reduction of food waste. The most wasted food is bread (35%), pasta (27%) and fresh fruit (20%), provided by the administration because they are considered of inferior quality or prepared and cooked badly. The overwhelming majority (96%) of the participants showed sensitivity about the ethical and economic reasons behind the fight against food waste, making themselves available to contribute to its reduction and suggesting some initiatives. The data collected from the questionnaires related to the causes of waste indicate the need to implement actions aimed at the correct conservation of food and the promotion of good hygiene practices., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: the authors declare no potential conflict of interest.

The paper presents collaboration of an abdominal surgeon and heart team in deciding upon surgical management of a patient with the implanted left ventricular assist device, who has undergone emergency abdominal operation for spleen rupture. The paper focuses on the significance of prompt diagnostics, clinical challenges of hemodynamic and anticoagulant treatment, abdominal organ exposure along the placed left ventricular assist device driveline, identification of vascular structures in conditions of continuous blood flow, and reconstruction of the surgical wound in the driveline projection.

Background: The aim of our study was to evaluate the degree of genetic homozygosity in the group of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as to evaluate morphogenetic variability in CAD patients regarding the presence of investigated risk factors (RF) compared to a control sample of individuals. Additionally, we aimed to evaluate the distribution of ABO blood type frequencies between tested samples of individuals., Methods: This study analyzed individual phenotype and morphogenetic variability of 17 homozygously-recessive characteristics (HRC), by using HRC test in a sample of 148 individuals in CAD patients group and 156 individuals in the control group. The following RF were analyzed: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and smoking., Results: The mean value of HRC in CAD patients is significantly higher, while variability decreases compared to the control sample (CAD patients: 4.24 ± 1.59, control sample: 3.75 ± 1.69; V CAD-patients = 37.50%, V C = 45.07%). There is a significant difference in individual variations of 17 HRC between control sample and CAD patients ( χ ² = 169.144; p < 0.01), which points out to different variability for tested genes. Mean values of HRC significantly differed in CAD patients in regard to the number of RF present. A blood type (OR = 1.75) is significant predictor for CAD, while O blood type (OR = 0.43) was significantly associated with controls., Conclusion: There is a higher degree of recessive homozygosity in CAD patients versus individuals in the control sample, and the presence of significant variations in the degree of recessive homozygosity as the number of tested RF increases.

We analyzed morphogenetic variability and degree of genetic homozygosity in male and female individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD) versus unaffected controls. We have tested 235 CAD patients; 109 were diagnosed also with diabetes mellitus (DM) and 126 with hypertension (HTN). We additionally evaluated 152 healthy individuals without manifested CAD. For the evaluation of the degree of recessive homozygosity, we have performed the homozygously recessive characteristics (HRC) test and tested 19 HRCs. In controls, the frequency of HRC for males was 2.88 ± 1.89, while for females, it was 3.65 ± 1.60. In the CAD group, the frequency of HRC for males was 4.21 ± 1.47, while for females, it was 4.73 ± 1.60. There is significant difference in HRC frequencies between controls and CAD separately for males ( p < 0.001) and females ( p < 0.001). The same applies between controls and CAD with DM (males: p < 0.001 and females: p = 0.004), and controls and CAD with HTN (males: p < 0.001 and females: p < 0.001). There is no significant difference in HRC frequencies between the group of CAD with DM and the group of CAD with HTN (males: p = 0.952 and females: p = 0.529). Our findings point to the increased degree of recessive homozygosity and decreased variability in both genders of CAD patients versus controls, indicating the potential genetic predisposition for CAD.

The purpose of this study was to elaborate a checklist with an inspection scoring system at national level in order to assess compliance with sanitary hygiene requirements of food services. The inspection scoring system was elaborated taking into account the guidelines drawn up by NYC Department of Food Safety and Mental Hygiene. Moreover the checklist was used simultaneously with the standard inspection protocol adopted by Servizio Igiene Alimenti Nutrizione ( Servizio Igiene Alimenti Nutrizione - Ss. I.A.N) and defined by D.G.R 6 March 2017 - n. X/6299 Lombardy Region. Ss. I.A.N protocol consists of a qualitative response according to which we have generated a new protocol with three different grading: A, B and C. The designed checklist was divided into 17 sections. Each section corresponds to prerequisites to be verified during the inspection. Every section includes the type of conformity to check and the type of violation: critical or general. Moreover, the failure to respect the expected compliance generates 4 severity levels that correspond to score classes. A total of 7 food services were checked with the two different inspection methods. The checklist results generated a food safety score for each food service that ranged from 0.0 (no flaws observed) to 187.2, and generates three grading class: A (0.0-28.0); B (29.0-70.0) and C (>71.00). The results from the Ss. I. A. N grading method and the checklist show positive correlation ( r =0.94, P>0.01) suggesting that the methods are comparable. Moreover, our scoring checklist is an easy and unique method compared to standard and allows also managers to perform effective surveillance programs in food service.

The most recent study, conducted by Politecnico of Milan, on food surplus management in Italy shows that in the Italian food supply chain the food surplus is around 5.5 million tons/year, and the amount of food wasted is around 5.1 million tons/year. During 2015, the charitable organizations (COs) belonging to the Italian Food Bank Network, active in recovering and distributing food for social solidarity's purposes, reused 381,345 tons of food from 2292 donors. The main supplying sources of the Banco Alimentare Network are: food industries, organized large-scale retail trade and collective catering service. The aim of this study was to analyze several aspects of the food surplus recovery thanks to the collaboration with the Banco Alimentare Foundation Onlus and Caritas Italiana. In particular, two main features were analyzed in the food recovery chain: the microbiological profiles of specific food categories recovered from catering service with the aim to evaluate their conformity in relation to food safety and process criteria. For this purpose 11 samples were analyzed in four different moments: T0, same day of the collection; T1, after four hours of storage at 4°C; T2, 24 hours from the collection (storage at 4°C); T3, after four days at frozen storage (-18°C). For all samples several microbiological parameters were investigated: enumeration of mesophilic aerobic bacteria (AFNOR 3M 01/1-09/89), enumeration of Enterobacteriaceae (AFNOR 3M 01/06-09/97), enumeration of E. coli (AFNOR 3M 01/08-06/01), enumeration of coagulase-positive Staphylococci AFNOR 3M 01/9-04/03 A), enumeration of Bacillus cereus (UNI EN ISO 7932:2005), research of Salmonella spp. [UNI EN ISO 6579 (2008b)], and research of Listeria monocytogenes [AFNOR BRD 07/4-09/98 (AFNOR, 2010a)]. Furthermore, the volunteer's knowledge on the correct hygienic procedures during the recovery was evaluated by the 71 questionnaires with the aim to prevent foodborne diseases. The results show that the recovery of surplus from catering service and their reuse at COs should be planned with correct procedures, and the volunteer's knowledge on the hygienic aspects appears to be a critical point. The recovery and the charitable activities require an appropriate assessment and careful risk analysis, in order to manage the complexity of no profit organization.

Background: Aujeszky's disease is a viral disease of suids caused by Suid Herpesvirus 1. The disease has worldwide distribution with significant economic impact. In Serbia, there is neither an Aujeszky's disease eradication nor national vaccination programme of domestic pigs. Since clinical symptoms of Aujeszky's disease are not specific, it is important to establish a link between clinical signs and presence of ADV active infection in wild boars. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of active infection within wild boar showing signs of ADV and also to examine relationship between isolates from domestic pigs and wild boar. Having in mind that virus has not been previously isolated from wild boars in Serbia, we report the first isolation of Suid Herpesvirus 1 from this species in Serbia., Results: Tissue and serum samples from 40 wild boars from eastern Serbia were examined for evidence of Aujeszky's disease (AD). Suid Herpesvirus 1 (SHV1), the cause of AD was isolated on PK15 cell line from three tissue samples, inducing cytopathic effect (CPE) with syncytia forming, and viral genome was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in eight samples. Genetic analysis of us4, us9 and ul49.5 partial sequences showed high homology between ADV isolates from wild boars and between isolates from wild boars and domestic animals. Neutralizing antibodies were not detected by virus neutralisation test (VNT) in sera from four out of eight PCR positive wild boars suggesting recent infection in those animals., Conclusions: This is the first demonstration of Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) in the wild boar population in Serbia although seroconversion has been detected previously.

Success in controlling classical swine fever (CSF) in regions with high proportions of pigs kept in small scale and low-biosecurity production systems, often referred to as backyard production, tends to be hampered by the lack of control strategies properly addressing the peculiarities of this epidemiologically important subpopulation. Under many circumstances the commonly practiced parenteral immunisation using live attenuated C-strain vaccine shows limitations concerning outreach of services and overall vaccination coverage in the backyard pig population. It is therefore proposed to stronger consider oral vaccine baits, as used for CSF control in wild boar, to complement the set of tools for CSF control in domestic pigs. First field results confirm the feasibility of its practical implementation. Next to the increased flexibility in the delivery to the end user, this non-invasive method comes along with the advantage of reducing the need for direct animal contact and biosecurity-relevant interventions that might cause the spread of diseases through vaccination campaigns entailing external personnel entering farm premises. In combination with epidemiological methods suitable for this production sector like e.g. participatory epidemiology, adapted CSF control strategies can better support the needs of small scale farmers and ultimately contribute to household food security for a large number of stakeholders that will have backyard pig production as a reality for decades to come.

Vaccination represents a key pillar of most classical swine fever (CSF) control programmes. In backyard production systems the systematic implementation of parenteral vaccination proves to be difficult and alternative delivery mechanisms might be needed. In this study the use of oral vaccination against CSF in backyard pigs was tested under field conditions. The main objective was to assess uptake efficacy and immune response after oral vaccination of backyard pigs with bait vaccine currently used in the European Union for CSF control in wild boar (RIEMSER(®) Schweinepestoralvakzine). In total 85 backyard pigs belonging to 16 holdings were vaccinated orally by distributing four baits per pig, given on two consecutive days. The baits were distributed on pen floors. 73% of the pigs older than 12 weeks (n=41) had protective antibody titres 28 days after oral vaccination. The seroconversion rate in young piglets (n=44, younger than 12 weeks) was 64%. Based on the results obtained we concluded that in an endemic situation where usual control measures (stamping out, zoning with restrictive measures, parenteral vaccination, etc.) may prove to be insufficient, a systematic vaccination based on the use of oral vaccine can be an appropriate tool for an improved CSF control in backyard production systems., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To evaluate the functional status measured by Berg Balance Scale (BBS) in elderly aged more than 65 years after hip fractures, and to evaluate the influence of sex, age and comorbidity on balance function improvement., Methods: The study included 203 patients with hip fractures. Functional status was evaluated by BBS: at admission (Group 1), at discharge (Group 2) and 3 months after discharge (Group 3). We analyzed three age groups: Group 65-74 , Group 75-84 and Group 85-up; female and male sex separately; and for severity index value (SI; total cumulative illness rating scale for geriatrics score divided by number of endorsed categories): group between 0-1.99 (SI1 ) and group ≥ 2 (SI2 )., Results: BBS values significantly declined in all male groups and female Group 2 and Group 3 in SI2 (P < 0.01). Group 65-74 and Group 85-up had a significant BBS values decline in Group 2 and Group 3, whereas Group 75-84 had a significant decline in all groups in the SI2 group (P < 0.01). Females and males had a significant BBS values increase in the SI1 groups (P < 0.01), and non-significant BBS values increase between Group 2/Group 3 for SI2 . Group85-up had a significant BBS values increase in SI1 (Group 1/Group 2 and Group 1/Group 3; P < 0.01); a non-significant increase between Group 1/Group 2 and Group 1/Group 3, and a non-significant decline between Group 2/Group 3 in SI2., Conclusions: Male sex, increased comorbidity and age more than 85 years could be considered with lower functional recovery capacity potential after hip fracture, and thus should be individually assessed and continuously monitored. Functional status estimation by BBS could be taken as a sensitive predictive value for the evaluation of functional improvement in these patients., (© 2012 Japan Geriatrics Society.)

Rabies, a worldwide zoonosis, remains a public-health concern despite oral wildlife vaccination in Europe. After a ten-year break, Macedonia reported eight rabies cases in 2011-2012. Two countries (Serbia and Bulgaria) bordering Macedonia are reporting cases in domestic and wild animals. This report describes the genetic characterisation of eight isolates from Macedonia compared with representative samples from neighbouring countries. All of the isolates tested belong to the Eastern European group, with a high degree of nucleotide sequence identity in the nucleoprotein gene. The close genetic relationship between isolates from the three bordering countries suggests that wildlife is responsible for rabies movements in the region.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the main causative agent of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). To characterize and determine the genetic diversity of PCV2 in the porcine population of Serbia, nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the open reading frame 2 (ORF2) of PCV2 collected from the tissues of pigs that either had died as a result of PMWS or did not exhibit disease symptoms were analyzed. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed considerable diversity among PCV2 ORF2 sequences and the existence of two main PCV2 genotypes, PCV2b and PCV2a, with at least three clusters, 1A/B, 1C and 2D. In order to provide further proof that the 1C strain is circulating in the porcine population, the whole viral genome of one PCV2 isolate was sequenced. Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis using the entire viral genome sequences confirmed that there was a PMWS-associated 1C strain emerging in Serbia. Our analysis also showed that PCV2b is dominant in the porcine population, and that it is exclusively associated with PMWS occurrences in the country. These data constitute a useful basis for further epidemiological studies regarding the heterogeneity of PCV2 strains on the European continent.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) are the most recently recognized causes of infectious hepatitis of pigs and may or may not act independently in the development of the disease. Recently it has been suggested that swine torque teno viruses (TTVs), in co-infections with some swine viral pathogens, may potentiate the severity of disease. In order to search for virological cofactors associated with infectious hepatitis in pigs, we investigated the liver tissues, to determine the presence of TTVs, PCV2 and HEV of naturally infected pigs and analysed the prevalence of both genogroups of the TTVs in the hepatitis lesions. Histopathological techniques, nested-polymerase chain reactions (nPCRs), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and one-step reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were applied to detect hepatitis lesions, TTVs genogroups 1 and 2, PCV2 and HEV infection. Of the livers examined 58% (29/50) had mild to moderate hepatitis and 74% (37/50), 56% (28/50) and 26% (13/50) samples were nPCR, PCR and RT-PCR positive for TTVs PCV2 and HEV respectively. TTVs were detected in 84% (16/19) of the samples which were determined to be of mild severity while present in almost all (90% or 9/10) samples identified as having moderate hepatitis lesions. Additionally, the livers of 12 out of 21 (57%) pigs without the hepatitis lesions were positive for TTVs. These results demonstrate an association between TTVs and infectious hepatitis of pigs in concomitant infections with PCV2 and/or HEV and indicated that TTVs may play a role as a cofactor in the pathogenesis of disease.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is a primary agent associated with mycoplasma pneumonia and the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC). Various reports have indicated that different strains of M. hyopneumoniae are circulating in the swine population. Lysates from lung swabs from naturally infected pigs of different ages were tested according to a new variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) genetic typing method based on the polyserine repeat motif of the P146 lipoproteoadhesin, which can be applied directly on clinical material without isolation of M. hyopneumoniae. The aim was to determine the diversity of M. hyopneumoniae isolates from conventional farrow-to-finish pig farms located in different geographical areas of Serbia. PCR amplification was carried out using M. hyopneumoniae -specific designed, conserved primers (p146MH-L and p146MH-R) flanking the region encoding the repeat motif, followed by sequencing and cluster analysis. Five groups of M. hyopneumoniae with thirteen to twenty-four serine repeats were observed. Analysis of three samples from each farm indicated that the specific isolate is ubiquitous in pigs of different ages. Furthermore, seven clusters were observed within 27 tested samples. The results indicated a considerable diversity among M. hyopneumoniae field isolates in the swine population from conventional farrow-to-finish farms in Serbia and suggest close genetic relatedness of the corresponding isolates.

Two farms in the Belgrade area have experienced serious problems with postpartal metritis. Serological examination of BoHV-4 infection was done using ELISA test and vaginal swabs were used for virus isolation. Average seroprevalence of BoHV-4 in these farms was 84.37%. BoHV-4 isolation was successful from three vaginal swabs on the MDBK cell line. Rising values of BoHV-4 antibodies were recorded in nine of ten cows with clinical signs of postpartal metritis. PCR and restriction analysis were used for better characterisation and isolate classification. Two isolates showed similarity with MOVAR 33/63 virus type, but one differed in polyrepetitive and other parts of DNA. This was the first isolation and characterisation of BoHV4 from Serbian herds.

A simple biosensor constructed by bulk-modification of carbon ink with manganese dioxide as a mediator was investigated for its ability to serve as amperometric detector for L-ascorbic acid in hydrodynamic mode. The sensor could be operated at pH 5.0 (0.05 M phosphate buffer) and exhibited excellent reproducibility and stability. Optimization of measurement parameters such as applied working potential and pH value were studied in detail. The screen printed electrode exhibited a linear amperometric increase with the concentration of L-ascorbic acid from 50 mg L(-1) to 250 mg L(-1) and gave a (LOD = 3sigma) detection limit of 0.2 mg L(-1) (1.172 micromol L(-1)). The manganese dioxide modified screen printed electrode shows long term stability.