Ticks and tick-borne pathogens in South Bohemia (Czech Republic)--Spatial variability in Ixodes ricinus abundance, Borrelia burgdorferi and tick-borne encephalitis virus prevalence.

Spatial distribution of Ixodes ricinus tick host-seeking activity, as well as prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) were studied in the TBE endemic area of South Bohemia (Czech Republic). High variability in tick abundance detected in a network of 30 study sites was most closely associated with characteristics of vegetation cover. Of 11,182 tested tick samples, 12% carried DNA of spirochete from B. burgdorferi s.l. complex. B. afzelii and B. garinii prevailed among spirochete species. The presence of B. spielmanii in the region was confirmed. The median number of borrelial genome copies in positive samples reached 6.6 × 10(3) by real-time PCR. The total prevalence of TBEV in pooled samples reached 0.32% (20,057 samples tested), at least one TBEV positive tick was present in 21 out of 30 sampling sites.

[Economic evaluation of the method of gradual formation of groups of dairy cows from primiparae free of infectious mastitis]. / Ekonomické zhodnocení metody postupné tvorby skupin dojnic bez infekce mlécné zlázy z primipar.

Employing the turnover of a dairy-cow herd with primiparas to control infectious mastitis is beneficial because young dairy cows, as a rule free of inflammations of the mammary gland, are not included among dairy cows already infected or suspected of being infected and so it is possible to form groups of dairy cows free of mastitis. For this intention an agricultural enterprise was chosen in potato production region I. In the given period 316 to 336 dairy cows of Bohemian Spotted breed were followed. To express the impact of the infection on the milk efficiency and to draw economic conclusions on the efficiency of treating infectious mastitis we observed the total milk yield of the different dairy cows in one lactation. In the given enterprise unsuccessful treatment of an infected dairy cow in three lactations resulted in a total loss of 4,648 Kcs. Therefore from the economic aspect it appears to be profitable to replace productive, but ill, older dairy cows by healthy first-calvers because the negative effect of the mastitis on the production of milk increases with every successive lactation.