Non-zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in Western Balkan.

Ixodid ticks are present throughout the Western Balkan countries, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, with many species serving as vectors for pathogens of both veterinary and medical importance. We have conducted a thorough examination of existing literature, encompassing historical documents, to collect information on all documented non-zoonotic tick-borne pathogens found in ticks, pets, farm animals and wild animals across the Western Balkan region. A comprehensive review was necessary due to the scarcity and scattered nature of available data from this area.

Complete genome reconstruction of the global and European regional dispersal history of the lumpy skin disease virus.

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) has a complex epidemiology involving multiple strains, recombination, and vaccination. Its DNA genome provides limited genetic variation to trace outbreaks in space and time. Sequencing of LSDV whole genomes has also been patchy at global and regional scales.

Evaluation of West Nile Virus Diagnostic Capacities in Veterinary Laboratories of the Mediterranean and Black Sea Regions.

The increasing incidence of West Nile virus (WNV) in the Euro-Mediterranean area warrants the implementation of effective surveillance programs in animals. A crucial step in the fight against the disease is the evaluation of the capacity of the veterinary labs to accurately detect the infection in animal populations. In this context, the animal virology network of the MediLabSecure project organized an external quality assessment (EQA) to evaluate the WNV molecular and serological diagnostic capacities of beneficiary veterinary labs.

External quality assessment of Rift Valley fever diagnosis in 17 veterinary laboratories of the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an arboviral zoonosis that primarily affects ruminants but can also cause illness in humans. The increasing impact of RVF in Africa and Middle East and the risk of expansion to other areas such as Europe, where competent mosquitos are already established, require the implementation of efficient surveillance programs in animal populations. For that, it is pivotal to regularly assess the performance of existing diagnostic tests and to evaluate the capacity of veterinary labs of endemic and non-endemic countries to detect the infection in an accurate and timely manner.