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Microsporidium Nosema ceranae is well known for exerting a negative impact on honey bee health, including down-regulation of immunoregulatory genes. Protein nutrition has been proven to have beneficial effects on bee immunity and other aspects of bee health. Bearing this in mind, the aim of our study was to evaluate the potential of a dietary amino acid and vitamin complex \"BEEWELL AminoPlus\" to protect honey bees from immunosuppression induced by N. ceranae. In a laboratory experiment bees were infected with N. ceranae and treated with supplement on first, third, sixth and ninth day after emergence. The expression of genes for immune-related peptides (abaecin, apidaecin, hymenoptaecin, defensin and vitellogenin) was compared between groups. The results revealed significantly lower (p<0.01 or p<0.001) numbers of Nosema spores in supplemented groups than in the control especially on day 12 post infection. With the exception of abacein, the expression levels of immune-related peptides were significantly suppressed (p<0.01 or p<0.001) in control group on the 12th day post infection, compared to bees that received the supplement. It was supposed that N. ceranae had a negative impact on bee immunity and that the tested amino acid and vitamin complex modified the expression of immune-related genes in honey bees compromised by infection, suggesting immune-stimulation that reflects in the increase in resistance to diseases and reduced bee mortality. The supplement exerted best efficacy when applied simultaneously with Nosema infection, which can help us to assume the most suitable period for its application in the hive.

For Serbian hunting grounds, the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) is the most interesting type of small hunting game animal. However, the number of hares has decreased in recent decades, so hunters and authorities rear hares in captivity systems for their subsequent release. In order to investigate the welfare of cage-reared hares in Serbia, two captivity systems were analyzed. For welfare assessment, animal-based indicators were from the welfare quality assessment protocol for rabbits. The main welfare issues identified were locomotor stereotype behaviors (observed in 33.08%, 43/130 of caged hares), hairless areas on the animal (28.46%, 37/130), wounds on the body (18.46%, 24/130), wounds on the ears (16.92%, 22/130), and thin body condition score (BCS) (10.77%, 14/130). Significant correlations (p < 0.001) were found between some welfare indicators: thin BCS and wounds on the body; thin BCS and nasal discharge; wounds on the body and hairless areas, and; locomotor stereotype behaviors and hairless areas. The results of this study provide valuable insight into the impact of the captive rearing system on the welfare of European brown hares in Serbia.

Control of swine dysentery with antibiotics is often ineffective due to the resistance of . The potential of some herbal-based components against was previously studied . This study aims at the evaluation of efficacy of phytogenic feed additives in the control of swine dysentery The study involved 64 seven-week old weaned pigs allotted to 4 groups: two were fed on feed supplemented with either Patente Herba® or Patente Herba® Plus, the third received tiamulin (positive control), while the negative control was not given antibiotics or additives. Fecal consistency was recorded daily. The presence of in the feces was investigated weekly using microbiological assays and the PCR test. Weight gain and feed conversion ratio were calculated for each week, and for the whole experiment. was detected in all samples by both methods. The additives showed efficacy in the prevention and control of swine dysentery as only normal and soft stool was observed in the treated groups. By contrast, in the negative control all feces categories were detected. Frequencies of feces categories significantly differed (p<0.001) between feed-supplemented groups and the negative control. Efficacy of both additives in the prevention of SD is comparable to tiamulin, based on insignificant differences in the frequency of the various feces categories. Beneficial effects of both additives resulted in significantly (p≤0.05) higher weight gain and lower feed conversion ratio in comparison to the negative control. The average weight gains between additive-fed groups and tiamulin-treated group did not differ significantly.

This paper explores the biological diversity of the mussel , its ecological functions, and its economic importance for local communities. By analyzing the ecological roles of mussels in the preservation of ecosystems, as well as their contribution to the local economy through fishing and aquaculture, the work provides a comprehensive insight into their importance and the threats they face. The aim of this study is to analyze the presence of the bacterium ( ) and determine statistical significance in mussels collected from three different locations in Montenegro: Herceg Novi, Tivat, and Kotor. The analyses were carried out during different seasons, in a period of two years, 2022 and 2023. This approach enabled a detailed analysis of seasonal variations in the level of mussel contamination. Preliminary results show that the highest concentrations of were recorded during the summer months, which can be associated with increased tourist activities and a greater load on the sewage system. The lowest levels of contamination were registered during the winter months. This reduction occurs because tourist and industrial activity decreases, resulting in less waste and wastewater production. Furthermore, precipitation and winds that dilute pollutants increase, while lower temperatures slow down biological processes. Among the localities analyzed, samples from Kotor showed the highest average concentration of , while samples from Herceg Novi had the lowest values. These results indicate significant differences in the degree of pollution between localities and seasons, which can have serious consequences for human health, and the ecosystem. The presence of in mussels directly threatens the safety of food products, because the consumption of contaminated mussels can lead to various gastrointestinal diseases. Also, long-term pollution can disrupt the balance of marine ecosystems, affecting biodiversity and the stability of mussel populations.

Proliferative enteropathy, also known as proliferative ileitis, is considered to be one of the most economically important diseases in pig production worldwide. The estimated losses per affected growing pig usually range from US $1 to $5. The disease is caused by , a Gram-negative, obligately intracellular bacterium. Control of the disease can be achieved with the use of vaccines or antibiotics. Recently there has been an increase in the efforts in the control of certain pathologies of the digestive system with phytogenic additives. The aim of this work was to assess the effects of a phytogenic additive on the histomorphometric characteristics of the intestines in weaned pigs with a subclinical infection with acquired spontaneously. Histomorphometry analysis showed that crypt depth was significantly shorter (P<0.05), and the villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratio (P<0.05) significantly greater in the treatment group than the control. This improvement in the histological parameters of the intestine, considered to be indicators of its health, proved the positive effect of the tested additive on the digestive system in pigs.

In this investigation, the genotoxic properties of mestranol were examined . Human lymphocyte cultures were exposed for 72 h to mestranol at concentrations of 7.5, 15 and 30 µg/g. The genotoxic effects of the chemosterilant were assessed by numerical and structural chromosome aberrations. Mestranol induced certain genotoxic effects in human lymphocytes. There was a dose-dependent significant (p<0.01) increase in the number of numerical aberrations in comparison to the control, but without significant differences (p>0.05) between the doses applied. Further, structural aberrations increased significantly (p<0.01) in the presence of mestranol, being most frequent in cultures exposed to the highest mestranol dose. The frequency of Robertsonian translocations increased significantly only in cultures treated with mestranol at concentration of 30 µg/g in comparison both with the control (p<0.01) and the lowest chemosterilant dose (p<0.01). There were significant differences (p<0.01) in the levels of chromosome gaps and fragments compared to Robertsonian translocations, whilst the frequencies between gaps and fragments were not significantly different (p>0.05).

Background Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) is a genus of small biting midges (also known as “no-see ums”) that currently includes 1368 described species. They are proven or suspected vectors for important pathogens affecting animals such as bluetongue virus (BTV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV). Currently little information is available on the species of Culicoides present in Serbia. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine species diversity, host preference and the presence of BTV and SBV RNA in Culicoides from the Stara Planina Nature Park in south-eastern Serbia. Results In total 19,887 individual Culicoides were collected during three nights of trapping at two farm sites and pooled into six groups (Obsoletus group, Pulicaris group, “Others” group and further each group according to the blood-feeding status to freshly engorged and non-engorged). Species identification was done on subsamples of 592 individual Culicoides specimens by morphological and molecular methods (MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and PCR/sequencing). At least 22 Culicoides species were detected. Four animal species (cow, sheep, goat and common blackbird) as well as humans were identified as hosts of Culicoides biting midges. The screening of 8291 Culicoides specimens in 99 pools for the presence of BTV and SBV RNA by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR were negative. Conclusions The biodiversity of Culicoides species in the natural reserve Stara Planina was high with at least 22 species present. The presence of C. imicola Kieffer was not recorded in this area. Culicoides showed opportunistic feeding behaviour as determined by host preference. The absence of SBV and BTV viral RNA correlates with the absence of clinical disease in the field during the time of sampling. These data are the direct outcome of a training programme within the Institutional Partnership Project “AMSAR: Arbovirus monitoring, research and surveillance-capacity building on mosquitoes and biting midges” funded by the programme SCOPES of the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Uzgoj svinja predstavlja jednu od najvažnijih grana stočarstva. Neadekvatna primena biosigurnosnih mera i loši ambijentalni uslovi, uz prisustvo patogenih prouzrokovača bolesti, mogu onemogućiti uspešnu proizvodnju svinja. U preko 50% slučajeva enterične bolesti su odgovorne za ograničavanje rentabilne proizvodnje. Jedan od važnih uzročnika koji dovodi do enteričnih poremećaja i velikih ekonomskih gubitaka je i Lawsonia intracellularis, obliganta intracelularna Gram negativna bakterija, koja prouzrokuje proliferativnu enteropatiju (PE). „Zlatni standardi“ za identifikaciju L. intracellularis su imunohistohemijska i PCR metoda. Razvojem kvantitativne real-time (qPCR) metode omogućeno je rutinsko otkrivanje subkliničkih formi bolesti, a kvantifikovanje uzročnika je omogućilo da se odredi težina kliničke slike inficiranih svinja. Zbog često pogrešne dijagnostike ove bolesti na farmama, posledično prekomerne upotrebe antibiotika i razvoja antimikrobne rezistencije uzročnika, postoji potreba za pronalaženjem alternativnih rešenja u kontroli PE. Takođe, dobre biosigurnosne mere na farmama, za koje je pokazano da pozitivno utiču na zdravlje i proizvodne rezultate svinja, mogu predstavljati bitan faktor u prevenciji nastanka PE. U skladu sa tim cilj istraživanja ove doktorske disertacije bio je ispitivanje uticaja komercijalnog fitogenog aditiva (Patente Herba® Plus) u kontroli PE kod odlučene prasadi prirodno inficirane bakterijom L. intracellularis, uspostavljanje i optimizacija protokola za molekularnogenetičku identifikaciju bakterijeL. intracellularis, kao i kvantifikaciju stepena infekcije kod prasadi putem real-time qPCR i IHC metoda. Dodatno je ispitivan i uticaj različitih biosigurnosnih nivoa i Patente Herba® Plus fitogenog aditiva na proizvodne rezultate i broj izlučenih bakterija L. intracellularisu fecesu prasadi.Eksperiment je sproveden na četiri različite farme svinja na kojima je određen nivo eksternih, internih i ukupnih biosigurnosnih mera. Na svakoj od farmi (farma BS1, farma BS2, farma BS3 i farma BS4), prasad stara sedam nedelja, ujednačenih telesnih masa, bila je raspoređena u kontrolne grupe koje u hrani nisu dobijale preparat Patente Herba® Plus (K-BS1, K-BS2, K-BS3 i K-BS4) i tretman grupe koje su hrani dobijale preparat Patente Herba® Plus u koncentraciji od 2 kg/t hrane (T-BS1, T-BS2, T-BS3 i T-BS4). Kontrolne i tretman grupe formirane su sa po 72 jedinke, raspoređene u devet bokseva sa po osam prasadi, odnosno 144 prasadi po farmi, ukupno 576 prasadi. Za potrebe histoloških analiza izveden je eksperiment sa individualno gajenom prasadi, po šest u kontrolnoj i tretman grupi. Tokom 28 dana eksperimenta (0., 14. i 28. dan) uzimani su uzorci fecesa za molekularnogenetička ispitivanja, praćeni su proizvodni rezultati prasadi (telesna masa, dnevni i ukupni prorast, dnevna i ukupna konzumacija i konverzija), dok na kraju eksperimenta su uzimani uzorci ileuma za histološke (mikroskopske promene i histomorfometrijski parametari) i imunohistohemijske analize (ekspresija antigena L. intracellularis).