@article{M2022,

title = {Recommendations to Improve Tick-Borne Encephalitis Surveillance and Vaccine Uptake in Europe},

author = {Kunze M and Banović P and Bogovič P and Briciu V and Čivljak R and Dobler G and Hristea A and Kerlik J and Kuivanen S and Kynčl, J and Lebech A-M and Lindquist L and Paradowska-Stankiewicz I and Roglić S and Smíšková D and Strle F and Vapalahti O and Vranješ N and Vynograd N and Zajkowska JM and Pilz A and Palmborg A and Erber, W},

editor = {Pat Nuttall},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10071283},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-06-27},

journal = {Microorganisms},

volume = {10},

number = {7},

abstract = {There has been an increase in reported TBE cases in Europe since 2015, reaching a peak in some countries in 2020, highlighting the need for better management of TBE risk in Europe. TBE surveillance is currently limited, in part, due to varying diagnostic guidelines, access to testing, and awareness of TBE. Consequently, TBE prevalence is underestimated and vaccination recommendations inadequate. TBE vaccine uptake is unsatisfactory in many TBE-endemic European countries. This review summarizes the findings of a scientific workshop of experts to improve TBE surveillance and vaccine uptake in Europe. Strategies to improve TBE surveillance and vaccine uptake should focus on: aligning diagnostic criteria and testing across Europe; expanding current vaccine recommendations and reducing their complexity; and increasing public education of the potential risks posed by TBEV infection.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Banović2022b,

title = {Unexpected TBEV Seropositivity in Serbian Patients Who Recovered from Viral Meningitis and Encephalitis},

author = {Pavle Banović and Adrian Alberto Díaz-Sánchez and Selena Đurić and Siniša Sević and Vesna Turkulov and Dajana Lendak and Sandra Stefan Mikić and Verica Simin and Dragana Mijatović and Ivana Bogdan and Aleksandar Potkonjak and Sara Savić and Dasiel Obregón and Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz},

editor = {Libor Grubhoffer},

doi = {10.3390/pathogens11030371},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-03-17},

journal = {Pathogens},

abstract = {The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) causes a life-threatening disease named Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). The clinical symptoms associated with TBE range from non-specific to severe inflammation of the central nervous system and are very similar to the clinical presentation of other viral meningitis/encephalitis. In consequence, TBE is often misclassified by clinical physicians , mainly in the non-identified high-risk areas where none or only a few TBE cases have been reported. Considering this situation, we hypothesized that among persons from northern Serbia who recovered from viral meningitis or encephalitis, there would be evidence of TBEV infection. To test this hypothesis, in this observational study, we evaluated the seroreactivity against TBEV anti-gens in patients from northern Serbia who were hospitalized due to viral meningitis and/or viral encephalitis of unknown etiology. Three cases of seroreactivity to TBEV antigens were discovered among convalescent patients who recovered from viral meningitis and/or encephalitis and accepted to participate in the study (n = 15). The clinical and laboratory findings of these patients overlap with that of seronegative convalescent patients. Although TBE has been a notifiable disease in Serbia since 2004, there is no active TBE surveillance program for the serologic or molecular screening of TBEV infection in humans in the country. This study highlights the necessity to increase the awareness of TBE among physicians and perform active and systematic screening of TBEV antibodies among patients with viral meningitis and/or encephalitis.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Banović2022,

title = {Clinical Aspects and Detection of Emerging Rickettsial Pathogens: A “One Health” Approach Study in Serbia, 2020},

author = {Pavle Banović and Adrian Alberto Díaz-Sánchez and Verica Simin and Angelique Foucault-Simonin and Clemence Galon and Alejandra Wu Chuang and Dragana Mijatović and Dasiel Obregon and Sara Moutailler and Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz},

editor = {Antonio Battisti

},

url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.797399/full},

doi = {doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.797399},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-26},

journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology},

abstract = {Ticks carry numerous pathogens that, if transmitted, can cause disease in susceptible humans and animals. The present study describes our approach on how to investigate clinical presentations following tick bites in humans. To this aim, the occurrence of major tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in human blood samples (n = 85) and the ticks collected (n = 93) from the same individuals were tested using an unbiased high-throughput pathogen detection microfluidic system. The clinical symptoms were characterized in enrolled patients. In patients with suspected TBP infection, serological assays were conducted to test for the presence of antibodies against specific TBPs. A field study based on One Health tenets was further designed to identify components of a potential chain of infection resulting in Rickettsia felis infection in one of the patients. Ticks species infesting humans were identified as Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.), Dermacentor reticulatus, and Haemaphysalis punctata. Five patients developed local skin lesions at the site of the tick bite including erythema migrans, local non-specific reactions, and cutaneous hypersensitivity reaction. Although Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Babesia microti, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Candidatus Cryptoplasma sp. DNAs were detected in tick samples, different Rickettsia species were the most common TBPs identified in the ticks. The presence of TBPs such as Rickettsia helvetica, Rickettsia monacensis, Borrelia lusitaniae, Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii, A. phagocytophilum, and B. microti in ticks was further confirmed by DNA sequencing. Two of the patients with local skin lesions had IgG reactive against spotted fever group rickettsiae, while IgM specific to B. afzelii, Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia spielmanii were detected in the patient with erythema migrans. Although R. felis infection was detected in one human blood sample, none of the components of the potential chain of infection considered in this study tested positive to this pathogen either using direct pathogen detection in domestic dogs or xenodiagnosis in ticks collected from domestic cats. The combination of high-throughput screening of TBPs and One Health approaches might help characterize chains of infection leading to human infection by TBPs, as well as prevalence of emerging rickettsial pathogens in the Balkan region.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Grujić2021,

title = {Demographic and Clinical Factors Associated with Reactivity of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Serbian Convalescent Plasma Donors},

author = {Jasmina Grujić and Nevenka Bujandrić and Zorana Budakov-Obradović and Vladimir Dolinaj and Nebojša Savić and Damir Bogdan and Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz and Dragana Mijatović and Verica Simin and Nikola Anđelić and Pavle Banović},

editor = {Robert Cole-bunders and Jacob Souopgui},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/1/42},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010042},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-12-21},

journal = {International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health},

abstract = {Passive immunotherapy with convalescent COVID-19 plasma (CCP) is used as a therapeutic procedure in many countries, including Serbia. In this study, we analyzed the association between demographic factors, COVID-19 severity and the reactivity of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (Abs) in Serbian CCP donors. Individuals (n = 468) recovered from confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, and who were willing to donate their plasma for passive immunization of COVID-19 patients were enrolled in the study. Plasma samples were tested for the presence of IgG reactive to SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (S1) and nucleocapsid antigens. Individuals were characterized according to age, gender, comorbidities, COVID-19 severity, ABO blood type and RhD factor. Total of 420 candidates (420/468; 89.74%) reached the levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG that qualified them for inclusion in CCP donation program. Further statistical analysis showed that male individuals (p = 0.034), older age groups (p < 0.001), existence of hypertension (p = 0.008), and severe COVID-19 (p = 0.000) are linked with higher levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Abs. These findings will guide the selection of CCP donors in Serbia. Further studies need to be conducted to assess the neutralization potency and clinical efficiency of CCP collected from Serbian donors with high anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG reactivity.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Charles2021,

title = {Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Central America and the Caribbean: A One Health Perspective},

author = {Roxanne A. Charles and Sergio Bermúdez and Pavle Banović and Dasiel Obregon and Adrian Alberto Díaz-Sánchez and Belkis Corona-González and Eric Marcel Charles Etter and Islay Rodríguez González and Abdul Gaffar and Abdul Jabbar and Sara Moutailler and Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz},

editor = {Mária Kazimírová},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/10/1273},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10101273},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-09-27},

journal = {Pathogens},

volume = {10},

number = {10},

abstract = {Ticks have complex life cycles which involve blood-feeding stages found on wild and

domestic animals, with humans as accidental hosts. At each blood-feeding stage, ticks can transmit

and/or acquire pathogens from their hosts. Therefore, the circulation of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs),

especially the zoonotic ones, should be studied in a multi-layered manner, including all components

of the chain of infections, following the ‘One Health’ tenets. The implementation of such an approach

requires coordination among major stakeholders (such as veterinarians, physicians, acarologists,

and researchers) for the identification of exposure and infection risks and application of effective

prevention measures. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on the epidemiology of

tick-borne diseases in Central America and the Caribbean and the challenges associated with the

implementation of ‘One Health’ surveillance and control programs in the region.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Milan2021,

title = {Intestinal helminth infections in the golden jackal (Canis aureus L.) from Vojvodina: Hotspot area of multilocular echinococcosis in Serbia},

author = {Miljevic Milan and Simin Verica and Blagojevic Jelena and Cabrilo Borislav and Bjelic-Cabrilo Olivera},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1556/004.2021.00030},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-09-06},

urldate = {2021-09-06},

journal = {Acta Veterinaria Hungarica},

volume = {69},

number = {3},

abstract = {In the present study, 64 golden jackals were examined for intestinal helminths in three regions of Vojvodina, Serbia. Among the examined jackals 57.8% were infected with at least one parasite species. Using the intestinal scraping technique (SCT), eight species of intestinal helminths were found: Alaria alata (7.8%), Toxascaris leonina (9.4%), Toxocara canis (4.7%), Uncinaria stenocephala (20.3%), Echinococcus multilocularis (14.1%), Mesocestoides sp. (42.2%), Taenia pisiformis, and Taenia hydatigena (the overall prevalence of Taenia infection was 6.3%). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of T. leonina in jackals from Serbia. In comparison with the SCT results, coprological tests were less sensitive and specific for parasite identification, as only two nematode species (T. leonina and T. canis) as well as ancylostomatid and taeniid eggs were identified. The total prevalence of intestinal helminths was higher in males (71.9% males, 45% females), but the difference was not statistically significant (χ 2 = 3.76; P = 0.052). Co-infection with two species of intestinal helminths was found in 35% of the examined golden jackal individuals, three-species co-infection was demonstrated in 21.6%, whereas four-species co-infection was detected in 2.7% of the golden jackals examined. Echinococcus multilocularis has previously been recorded in jackals and foxes in Serbia, but only in Vojvodina. Our results corroborate the findings of previous studies, and indicate that the Vojvodina Province, more specifically the Srem region, is probably a high-risk area for E. multilocularis transmission to humans.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}