20.500.12556/RUL-128830 A sentinel serological study in selected zoo animals to assess early detection of West Nile and Usutu virus circulation in Slovenia Monitoring infectious diseases is a crucial part of preventive veterinary medicine in zoological collections. This zoo environment contains a great variety of animal species that are in contact with wildlife species as a potential source of infectious diseases. Wild birds may be a source of West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu (USUV) virus, which are both emerging pathogens of rising concern. The aim of this study was to use zoo animals as sentinels for the early detection of WNV and USUV in Slovenia. In total, 501 sera from 261 animals of 84 animal species (including birds, rodents, lagomorphs, carnivores, ungulates, reptiles, equids, and primates) collected for 17 years (2002–2018) were tested for antibodies to WNV and USUV. Antibodies to WNV were detected by indirect immunofluorescence tests in 16 (6.1%) of 261 animals representing 10 species, which were sampled prior to the first active cases of WNV described in 2018 in Slovenia in humans, a horse, and a hooded crow (Corvus cornix). Antibodies to USUV were detected in 14 out of 261 animals tested (5.4%) that were positive prior to the first positive cases of USUV infection in common blackbirds (Turdus merula) in Slovenia. The study illustrates the value of zoological collections as a predictor of future emerging diseases. infectious diseases zoo environment West Nile virus Usutu virus epidemiology biosurveillance communicable diseases Flaviviridae infections fluorescent antibody technique animals true false true Angleški jezik Ni določen Članek v reviji 2021-08-04 12:35:12 2021-08-04 12:35:12 2022-09-07 04:17:22 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2021 0 0 9 str. iss. 4, art. 626 Vol. 13 2021 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 636.09:616.9:578 1999-4915 10.3390/v13040626 58589443 RAZ_Kvapil_Pavel_2021.pdf RAZ_Kvapil_Pavel_2021.pdf 1 3C75043C7A882D0B4E5C14DDDB6DA2BC 769f930988b824bc9fd2499fa7bf9fec3f25763c3050c738e461c4d5f5991c00 4ff409e9-9ac6-11ec-abdb-00155dcfd717 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=154205 https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/4/626 1 a74ca87f-f511-11eb-a523-00155dcfd717 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=145719 Veterinarska fakulteta Medicinska fakulteta 0 0 0