Introduction Wild boars (Sus scrofa) can act as a reservoir for several infectious diseases of economic and zoonotic importance. In the present study, 490 tonsils and 228 mandibular lymph nodes from wild boars of different ages and sexes, shot during the 2011-2012 hunting season in the federal provinces of Lower Austria, Burgenland, Upper Austria and Styria, were investigated for the presence of Salmonella enterica, Brucella spp., Corynebacterium spp. and other pathogenic bacteria. Materials and methods Laboratory testing of tonsils was carried out according to OIE, Manual of diagnostic tests and vaccines for terrestrial animals, Chapter 2.9.8., Salmonellosis and ISO 6579:2002/Amd 1:2007 (Annex D). Salmonella serovars were established by slide agglutination tests using both polyvalent and specific sera against somatic (0) and flagellar (H) antigens according to the White-Kauffmann-Le Minor scheme. Brucellae were isolated from mandibular lymph nodes using 10 % sheep blood Columbia agar and a selective supplement incubated at 37 degrees C in ambient air. The isolates were phenotyped using standard methods. Molecular identification was performed with the INgene Bruce-ladder suis kit. Isolation and identification of other pathogens was performed using standard bacteriological methods, API (R) 20 Strep, API (R) Coryne, MALDI-TOF MS and 16S rDNA partial gene sequencing. Results The examination of the tonsils from 55 animals (11.2 %) revealed an infection with Salmonella enterica. Salmonella Choleraesuis could be identified in 35 animals (7.2 %). Five wild boars (1.0 %) were infected with Salmonella Hessarek four with Salmonella Typhimurium (0.8 %). The following serotypes were found in single animals: Salmonella Abony, Salmonella Thompson, Salmonella enterica subsp. salamae, Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae and one monophasic strain group B and C1. Brucella suis biovar 2 was isolated from twelve wild boars from eight districts in three federal states. Corynebacterium ulcerans (26 isolates), Streptococcus porcinus (23 isolates), Rhodococcus equi (three isolates) and Actinomyces hyovaginalis (one isolate) were cultured from lymph node-abscesses. Conclusions There is a potential risk of spillover of Salmonella enterica, Brucella suis biovar 2 and Corynebacterium ulcerans from wild boars to domestic pigs or humans. The results show the importance of monitoring the wild boar population on a national level to gain valid data on endemic pathogens that can affect humans as well as domestic animals.

Introduction On August 1, 2004, the Austrian government enacted BVD-regulation and introduced a compulsory national BVD-control program. In Tyrol, BVDV eradication had already started on a voluntary basis in 1999. The main aim of this voluntary control scheme on a farm level was the identification and elimination of all persistently infected animals without vaccination. The annual screening revealed a decrease of the proportion of these PI-animals from 1.22 to 0.37 %. Methods During surveillance activities in the year 2003, out of 45,871 blood samples from cattle at the age of 2 weeks to 18 months, 169 samples were BVDV antigen capture ELISA positive (prevalence rate 0.37 %). In the course of a second blood test 8 weeks later, 101 animals were retested. In the laboratory, commercially available antigen capture ELISA technique is routinely used to detect BVDV antigen in serum. For the detection of virus genomes a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied. Results Totally 193 of these antigen ELISA positive blood samples were tested by RT-PCR at the Landesamt for Verbraucherschutz Sachsen Anhalt in Stendal for the occurrence of BVDV-2. All samples were classified as BVDV-1 and no BVDV-2 could be detected in bovine field samples from the Tyrol region. Conclusions The removal of persistently infected animals is the long term basis of the BVDV eradicaton program in Tyrol. In all BVDV positive field samples BVDV-1 genome could be detected by RT-PCR.

In dairy farms, antimicrobial drugs are frequently used for treatment of (sub)clinical mastitis. Determining the antimicrobial susceptibility of mastitis pathogens is needed to come to a correct use of antimicrobials. Strains of Staphylococcus aureus (n = 768), Streptococcus uberis (n = 939), Streptococcus dysgalactiae (n = 444), Escherichia coli (n = 563), and Klebsiella species (n = 59) originating from routine milk samples from (sub)clinical mastitis were subjected to the disk diffusion method. Disks contained representatives of frequently used antibiotics in dairy. A limited number of clinical breakpoints were available through CLSI, and showed that susceptibility of Staph. aureus, E. coli, and Klebsiella was moderate to high. For streptococcal species however, a large variation between the tested species and the different antimicrobials was observed. In a next step, wild type populations were described based on epidemiological cut off values (EUCAST). Because of the limited number of official cut off values, the data were observed as a mastitis subpopulation and self-generated cut off values were created and a putative wild type population was suggested.The need for accurate clinical breakpoints for veterinary pathogens is high. Despite the lack of these breakpoints, however, a population study can be performed based on the distribution of inhibition zone diameters on the condition that a large number of strains is tested.

Twenty-five bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) positive field samples were typed in the 5'-UTR by sequencing of PCR products amplified using universal 324/326 pestivirus primers. All viruses were classified as BVDV-1, no BVDV-2 isolates were identified. Fourteen viruses were typed as BVDV-1f, six viruses as BVDV-1b, four viruses as BVDV-1 h and one virus fell into BVDV-1g group. The comparison of data presented in this work with data for other BVDV isolates originating from Austria suggests that the BVDV-1f subgenotype is predominant in Austrian cattle populations.

When goats in Eastern Tanzania were screened for skin diseases, Dermatophilus congolensis was isolated from the skin lesions in 8 of 484 animals examined. In one severely affected case, the disease was also characterized by histological studies (Gram stain, Giemsa stain and routine HE studies) and electron microscopy. The histological picture was characterized by hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, acanthosis, folliculitis and an inflammatory cellular reaction involving the epidermis. Gram stain and Giemsa stain revealed longitudinal and transverse branching filaments in the deeper layers of the epidermis. Ultrastructural studies demonstrated D. congolensis in various morphological forms, ranging from filamentous to tuber-shaped structures, mixed with numerous coccoid bodies of variable size. In some instances, the organisms were geometrically arranged in parallel rows of beading and were present in and among the degenerated epithelial cells. Several host cells showed degenerative changes. Ticks present on the goats were Amblyomma variegatum, Rhipicephalus evertsi, Rhipicephalus pravus and Boophilus sp. The clinical signs, pathological lesions, diagnosis, epidemiology and pathogenesis of the disease are discussed.

For the first time an outbreak of salmonellosis in chamois is reported. During summer 1998 eight chamois were found dead on a mountain pasture in Tyrol (Austria). The post mortem examination revealed symptoms of diarrhea and septicaemic disease. At the same time cattle which was grazed on the same pasture showed clinical signs of diarrhea and high body temperature. Salmonella enterica Serovar Dublin could be isolated by microbiological culturing out of organ tissue from chamois and cattle faeces. Epidemiological investigations showed an infected water-source in which S. Dublin could be found. Two years ago a similar outbreak of salmonellosis in cattle was observed in a neighbouring mountain pasture. It is presumed that infection of pasture by Salmonella carriers (cattle or chamois) must be the reason for the latest outbreak described.

An outbreak of botulism in a cattle herd in Tyrol is reported. Twenty-one cattle of different sex and age showed clinical signs of illness within ten days. Symptoms observed were weakness, standing with lowered heads, drooling of saliva and stiff gait, Paresis and paralysis were frequent signs in the terminal stage of the disease. All affected cattle were slaughtered or had to be euthanized. Due to case history, clinical symptoms and absence of significant pathological lesions the tentative diagnosis botulism was made. The toxicological examination by means of gaschro-matographic methods confirmed the diagnosis by demonstrating the presence of Clostridium botulinum toxin type C2. As a possible source of infection the feeding of kitchen refuse originating from gastronomy is discussed.

Since 1993 a campaign to eradicate Brucella ovis from sheep in Tyrol, using a combination of serological test and culling, is underway. During the pilot survey from 1990 until 1992 out of 812 tested rams, 85 (10%) seroreactors were identified by ELISA. In the year 1995 2263 rams were tested by ELISA, 80 (3.5%) seroreactors could be identified. As the topographical distribution shows the disease is still concentrated in defined areas. The paper discusses the values of the serological tests and reports about the experience in eradication.

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 were cultured from 8 of 500 (1.6 %) examined faecal samples from carves of Tyrol (Austria). Seven of 181 (3.8 %) examined dairy herds located in different districts of Tyrol were found positive for EHEC O157:H7. The eight bovine O157:H7 isolates were cytotoxic for Vero cells and produced verotoxin 2. All 8 strains carried EHEC O157:H7 specific, phenotypical traits like production of enterohemolysin and absence of sorbitol-fermentation and beta-glucuronidase-activity. Epidemiological relationships between the isolates were investigated by comparing restriction fragment length polymorphisms of Xbal cleaved total DNA by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. By this, most isolates were found epidemiologically closely related and in 2 cases the same clonal type was found in different animals.

Since 1993 a campaign to eradicate Brucella ovis from sheep in Tyrol, using a combination of serological test and culling, is underway. During the pilot survey from 1990 until 1992 out of 812 tested rams, 85 (10%) seroreactors were identified by ELISA. In the year 1995 2263 rams were tested by ELISA, 80 (3.5%) seroreactors could be identified. As the topographical distribution shows the disease is still concentrated in defined areas. The paper discusses the values of the serological tests and reports about the experience in eradication.

The serological examination of 4.788 cattle sera by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii in Vorarlberg region revealed in 347 (7.2 %) a positive reaction. The sera orginated from total 3.329 herds. In 347 (10.4 %) herds seropositive cattle were identified. Out of 511 cattle sera originating from the area served by the institute and which were collected from cows showing abortions, in 6 sera (1.2 %) antibodies against Coxiella burnetii were detected. The results indicate a low rate of infection.

A foreign body in the respiratory system of a 2 year old Bullmastiff bitch is described. The animal did not survive the disease. A spruce twig, 4.5 cm long, was located in the segmental bronchi.

Serum samples of 812 rams were tested by means of the ELISA for Brucella ovis antibodies. Serological findings revealed a seroprevalence of approximately 10 %. Breeds represented were predominantly the "Tiroler Bergschaf" and the "Steinschaf". Out of a selected group of 6 farms, B. ovis was isolated in 9 breeding rams. Clinical and pathohistological features are described.