The authors report on the occurrence of Mycobacterium avium ssp. avium, Mycobacterium avium ssp. hominissuis, and Mycobacterium avium ssp. silvaticum in Hungary. Similar to Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis, these subspecies are also capable of provoking immunological cross-reactivity in tuberculin skin test, thus hampering the in vivo diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis. Between 2006 and 2015 the authors isolated 301 Mycobacterium avium strains which were other than M. avium ssp. paratuberculosis. Molecular biological identification methods were applied on 290 isolates, and 140 M. avium ssp. avium, 87 M. avium ssp. hominissuis and 63 M. avium ssp. silvaticum strains were detected. From avian hosts the authors almost exclusively identified M. avium ssp. avium. In red deer and cattle M. avium ssp. hominissuis was dominant while from swine, wild boars and red foxes M. avium ssp. avium was isolated more often. The high number of M. avium ssp. silvaticum isolates indicates the importance of this subspecies. It can be stated that beside M. avium ssp. paratuberculosis M. avium ssp. avium, M. avium ssp. hominissuis, and M. avium ssp. silvaticum are also consequently isolated from the whole geographic region of Hungary equally from domestic and wild mammals and birds. The dog and monitor lizard cases highlight the possibility of zoonotic infections, while the wild animals serve as reservoirs in maintaining and spreading these pathogens.

Group A rotaviruses (Rotavirus A) are important enteric pathogens of mammals and birds, although published data about the epidemiology and genetic characteristics of mammalian rotaviruses are disproportionally greater than the corresponding information relating to avian rotaviruses. In this report the authors characterized a pheasant rotavirus strain detected in Hungary. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the partial genome of this rotavirus identified typical chicken rotavirus antigen types, G19P[31], on the genotype constellation (i.e. C4-I4-H4) previously transmission coupled with reassortment among avian rotaviruses. The findings of this study help to understand the diversity of rotaviruses in poultry.

The 2006 epidemic due to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N1 in Hungary caused the most severe losses in waterfowl which were, according to the literature at the time, supposed to be the most resistant to this pathogen. The presence of pathological lesions and the amount of viral antigen were quantified by gross pathology, histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the organs of four waterfowl species [mute swans (n = 10), domestic geese (n = 6), mulard ducks (n = 6) and Pekin ducks (n = 5)] collected during the epidemic. H5N1 subtype HPAIV was isolated from all birds examined. Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRRT-PCR) was also applied on a subset of samples [domestic geese (n = 3), mulard (n = 4) and Pekin duck (n = 4)] in order to compare its sensitivity with IHC. Viral antigen was detected by IHC in all cases. However, the overall presence of viral antigen in tissue samples was quite variable: virus antigen was present in 56/81 (69%) swan, 22/38 (58%) goose, 28/46 (61%) mulard duck and 5/43 (12%) Pekin duck tissue samples. HPAIV subtype H5N1 was detected by qRRT-PCR in all birds examined, in 19/19 (100%) goose, 7/28 (25%) mulard duck and 12/28 (43%) Pekin duck tissue samples. As compared to qRRTPCR, the IHC was less sensitive in geese and Pekin ducks but more sensitive in mulard ducks. The IHC was consistently positive above 4.31 log10 copies/reaction but it gave very variable results below that level. Neurotropism of the isolated virus strains was demonstrated by finding the largest amount of viral antigen and the highest average RNA load in the brain in all four waterfowl species examined.

A two-year-old male ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was presented to the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, for investigation of somnolence. Following unsuccessful therapeutic attempts, the ferret was euthanased and a male Dirofilaria immitis worm was found in the pulmonary artery and a female D. immitis specimen in the subdural space of the cranial cavity. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first European record of D. immitis infection in a ferret, and the first case in which aberrant larval migration and consequent central nervous system signs were observed in a ferret in the course of D. immitis infection.

Rotavirus-associated enteritis has been reported in pheasants, but there is no information on the genetic/antigenic features of pheasant rotaviruses. In this study, we sequenced the VP7-encoding genome segment of three pheasant rotavirus strains detected during 2008 in Hungary. The full-length genome segment was 1,070 bp long, while the open reading frame was predicted to encode a 330-aa-long protein. The nucleotide sequence identities among the three pheasant rotavirus strains were high (≥94%), whereas the range of nucleotide sequence identities to other avian and mammalian rotavirus VP7 genes fell between 68 and 73% and between 60 and 66%, respectively. Our findings indicate that these Hungarian pheasant rotaviruses need to be considered representatives of a new VP7 genotype specificity, designated G23.

On a feedlot cattle farm, five bulls died between the 14(th) and 30(th) days following their arrival after a long-lasting transport. Two animals died showing respiratory clinical symptoms, whereas the other three died suddenly, without any clinical symptom. Mycoplasma (M.) bovis induced pneumonia complicated with Pasteurellaceae infection was diagnosed in all cases. Using immunohistochemistry assay (IHC), Pasteurellaceae were detected only in the areas with fibrinosuppurative or purulent bronchopneumonia, while M. bovis was observed in areas with fibrinosuppurative pneumonia or purulent bronchopneumonia and also in areas of caseous necrosis. Bovine respiratory syntitial virus was detected with IHC in one case, while parainfluenza 3 virus was isolated from the lung in another case. In two cases Pasteurella multocida, in one case Mannheimia haemolytica and in another case M. bovis was isolated from the lungs. Other pathogens (bovine herpesvirus type 1, bovine virus diarrhoea virus, respiratory coronavirus, type A influenza virus or chlamydiales) were not detected with IHC. According to the authors' experience, IHC is a good alternative for detecting M. bovis compared to the bacteriological culture. IHC is also useful for the detection of Pasteurellaceae infection in those cases where fibrinosuppurative or purulent pneumonia characteristic for the infection is present but the bacterium cannot be cultured.

This paper describes the detection of a novel herpesvirus in a Serotine bat ( Eptesicus serotinus ) in Hungary. The rescued animal showed signs of icterus and anorexia and died within a day, in spite of immediate supportive therapy. Autopsy confirmed the clinical picture by the major lesions observed in the liver. Histopathology revealed vacuolar degeneration in the hepatocytes and leukocytosis in the sinusoidal lumina. By electron microscopy, hydropic degeneration and apoptotic cells with a pycnotic nucleus were found in the liver. Bacteriological examinations gave negative results. As part of a routine screening project, detection of adeno-and herpesviruses from homogenised samples of the liver, lungs and small intestines was attempted by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. The adenovirus PCR ended with negative results. The herpesvirus PCR resulted in an amplification product of specific size. The nucleotide sequence of the amplicon was determined and analysed by homology search and phylogenetic analysis. A novel herpesvirus was identified, which seemed to be most closely related to members of the genus Rhadinovirus within the subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae . The causative role of the detected rhadinovirus in the fatal condition of the Serotine bat could not be proven, but it is most likely that reactivation from a latent infection allowed the detection of the virus by PCR.

During post mortern and histo-pathological examination in a flock infected by highly pathogenic (H5N1 subtype) avian influenza virus strain in 2006, in most of the cases, lesions typical to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus were detected. However in an 11-weeks-old Mulard duck flock of 10 000 animals kidney damage (acute tubulonephrosis) and gout were observed consistently. In the diseased animals neurological signs (deviation of the head and neck, head tremor, ataxia, paralysis) and lymphocytic encephalitis were detected. There were no changes in the pancreas and respiratory system. The examined characteristics and partial sequence data of the H5N1 virus strain isolated from the case were not different from the other H5N1 isolates found at the same time. By immunolhistochemical method the virus antigen was detected only from some animals and mainly in small quantity in the spleen, lung, trachea and brain. Keeping conditions and quality of feeding-stuff have not explained the development of kidney damage and gout. In the other mulard ducks kept elsewhere and diseased and died of H5N1 virus infection no kidney damage and gout accompanied the typical lesions characteristic to the acute form of avian influenza. In the birds died in the examined flock polyomavirus infection was excluded by PCR method.

Diseases caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza strain (H5N1 subtype) were confirmed in 13 goose and 15 duck (11 Pekingese and 4 mulard) flocks in the second quarter of 2006 in a region of dense waterfowl flock population in the Southern part of Danube-Tisza Interfluve region. The number of animals in the goose flocks varied between 1000 and 5000 and that of duck flocks between 3000 and 30.000. Small flocks were also involved (30-100 animals) and among them one, where fowls and guinea fowls were diseased, as well. Daily number of death increased dramatically in the infected goose and duck flocks. Because of official measure (killing) observation of the flock level course of the disease was not possible. infected animals showed lethargy, anorexia, serous nasal discharge, lacrimation and neurological signs (deviation of the head, head-tremor, -lateral deviation, and leg and wing paralysis). In some cases animals were found dead without any previous clinical signs. There were no skin lesions (cyanosis, oedema, haemorrhage, necrosis) in the waterfowls. During post mortem and histopathological examinations - both in case of duck and goose flocks similarly and of the same frequency but in ducks in milder form - acute-subacute changes (haemorrhages in the different tissues, organs, mainly on serous membranes, necrotic foci in the pancreas, myocardium, liver and, almost in all cases, lymphocytic encephalitis) typical to highly pathogenic avian influenza strains were observed. Immunohistochernical examination revealed viral antigen mainly in the brain of dead geese. Causative viral particles were observed with electron microscope, as well. The virus was isolated in embryonated SPF fowl eggs, and typing was carried out by haemagglutination inhibition test using H5 and H7 subtype-specific polyclonal sera. H5 gene was identified by Tag Man PCR. Identification of the N subtype was performed by EU avian influenza reference laboratory (Avian Virology Laboratory, VLA, Weybridge, UK).