In Central Europe the wild boar population is permanently growing and consequently Cf foodborne infections. In this study serological and molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in wild boars was evaluated. Moreover, same samples were screened for the presence and genetic variability of tick-borne bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Blood samples collected from 113 wild boars from Southern Slovakia were examined for antibodies to T. gondii by indirect and to N. caninum by competitive ELISA. The presence of parasitic DNA in blood samples was determined by standard or real time PCR techniques. Antibodies against T. gondii and N. caninum were detected in 45 (39.8%) and 38 (33.6%) animals, respectively. Females were more frequently infected for both pathogens than males. The high seropositivity against both coccidia indicates a permanent occurrence of these pathogens in the studied locality. T. gondii DNA was confirmed in five seropositive boars (4.4%) and N. caninum in 23 blood samples (20.4%). Three out of 23 N. caninum PCR positive animals did not show seropositivity. Three out of 113 blood samples of wild boars were positive for A. phagocytophilum (2.7%). The obtained A. phagocytophilum sequences were 100% identical with GenBankTM isolates from Slovak dog (KC985242); German horse (JF893938) or wild boar (EF143810) and red deer (EF143808) from Poland. Coinfections of T. gondii with N. caninum and N. caninum with A. phagocytophilum were detected in single cases. Results suggest a potential zoonotic risk of toxoplasmosis transmission to humans and the spread of neosporosis to farm animals.

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of dietary changes during the suckling and post-weaning period on selected haematological, immunological and metabolic indices as well as the macro-and micro-mineral and antioxidant status of piglets. Twelve Large White piglets were kept according to the standards of pig rearing used in Slovakia until the end of the post-weaning period. Blood samples were taken from the piglets at the age of 30 days (the end of the suckling period) and 2 months (the end of the post-weaning period). At the end of the post-weaning period higher indices were found for RBC (P < 0.01), Hb (P < 0.01), WBC (P < 0.05), total Ig (P < 0.05), AST (P < 0.01), urea (P < 0.01), Se (P < 0.05), GSH-Px (P < 0.001), -SH groups (P < 0.01) and lower indices of albumin (P < 0.05), ALP (P < 0.001), LDH (P < 0.01), pancreatic amylase (P < 0.01), total lipids (P < 0.01), glucose (P < 0.01), total cholesterol (P < 0.01), bilirubin (P < 0.001), Ca (P < 0.01), SOD (P < 0.01), MDA (P < 0.01), vitamin A (P < 0.05), and vitamin E (P < 0.05) as compared to the end of suckling period. These results indicate that the dietary changes during suckling and post-weaning periods affected the majority of observed blood indices in piglets.

Parasitic diseases of livestock together with poor welfare conditions can negatively affect the health status and production of small ruminants. Protozoan parasites and tick-borne infectious agents are common threat of livestock including small ruminants mostly during the pasture season. Therefore the priority of the study was to analyse the circulation and presence of two protozoan parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum as well as tick-transmitted bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum in one selected goat farm in Eastern Slovakia. Throughout a three-year study period we have repeatedly screened the sera and blood of goats and dogs from monitored farm. In total, 343 blood serum samples from 116 goats were examined by ELISA. The mean seropositivity for T. gondii was 56.9% (66/116, CI (95%) = 48-66.0) and 15.5% (18/116, CI (95%) = 9.3-22.7) for N. caninum. The permanent occurrence of anti-Toxoplasma and anti-Neospora antibodies was detected in repeatedly examined goats during the whole monitored period. The presence of both parasites in the flock was analysed by PCR. DNA of T. gondii was confirmed in 12 out of 25 Toxoplasma-seropositive goats and N. caninum in 14 samples out of 18 Neospora-seropositive animals; four goats were co-infected with both pathogens. The risk of endogenous transmission of both parasites was pursued by examination of 41 kid's sera, where seropositivity for toxoplasmosis was 31.7% and for neosporosis 14.6%. In dogs 61.1% seropositivity for T. gondii and 38.9% for N. caninum was found, however, their faeces were negative for coccidian oocysts. Eight out of 108 tested animals were infected with A. phagocytophilum, the causative agent of tick-borne fever. Seven of them were simultaneously infected with T. gondii and A. phagocytophilum, out of which four goats were concurrently infected with all three pathogens.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the parasite -host interactions at apoptosis level. We studied histopathological changes and time course of apoptosis in the duodenum during Eimeria acervulina infection. One-day-old broiler chicks were randomly allocated into two equal groups. At the age of two weeks the first group was experimentally infected with a pure suspension of sporulated E. acervulina oocysts. The second group served as a negative control. Tissue samples from the upper part of duodenum were obtained at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 days post infection. Biopsies of duodenum were studied immunohistochemically using DeadEnd TM Colometric TUNEL System for apoptosis detection in duodenal mucosa. Number of parasites in duodenal epithelium was also investigated. Our experimental results demonstrate: (i) macroscopic and histopathological changes in epithelium detected mainly in proximal segment of duodenum in infected groups; (ii) the number of developmental stages of E. acervulina (DSEA) during our trial increased, reaching the maximum 5 days post infection (dpi) (332.2 ± 16.12) (mean ± SEM), whereas the amount of DSEA declined significantly as late as 6 dpi (124.6 ± 3.91); (iii) the highest apoptosis level was recorded in initiatory 0.5 dpi (13.2 ± 1.02) and on the end of parasite development cycle after 5 dpi (12.6 ± 1.36). Finally, results showed that there was a period of inhibition of apoptosis during infection by E. acervulina.

The objective of this study was to assess the udder health in lame dairy cows. The study was performed on 35 dairy cows which were admitted to the Clinic of Ruminants. The most frequent claw diseases were white line abscess (28.6%) and toe necrosis (28.6%), followed by digital dermatitis (17.1%), toe ulcers (14.3%), and sole ulcers (11.4%). The prevalence of mastitis in lame cows was 74.3% (26); clinical mastitis was detected in 5 (19.2%) and subclinical mastitis in 21 (80.8%) dairy cows. Distribution of mastitis was similar in terms of front (52.54%) and rear quarters (47.46%). For statistical analyses of mastitis grade in lame dairy cows, a six-point Mastitis Score was created based on physical examination of the mammary gland and results of California Mastitis Test. The Mastitis Score tended to be higher in cows with corium inflammation than in those with digital dermatitis (10.0 and 6.5, respectively). Microbiological culture of 24 positive milk samples was performed and intra-mammary pathogens were isolated in 18 (75%) samples. The most prevalent bacteria were coagulase negative staphylococci (50%), followed by Enterococcus spp. (16.7%), Proteus spp. (11.1%), and Aerococcus viridians (11.1%). Of the total bacteria, contagious pathogens were determined in two milk samples (11.1%). In conclusion, high prevalence of mastitis was detected in lame cows suffering from claw diseases without a significant effect of the type of claw diseases on the mastitis grade. Moreover, the dominating isolation of environmental pathogens may be a result of longer lying period of animals affected with lameness.