Objectives: To measure and analyze the seroprevalence and risk factors of human brucellosis among clinically suspected patients in the Travnik area, Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period 2018-2023. Methods: A total of 337 samples of clinically suspected brucellosis patients in Travnik, Central Bosnia and Herzegovina were collected between 2018-2023. Rose Bengal agglutination was used for sera testing. Expressive and investigative statistics were considered. Differences between the prevalence of brucellosis according to age, sex, and the seasonal incidence rate were assessed. Results: The prevalence of brucellosis among the suspected patients was 23.30%. The highest prevalence rate 35.71%, was detected during year 2021. Higher rate of brucellosis was observed among males 63.86% than females 36.14%. Most cases were reported during month of June and October, 14.15% and 14.19% respectively. The highest prevalence, 56.76% rate was observed in age group 41–60 years old. Conclusion: Our survey found a high prevalence of human brucellosis among clinically suspected patients in Travnik area strongly indicating that clinical suspicion is a valid criterion, which requires fast laboratory detection and patient treatment. Detecting specific anti-Brucella antibodies using agglutination Rose Bengal test is a fast a reliable diagnostic procedure for clinically suspect individuals. There is a strong association between human brucellosis and age.

Aim To identify E. coli from chicken meat, establish their antibiotic resistance profiles and to confirm ESBL isolates with real time PCR, as well as to identify risk factors and farming practice associated with the antimicrobial resistance E. coli. Methods The study included 100 chicken skin samples collected randomly from retail supermarkets, butcheries and slaughterhouses. Disk susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer method. Detection of ESBL-producing isolates was performed with double disk synergy test. Molecular analysis of phenotypic ESBL-producing Escherichia coli strains was performed at 7500 real time PCR System. Molecular-genetic analysis included detection of CTX-M 1, 2, and 9 gene families and mutations in the TEM and SHV encoding extended spectrum β-lactamases. Results Prevalence of the phenotypic ESBL-producing E. coli isolates was 29%, and they exhibited remarkable sensitivity to carbapenems (100%) as well as to amikacin (93.10%). All ESBL-producing strains were multidrug resistant. Molecular analysis was performed as the final confirmation of the production of extended spectrum β - lactamases for 24 isolates out of 29 phenotypicaly ESBL-producing E. coli isolates. Conclusion It is important to pay attention to people's awareness of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in food chain, as well as to understand its effects on human health and the environment. Phenotypic and molecular analysis demonstrated the presence of ESBL-producing E. coli isolates from chicken skin samples.

The objective of this study was to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of nine antimicrobials (enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, gentamicin, spectinomycin, oxytetracycline, tylosin, florfenicol, and tiamulin) against 24 Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae isolates obtained from sheep and goats and to compare the resulting antimicrobial profiles. Enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin had the lowest MIC50 values (<0.03 μg/mL) and MIC90 values (0.25 μg/mL) for all tested isolates. The highest MIC50 value (2 μg/mL) was obtained for florfenicol, while oxytetracycline and tylosin exhibited the highest MIC90 values (16 μg/mL). The MIC values for all fluoroquinolones and oxytetracycline were significantly lower for sheep isolates. Sheep isolates were considerably more susceptible to norfloxacin and tylosin than were goat isolates. This study demonstrated differences in antimicrobial susceptibilities between sheep and goat isolates, revealing M. ovipneumoniae in goat isolates to be less susceptible. The results suggest a possible link between antimicrobial profiles of M. ovipneumoniae isolates and their host ruminant species.

several microorganisms of Gram-negative of the monocytogenes,

Cooking salt (NaCl) is the most important ingredient in meat products thus it affects technological and sensory properties of meat products. Lately there are aims of reducing NaCl in meat products to a level where this reduction will not significantly affect the overall quality. The aim of this research was to determine the chemical, microbiological and sensory effect depending on the amount of salt addition during the technological process of making traditional Bosnian smoked beef “Visočka pečenica”. Overall 40 samples of “Visočka pečenica” were used, divided into four groups. The first group consisted of samples with the standard amount of NaCl added (4.5%). In the second sample group, the amount of salt added was decreased to 10%, in the third to 30%, and in the fourth to 50%. Using ISO 1442, ISO 1841-1, ISO 937, ISO 1443 and ISO 917, water content/dry matter, chlorides, proteins, fat and pH value were determined. The research also involved analyzing the microbiological parameters (Salmonella spp., Enterobacteriaceae, coagulase-positive staphylococci, sulfite-reducing bacteria growing under anaerobic conditions and Listeria monocytogenes) and sensory quality of ham (external appearance, color, consistency, appearance of cross-section, smell, taste and overall mark). Following methods were used ISO 6579:2005, ISO 215282:2013, ISO 6888-1:2005, ISO 15213:2008 and ISO 11290/A1:2005 for microbiological examination, while sensory properties while were determined with sensoryorganoleptic evaluation of 18 trained assessors. Statistical testing was performed using descriptive statistical analysis at the significance level p ≤ 0.05. Using the Anova test, we found statistically significant differences for the following parameters: chlorine, water, dry matter and proteins. Microbiological analysis of the samples has shown no growth of pathogenic bacteria. Samples with standard and reduced amount of salt on 10% had the best sensory ratings. On the other hand, samples with a reduced amount of added salt to 30 and 50% had poor sensory ratings. Initial hypothesis that the reduction in the amount of NaCl added during the technological process will affect the chemical characteristics and sensory quality was confirmed.

Milk is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria and a large number of different species of fungi and other microorganisms. It represents food that easily and commonly gets contaminated with non-pathogenic and pathogenic microorganisms. The aim of this research was to determine the microbiological quality of sterilized and pasteurized milk immediately after opening the product, and to investigate the influence of temperature and storage time on the growth and development of microorganisms in the milk. Randomly taken 30 samples of commercially available milk were analyzed on presence of Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, Salmonella sp., sulphite reducing clostridia, and the total number of bacteria. The samples were microbiologically tested immediately after opening the products, afterwards then they were left at 25 C and 4 C for 72 hours. Microbial analysis was performed according to the standard ISO methods. Statistical method was performed according to Student t-test. This study concluded out that pasteurized milk is more susceptible to deterioration at room temperature then sterilized milk. Presence of all tested bacterial strains except E. coli and sulphite reducing clostridia was recorded. Comparison of the number of microorganisms grown from samples stored at different temperatures showed statistically significant differences at the level of 0.05. Temperature as an important factor for the growth and development of microorganisms affected and the microbiota, stored at temperature of 25 C. Study results indicates that there is a difference in the presence of all bacterial species in sterilized and pasteurized milk after 72 hours storage at refrigerator and room temperature.

This study provides an overview of mycoplasma species isolated from ruminants in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1995 and 2015. A total of 1442 samples from affected and asymptomatic cattle, sheep and goats were submitted for isolation of mycoplasmas. Mycoplasmas were isolated from 195 samples (13.5%). Mycoplasma bovis was the most frequently isolated species from pneumonic cattle and M. ovipneumoniae from affected small ruminants. The presence of some other important mycoplasmas, like M. conjunctivae, M. mycoides capri, M.c.capricolum and M. putrefaciens was confirmed.