<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>A total of 131 blood samples and 175 spleen samples were collected from three cervid species: roe deer (<italic>Capreolus capreolus</italic>), red deer (<italic>Cervus elaphus</italic>) and fallow deer (<italic>Dama dama</italic>) inhabiting the continental part of Croatia. Serum samples were tested for antibodies against bovine herpesvirus 1, parainfluenza-3 virus, bluetongue virus, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, hepatitis E virus, bovine viral diarrhoea virus and enzootic bovine leukosis virus. The tested sera were negative for bovine viral diarrhoea virus, enzootic bovine leukosis virus, bluetongue virus, bovine respiratory syncytial virus and hepatitis E virus antybodies. The antibody prevalence in roe deer and red deer samples was 21.11% for bovine herpesvirus 1 and 75.55% for parainfluenza-3 virus. Sera from bovine herpesvirus 1 positive animals were subsequenty tested with comparative virus neutralization test and bovine herpesvirus 1 neutralising antibodies were found in 18 (out of 19) sera. In fallow deer, no antibodies against any of the viral pathogens were detected. All spleen samples tested for bovine viral diarrhoea virus and enzootic bovine leukosis virus came back negative, except for one red deer spleen sample found to be weakly diarrhoea virus-positive. Our findings provide the first information on the exposure of Croatia-inhabiting cervid species to viral pathogens, and could serve as valuable baseline data for future investigations regarding deer exposure to various pathogens and the distribution of diseases shared between wildlife and livestock. As of now, the epidemiology of these viruses in the Croatian cervid population has been only poorly understood, so that further research is recommended.</p></abstract>

A total of 131 blood samples and 175 spleen samples were collected from three cervid species: roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and fallow deer (Dama dama) inhabiting the continental part of Croatia. Serum samples were tested for antibodies against bovine herpesvirus 1, parainfluenza-3 virus, bluetongue virus, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, hepatitis E virus, bovine viral diarrhoea virus and enzootic bovine leukosis virus. The tested sera were negative for bovine viral diarrhoea virus, enzootic bovine leukosis virus, bluetongue virus, bovine respiratory syncytial virus and hepatitis E virus antybodies. The antibody prevalence in roe deer and red deer samples was 21.11% for bovine herpesvirus 1 and 75.55% for parainfluenza-3 virus. Sera from bovine herpesvirus 1 positive animals were subsequenty tested with comparative virus neutralization test and bovine herpesvirus 1 neutralising antibodies were found in 18 (out of 19) sera. In fallow deer, no antibodies against any of the viral pathogens were detected. All spleen samples tested for bovine viral diarrhoea virus and enzootic bovine leukosis virus came back negative, except for one red deer spleen sample found to be weakly diarrhoea virus-positive. Our findings provide the first information on the exposure of Croatia-inhabiting cervid species to viral pathogens, and could serve as valuable baseline data for future investigations regarding deer exposure to various pathogens and the distribution of diseases shared between wildlife and livestock. As of now, the epidemiology of these viruses in the Croatian cervid population has been only poorly understood, so that further research is recommended.

Preliminary serological and molecular investigation of selected viral pathogens in Croatian cervid species

Croatian Veterinary Institute, Virology Department

Croatian Veterinary Institute, Veterinary Public Health Department

Faculty of Agriculture, Department for hunting, fishery and beekeeping

Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek

Acta Veterinaria

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

A total of 131 blood samples and 175 spleen samples were collected from three cervid species: roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and...

Preliminary serological and molecular investigation of selected viral pathogens in Croatian cervid species

Published Online: Mar 27, 2018

Page range: 65 - 79

Received: Jul 05, 2017

Accepted: Jan 30, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acve-2018-0006

Keywords
Croatia, deer, livestock, serology, viral diseases

© 2018 Roić Besi et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Preliminary serological and molecular investigation of selected viral pathogens in Croatian cervid species

Published Online: Mar 27, 2018

Page range: 65 - 79

Received: Jul 05, 2017

Accepted: Jan 30, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acve-2018-0006

KeywordsCroatia, deer, livestock, serology, viral diseases

© 2018 Roić Besi et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Croatia, deer, livestock, serology, viral diseases