Publications by authors named "Ocepek M"

Paratuberculosis (PTB), or Johne's disease, is a disease with worldwide distribution caused by subsp (MAP) that leads to chronic enteritis, primarily in ruminants. Even subclinical infection significantly reduces the animals' performance, and consequences of the disease lead to high economic losses for the cattle industry. To estimate the economic burden of bovine PTB and to evaluate the benefits of a potential control program, accurate estimates of the production effects associated with the disease are required.

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Membrane lipids and proteins form dynamic domains crucial for physiological and pathophysiological processes, including viral infection. Many plasma membrane proteins, residing within membrane domains enriched with cholesterol (CHOL) and sphingomyelin (SM), serve as receptors for attachment and entry of viruses into the host cell. Among these, human coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), use proteins associated with membrane domains for initial binding and internalization.

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Driven by environmental considerations, the scientific community has directed great effort towards the synthesis of new materials derived from renewable resources. However, for photocurable resins, most commercially available building blocks still rely on petroleum-based precursors. Herein, we present a simple synthesis route for bio-based acrylate-modified polyester resins, whose viscosity is sufficiently low for processing them with vat photopolymerization 3D printing.

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Mycobacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) are capable of infecting a wide variety of animals. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) has been recognized as an important wildlife reservoir for bovine tuberculosis. We screened wild boar in Slovenia for the presence of (1) Mycobacterium bovis in tissues and (2) antibodies to M.

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Background: Oriental hornets are large predatory hymenoptera that occur in the southern part of Asia and the southeastern Mediterranean. Among many pests of bee colonies, Vespa orientalis was recorded to be one of the most destructive.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to: (1) monitor the presence of pathogens carried by V.

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Brucella suis commonly infects swine but occasionally also other animal species and humans. Wild boars are the most important reservoir of B. suis biovar 2, continually infecting susceptible hosts through close contact.

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Introduction: and subsp. , respectively the causative agents of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and bovine paratuberculosis (PTB), share a high number of antigenic proteins. This characteristics makes the differential diagnosis of the diseases difficult.

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Pigs were identified as the most important reservoir of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant (LA-MRSA), mostly belonging to the emergent zoonotic clonal complex (CC) 398. Here, we investigated the presence of MRSA in sows and piglets over a period of several months in two pig farms (intensive farm A and family-run farm B). Isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing, PCR characterization and typing.

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Salmonella enterica subsp. serovar Infantis is the most prevalent serovar found in broilers and broiler meat and is among the top five serovars responsible for human infections in Europe. In 2008, a multidrug-resistant .

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The COVID-19 pandemic upended how many Americans acquire foods. In this paper, we analyze eight food acquisition activities at different points in the pandemic, which allows us to evaluate how food acquisition changed as case rates changed and vaccine rollouts occurred. We collected data from three nationally representative online samples in September 2020, December 2020, and March 2021.

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There are several environmental and ambient factors that can affect pig eliminative behaviour. The aim of this survey was to investigate factors related to the physical and ambient environment that have the strongest effects on pig and pen cleanliness and ammonia concentration. Data were collected from 87 pig farms and analysed using mixed (ammonia concentration) or generalized linear (pen and pig cleanliness) model in SAS.

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This study aimed to assess the risk of exposure to subsp. (MAP) via milk for the Slovenian consumer. MAP is suspected to be associated with several diseases in humans, therefore the risk of exposure should be better understood.

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This study aimed to investigate the possible dynamics of paratuberculosis or Johne's disease in a typical Slovenian dairy herd of about 17 cows. Paratuberculosis is a worldwide endemic disease of cattle caused by subsp. (MAP) and is associated with significant economic losses.

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Enterococcus cecorum and Enterococcus hirae can cause locomotor problems, septicaemia, and endocarditis in broiler chickens. Understanding transmission routes and resistance patterns are essential for effective treatment. The aim of this study was to follow the same animals from the breeder flock to the hatchery and up to 14-day-old broiler chickens on the farm to find the source of E.

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is the causative agent of American foulbrood (AFB), a devastating disease of honeybees. spore counts in bee-related samples correlate with the presence of AFB symptoms and may, therefore, be used to identify at-risk colonies. Here, we constructed a TaqMan-based real-time PCR (qPCR) assay targeting a single-copy chromosomal metalloproteinase gene for reliable quantification of .

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Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis is a host-adapted serovar that causes serious infections in domestic pigs and wild boars. Here, we investigated an outbreak of salmonellosis in domestic pigs in Slovenia, 2018-2019. To assess the outbreak, 18 isolates from domestic pigs, wild boars, wild boar meat and a human patient underwent whole-genome sequencing (WGS).

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The repeated occurrence of anthrax in grazing animals should be a reminder of a widespread presence of spores in the environment. Its rapid diagnosis is critical to protect public health. Here, we report a case of anthrax in cattle that was investigated using conventional and molecular methods.

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The COST action "Standardising output-based surveillance to control non-regulated diseases of cattle in the European Union (SOUND control)," aims to harmonise the results of surveillance and control programmes (CPs) for non-EU regulated cattle diseases to facilitate safe trade and improve overall control of cattle infectious diseases. In this paper we aimed to provide an overview on the diversity of control for these diseases in Europe. A non-EU regulated cattle disease was defined as an infectious disease of cattle with no or limited control at EU level, which is not included in the European Union Animal health law Categories A or B under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2002.

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The European Union (EU) regulates the control of cattle diseases listed in categories A and B of the Animal Health Law (AHL). However, the control of other cattle diseases that have no, or limited EU regulation, is left to each member state. Slovenia has five control programmes (CPs) for non-EU regulated cattle diseases: bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), bluetongue and anthrax.

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In this study, we report an abortion outbreak in a ruminant herd consisting of goats, sheep, and cows, with scenarios in two consecutive years. In early 2017, abortions occurred in ∼70% of goats and 66% tested positive for () and 40% of goats were positive for (). In February 2018, the same herd reported an abortion rate of 75%, with 55% positive for , 36% for , and 22% for .

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Nosemosis is a microsporidian disease causing mortality and weakening of honey bee colonies, especially in the event of co-exposure to other sources of stress. As a result, the disease is regulated in some countries. Reliable and harmonised diagnosis is crucial to ensure the quality of surveillance and research results.

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Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) represents a concern in both human and veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate potential LA-MRSA transmission between animals and humans in rural settings. To this aim, a study was designed to include 14 farms in Slovenia, which were selected on the basis of a farmer (initial patient) with confirmed LA-MRSA infection and regular animal contacts.

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Six -like isolates were recovered from 15 gastric mucosa samples of red foxes () shot by hunters in the surroundings of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Gram-negative, tightly coiled, intensely motile, 7-15 µm long and ≤1 µm wide bacteria grew on the biphasic blood agar plates. By using a genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), all isolates were confirmed as sp.

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