Minimally processed and refrigerated vegetables can be contaminated with Listeria species bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes due to extensive handling during processing or by cross contamination from the processing environment. The objective of this study was to examine the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat minimally processed and refrigerated vegetables from supermarkets in Osijek, Croatia. 100 samples of ready-to-eat vegetables collected from different supermarkets in Osijek, Croatia, were analyzed for presence of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes. The collected samples were cut iceberg lettuces (24 samples), other leafy vegetables (11 samples), delicatessen salads (23 samples), cabbage salads (19 samples), salads from mixed (17 samples) and root vegetables (6 samples). Listeria species was found in 20 samples (20 %) and Listeria monocytogenes was detected in only 1 sample (1 %) of cut red cabbage (less than 100 CFU/g). According to Croatian and EU microbiological criteria these results are satisfactory. However, the presence of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes indicates poor hygiene quality. The study showed that these products are often improperly labeled, since 24 % of analyzed samples lacked information about shelf life, and 60 % of samples lacked information about storage conditions. With regard to these facts, cold chain abruption with extended use after expiration date is a probable scenario. Therefore, the microbiological risk for consumers of ready-to-eat minimally processed and refrigerated vegetables is not completely eliminated.

For over 10 years infectious laringotracheitis has occurred rarely in Vojvodina. In such situations morbidity was 40% and mortality was 16%. Drop in egg production was over 30% and after 4 weeks egg production returned to normal. After the disappearance of clinical symptoms and after 30 days of quarantine and disinfection of eggs with formaldehyde and 5% hydrogen peroxide there was no appearance of the disease in hatched chickens. Clinical observation and pathohistology results are valuable proof for diagnosis of ILT. Diagnosis of ILT should be confirmed by virus isolation or applying serological tests such as ELISA on sera from diseased chickens

The biological properties of an infectious bursal disease (IBD) virus isolated from bursas collected during an outbreak in a village chicken flock in Macedonia are described. The mortality rate was 50%. Two viruses coexisted in the bursas of infected chickens (IBDVwt and IBDVtc). The virus termed IBDVtc grows on chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells from the first passage. Specific pathogen free chickens inoculated with IBDVtc at passage level 4 did not develop any clinical signs of disease. Some discrete bleeding on the leg muscles was seen and the bursa of Fabricius revealed pathological lesions similar to those caused by classical strains. However, the bursa recovered quickly (bursa lesion score 2) by 14 days post infection (PI). We also found evidence of bursal repopulation by means of perinuclear antigen staining. Strong CD3 influx was evident at 4 days PI, and at 33 days PI the CD3+ cell finding was comparable to the control. The mean antibody titre was 9.2 log 2 at 14 days PI. The amino acid composition of VP2 in IBDVwt (222 Ala, 242 Ile, 253 Gln, 256 Ile, 279 Asp, 284 Ala, 294 Ile and 299 Ser) is described. The same sequence was found in IBDVtc, except for two point mutations, at Gln253→His and Ala284→Thr. Such amino acid substitution is responsible for partial attenuation and the ability of the strain to replicate in cell culture. None of the commercial vaccine viruses has a similar arrangement of amino acids in the variable domain of IBDV. This strongly suggests that IBDVtc originates from a very virulent strain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a concomitant infection of chickens with highly pathogenic IBDV and its mutant counterpart.

In the paper we presented five-year investigations of numeric and structural changes in cattle karyotype on five farms and two centers for reproduction in Serbia. There were 371 breeding animals (215 male and 156 female), out of which 267 Holstein Friesian breed (193 male and 74 female), 62 Simmental (17 male and 45 female) and 42 Grey Steppe breed (5 male and 37 female). Cultivating of lymphocytes and karyotype analyses, according to the international standards for karyotypization of domestic animals, were applied. The aim of the investigation was to test genetic material on chromosome level of animals introduced into reproduction. The following changes were discovered in the karyotype: 6 animals of Holstein-Friesian breed were with chimeras 2n=60XX/XY and there was one Robertson's translocation in Simmental breed. Structural changes as breakage and a ring were discovered in two animals of Holstein-Friesian and Simmental breed raised in the area of bombing in Serbia. The animals of Grey Steppe breed had normal karyotype. There is a total of 9 animals with changes (2.42%), while 362 were with normal karyotype, total 97.57%. According to the results, it may be concluded that cytogenetical attestation of the breeding animals will have to be continued for the purpose of protecting the genofond on cattle farms

In the period January to June 2006 the samples of feed were collected from feed factories in Southern Baåka and Srem district. The samples of raw milk and full mix were taken from 5 dairy farms. A total of 50 raw milk samples was examined. The samples were examined on the presence of aflatoxin B1 using the method of thin layer chromatography (TLC) and simultaneously, using ELISA tests. Milk samples were examined using immunoenzyme tests for the presence of aflatoxin M1. Aflatoxin content in all the examined feed and mix samples was below LOD (limit of detection) of TLC method, also this content was below MRL according to ELISA method. In total of 50 samples of raw milk, aflatoxin M1 was detected in two samples originating from different farms. Aflatoxin was detected in 7.5 ng/l, i.e. 10 ng/l respectively, what is considerably lower than MRL. Based on the obtained results it is considered that obligatory control of raw milk for the presence of aflatoxin is necessary.