Suzana Hađina

Phylogenetic characterisation of feline immunodeficiency virus in naturally infected cats in Croatia indicates additional heterogeneity of subtype B in Europe

This study was performed on 29 domestic cats with a variety of clinical signs, possibly related to FIV infection. Blood samples were tested by a rapid immunochromatographic (ICA) procedure for detection of FIV antibodies. Subsequently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to amplify a portion of the proviral gag gene. All 11 positive PCR products were sequenced and compared with previously reported FIV sequences. Croatian proviral isolates that could be amplified were clustered within subtype B, and additional heterogeneity was confirmed by the formation of three separate clusters. Phylogenetic analysis of circulating strains in Croatia and in southeast Europe is necessary to improve diagnostic methods and selection of the appropriate vaccinal strains.

Prevalence of Candida Species in Fresh Fruit Juices

Prevalence of Candida Species in Fresh Fruit Juices Fruit juices are popular soft drinks with an important role in human nutrition. Fruit juices are often infested by yeast species that can survive different storage conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the degree of yeast contamination of freshly squeezed juices in three large supermarkets in Zagreb, Croatia. The analysis included 84 juice samples obtained from freshly squeezed orange, lemon, grapefruit, and apples. Their acidity varied between pH 2.1 and pH 4.9. Juice samples were plated directly on Sabouraud 4 % glucose Agar (Merck, 1.05438) and processed according to standardised methods (HRN ISO 7954:2002). Yeasts were isolated in all 84 samples and ranged between 0.005×103 and 23×103 colony forming units per mL (CFU mL-1). The most common yeasts identified using the API 20C AUX yeast kit included Candida guillermondii, C. krusei, C. famata, C. spherica, C. colliculosa, C. albicans, Trichosporon mucoides, Kloeckera spp. and yeast-like fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. C. guillermondii prevailed in 55.95 % of all samples. Prisutnost Candida sp. u svježem voćnom soku Voćni su sokovi tekući ekstrakti voća dobiveni cijeđenjem zrelog voća te su vrlo važan čimbenik u svakodnevnoj prehrani ljudi. Najčešće zastupljeni mikroorganizmi u svježem voćnom soku su kvasci koji preživljavaju niske temperature skladištenja. Svrha ovog istraživanja bila je odrediti prisutnost i brojnost kvasaca u svježim voćnim sokovima uzorkovanim u supermarketima na području Republike Hrvatske, odnosno glavnom gradu Zagrebu. Ukupno su uzorkovana i pregledana 84 uzorka svježe iscijeđenih naranči, limuna, grejpfruta i jabuka. pH-vrijednost se kretala od 2.1 do 4.9. Uzorci su nacijepljivani direktno na Sabouraudov agar s 4 % glukoze (Merck, Njemačka) u skladu s propisanom normom HRN ISO 7954:2002. U sva 84 uzorka utvrđena je prisutnost kvasaca u broju od 0.005×103 do 23×103 CFU mL-1. Identifikacija je provedena testom API 20 C AUX (bioMéieux, 20 210). Najčešće su izolirani sljedeći kvasci: Candida guillermondii, C. krusei, C. famata, C. spherica, C. colliculosa, C. albicans, Trichosporon mucoides, Kloeckera spp. i kvascu slična gljivica Cryptococcus neoformans. U svim uzorcima C. guillermondii bila je najčešće izolirani kvasac (55.95 %).

Outbreak of equine influenza in Croatia in 2015 and post outbreak epidemiological situation

In March 2015, a few days after a major horse fair event in Bjelovar, Croatia, an equine influenza outbreak began and in the days that followed spread to more than 20 stud farms in the continental part of Croatia. The epidemiological investigation showed the importance of the national and international movement of asymptomatic carrier animals as a major risk factor for the introduction of the equine influenza virus and its spread in the naïve population. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analyses confirmed that the EI outbreak was caused by an imported viral strain of the H3N8 subtype, phylogenetically similar to recent European strains belonging to Florida sublineage clade 2. The post-outbreak equine influenza seroprevalence in continental Croatia, based on ELISA testing, was 12.3% and varied between 1.1% and 32.6% on a county level. The highest seroprevalence in counties with predominantly sport and leisure horses highlighted animal management as a principal risk factor for equine influenza infection. On the other hand, variations in haemagglutination inhibition titres in the tested serum samples suggested different times of infection acquisition and unreported outbreaks of equine influenza in continental Croatia after the 2015 outbreak. Vaccination coverage, even after the large outbreak in 2015, was still below 10%, which suggests the lack of education of horse owners and represents a high risk for further outbreaks. In conclusion, influenza is a wide spread infection with multiple, often unrecorded, outbreaks in continental Croatia. A high risk of further outbreaks is present due to low vaccination coverage, an increase in the sport and leisure horse population and the intensive movement of those animals. In order to prevent *Corresponding author: Ljubo Barbić, PhD, DVM, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia, Phone: +385 1 2390 211; Fax: +385 1 2390 211; E-mail: ljubo.barbic@vef.hr DOI: 10.24099/vet.arhiv.0033