Stichorchis subtriquetrus (Digenea: Paramphistomatidae) from Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) in the Czech Republic.

Between March 2012 and April 2014, we performed post-mortem parasitological examinations of 11 Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber Linnaeus, 1758) from the basins of four main rivers (Dyje, Labe, Morava, Vltava) in the Czech Republic. The cause of death of five adult animals was unknown, three adult animals died after being hit by cars, while one young and one adult as a result of serious injuries and one juvenile male drowned. The trematode Stichorchis subtriquetrus (Rudolphi, 1814) Lühe, 1909 was only found in the caecum body and caecum apex of nine beavers (82%), with no significant differences in parasite intensity among beavers.

First finding of spontaneous infections with Cryptosporidium baileyi and C. meleagridis in the red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa from an aviary in the Czech Republic.

This paper represents the first report of spontaneous infection with Cryptosporidium baileyi and Cryptosporidium meleagridis in the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), as well as the percentage of positive samples and age-associated dynamics of cryptosporidial infections in an aviary in the Czech Republic. The entire infection process was monitored over two semesters (July-December 2012 and 2013) until release of birds for hunting purposes. Coprological examination of 663 pooled fecal samples and 89 post-mortem examinations of red-legged partridges were carried out.

A study of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii antibody seroprevalence in healthy cattle in the Czech Republic.

Introduction And Objective: The aim of study was to test the sera of healthy dairy cows by ELISAs, the methods also used in other groups of animals in the Czech Republic, and thus to obtain actual data about N. caninum and T. gondii seroprevalence in cattle.

Large-scale nucleotide sequence alignment and sequence variability assessment to identify the evolutionarily highly conserved regions for universal screening PCR assay design: an example of influenza A virus.

The development of a diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for universal detection of highly variable viral genomes is always a difficult task. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a guideline on how to align, process, and evaluate a huge set of homologous nucleotide sequences in order to reveal the evolutionarily most conserved positions suitable for universal qPCR primer and hybridization probe design. Attention is paid to the quantification and clear graphical visualization of the sequence variability at each position of the alignment.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Karyolysus--a neglected but common parasite infecting some European lizards.

Background: Blood parasites of the genus Karyolysus Labbé, 1894 (Apicomplexa: Adeleida: Karyolysidae) represent the protozoan haemogregarines found in various genera of lizards, including Lacerta, Podarcis, Darevskia (Lacertidae) and Mabouia (Scincidae). The vectors of parasites are gamasid mites from the genus Ophionyssus.

Methods: A total of 557 individuals of lacertid lizards were captured in four different localities in Europe (Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia) and blood was collected.

Carabus of Subgenus Cathoplius C.G. Thomson, 1875, with description of their life-way, life-cycle and pre-imaginal morphology (Coleoptera: Carabidae) .

According to current taxonomy, Subgenus Cathoplius C.G. Thomson, 1875, within the Genus Carabus Linnaeus, 1758 (in the broad sense), includes two species: C.

Local-scale diversity and between-year "frozen evolution" of avian influenza A viruses in nature.

Influenza A virus (IAV) in wild bird reservoir hosts is characterized by the perpetuation in a plethora of subtype and genotype constellations. Multiyear monitoring studies carried out during the last two decades worldwide have provided a large body of knowledge regarding the ecology of IAV in wild birds. Nevertheless, other issues of avian IAV evolution have not been fully elucidated, such as the complexity and dynamics of genetic interactions between the co-circulating IAV genomes taking place at a local-scale level or the phenomenon of frozen evolution.

Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in cats from the Czech Republic.

Sera of 414 cats coming from different parts of the Czech Republic were tested for N. caninum antibodies. Sera samples were collected during years 2002-2011.

Antioxidant biomarker survey ensuing long-term selenium withdrawal in Acipenser baeri fed Se-cysteine diets.

Two selenium withdrawal periods, 30 and 90 days, were considered for sturgeon fed 90 days three Se-cysteine diets (1.25, 5, 20 mgkg(-1)). Subsequently Acipenser baeri was fed the previous control diet (0.

Prevalence and characteristics of Escherichia coli strains producing extended-spectrum β -lactamases in slaughtered animals in the Czech Republic.

Resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is a global medical problem requiring close cooperation between veterinary and human physicians. Raw materials and foods of animal origin may be not only a source of pathogenic bacteria causing alimentary tract infections but also a source of bacteria with a dangerous extent of resistance to antibiotics, potentially entering the human food chain. This article presents results of the first study in the Czech Republic detecting the presence of Enterobacteriaceae-producing extended-spectrum b -lactamases (ESBLs) in swabs collected in slaughterhouses from surfaces of healthy animal carcasses.

Mixed infection by fowlpox virus and Chlamydophila psittaci in a commercial laying hen flock.

An outbreak of fowlpox occurred in a commercial laying hen flock in one of the western provinces of Poland. Clinical signs suggested fowlpox and the diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological detection of Bollinger bodies within the epithelial cells. Detailed ultrastructural examination revealed an additional concurrent infection with chlamydia-like particles.

[Anisakiasis - a little-known parasitic zoonosis].

Parasites of the family Anisakidae cause enteric parasitic zoonoses developing after consumption of inadequately cooked marine fish. Cases of such diseases are reported mainly from Japan or other countries where raw or uncooked fish are traditionally consumed. The presented short communication briefly reports detection of larvae of Pseudoterranova spp.

Effects of selenium supplemented diets on growth and condition indexes in juvenile red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii.

Effects of selenium diets (Se, 0.3 and 1.2mgkg(-1)) on juvenile red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii were observed for eight weeks.

Presence of Contracaecum spp. in teleosts cultured and fished in Sardinia.

This study reports the results of the finding of Contracaecum spp. during a survey on endoparasites isolated from cultured and wild fish and also from some cephalopods caught in Sardinian waters. Contracaecum spp.

[Detection of ESBL-positive strains of Escherichia coli in pigs in the Czech Republic].

Background: The goals of the presented regional study were monitoring the prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae producing broad-spectrum beta-lactamases in slaughter pigs and their basic molecular biology analysis.

Material And Methods: In the presented study, rectal swabs from 118 slaughter pigs from 5 farms in the Olomouc Region were analyzed. Bacteriological tests aimed at detection and identification of bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family producing broad-spectrum beta-lactamases.

Description of a new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the western Derby eland Taurotragus derbianus derbianus Gray (Artiodactyla: Bovidae) in Senegal.

Examination of faecal samples from semi-captive western Derby elands Taurotragus derbianus derbianus Gray, in the Bandia and Fathala Reserves of Senegal, revealed the presence of oöcysts of the genus Eimeria Schneider, 1875 that we considered to represent a new species, Eimeria derbiani n. sp. The new species possesses nearly ellipsoidal oöcysts (length/width ratio 1.

Digital genotyping of avian influenza viruses of H7 subtype detected in central Europe in 2007-2011.

The objective of our study was to provide a genotype analysis of H7N7 and H7N9 influenza A viruses (IAV) and infer their relationships to co-circulating non-H7 IAV genomes. The H7N7 strains were collected in central Europe (Hungary-1, Czech Republic-1, Slovenia-1 and Poland-4) and the H7N9 in the Czech Republic and Spain between 2007 and 2011. Hand in hand with this effort, a novel IAV genotype visualization approach called digital genotyping was developed.

Prevalence of Anisakis spp. and Hysterothylacium spp. larvae in teleosts and cephalopods sampled from waters off Sardinia.

A study was carried out on the presence of Anisakis and Hysterothylacium larvae in fish and cephalopods caught in Sardinian waters. A total of 369 specimens of 24 different species of teleosts and 5 species of cephalopods were collected from different fishing areas of Sardinia. Larvae were detected and isolated by both visual inspection and enzymatic digestion.

[Direct detection of the brucellosis-causing pathogen--a case report].

Bacterial zoonoses still represent a serious medical problem. One of the less frequent but severe zoonoses is brucellosis caused by the bacterium Brucella melitensis. The presented case report describes relapsing imported brucellosis in a young male.

Molecular characterization of Anisakis larvae from fish caught off Sardinia.

Anisakis spp. larvae are parasitic, and potentially zoonotic, nematodes transmitted by marine fish and cephalopods, which are the main intermediate hosts of the third larval stage. The accidental consumption of infected raw or poorly cooked fish may cause gastroenteric diseases and allergies in humans.

Development and evaluation of a one-step real-time RT-PCR assay for universal detection of influenza A viruses from avian and mammal species.

The objective of our study was to develop and evaluate a TaqMan real-time RT-PCR (RRT-PCR) assay for universal detection of influenza A (IA) viruses. The primers and LNA-modified octanucleotide probe were selected to correspond to extremely conserved regions of the membrane protein (MP) segment identified by a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis including 10,405 IA viruses MP sequences, i.e.

A sensitive FRET probe assay for the selective detection of Mycobacterium marinum in fish.

Mycobacterium marinum is the causative agent of mycobacteriosis in wild and cultured fish and of atypical infection in humans. For the diagnosis of M. marinum, cultural and traditional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods are currently used.

[Foodborne illness caused by bacteria].

Despite the increasing level of food hygiene in the Czech Republic and other European Union member states, agents causing diseases transmitted from animals to human remain a serious problem in both human and veterinary medicine of the 21st century. The article is concerned with selected bacterial foodborne zoonoses in the Czech Republic and EU member states, including antibiotic resistance of the pathogens. Some preliminary results on the prevalence of pathogens in the human food chain in the Czech region of Moravia in 2007-2008 are presented.

Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of the H5N1 avian influenza virus caused the first highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak in poultry in the Czech Republic in 2007.

On 19th July 2007 re-occurrence of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus was noticed in Europe. The index strain of this novel H5N1 lineage was identified in the Czech Republic where it caused historically the first HPAI outbreak in commercial poultry. In the present study we performed molecular and phylogenetic analysis of the index strain of the re-emerging H5N1 virus lineage along with the Czech and the Slovak H5N1 strains collected in 2006 and established the evolutionary relationships to additional viruses circulated in Europe in 2005-2006.

Prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni and its resistance to antibiotics in poultry in the Czech Republic.

Thermotolerant Campylobacter spp., in particular Campylobacter jejuni, are among the most frequently identified pathogens, found to be causing human gastrointestinal infections in Europe, with the Czech Republic being no exception. The presented work aimed at assessing results of the first nationwide monitoring of prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Campylobacter spp.