TY  - JOUR
AU  - Aleksić-Kovačević, Sanja
AU  - Vučićević, Miloš
AU  - Özvegy, József
AU  - Jelisić, Stefan
AU  - Djurdjević, Biljana
AU  - Prodanov-Radulović, Jasna
AU  - Došenović, Milan
AU  - Marinković, Darko
PY  - 2023
UR  - https://vet-erinar.vet.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3156
AB  - The eight-year study (2015–2023) was performed on a large sample of poached European
pond turtles infected with Haemogregarina stepanowi and held in a pond that belongs to a quarantine
section of Belgrade Zoo. The protected species of European pond turtles have been found in poor
health, with general weakness, anorexia, and low motility. Comprehensive cytological, hematological,
molecular, and postmortem evaluations have been performed. Initially, Diff Quick staining of the
blood smears revealed rounded or elongated erythrocytes, often bearing premeront or U-shaped
gamont of the hemogregarines inside. The reduced erythrocyte numbers, hemoglobin, and hematocrit
values found in the examined population of infected turtles indicated anemia. Macroscopically, shell
necrosis and massive skin hemorrhages were the most prominent findings observed in diseased
turtles. Microscopically, the lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen revealed hyperemia, hemorrhages,
and the presence of parasitic stages in tissue samples in 31 of 40 necropsied turtles. Cytological
and microscopic examination of the samples proved to be sufficient for establishing the infection,
but molecular analyses of the 18S sequence were used for phylogenetic studies. Over the years, the
number of diseased and dead turtles has decreased, which could be hypothetically attributed to the
elimination of leeches as the definitive host.
PB  - MDPI
T2  - Animals
T1  - Eight-Year Study of Haemogregarina stepanowi Infection in Poached European Pond Turtles (Emys orbicularis) Held in Belgrade Zoo Quarantine
VL  - 13
IS  - 15
SP  - 2429
DO  - 10.3390/ani13152429
ER  - 

@article{
author = "Aleksić-Kovačević, Sanja and Vučićević, Miloš and Özvegy, József and Jelisić, Stefan and Djurdjević, Biljana and Prodanov-Radulović, Jasna and Došenović, Milan and Marinković, Darko",
year = "2023",
abstract = "The eight-year study (2015–2023) was performed on a large sample of poached European
pond turtles infected with Haemogregarina stepanowi and held in a pond that belongs to a quarantine
section of Belgrade Zoo. The protected species of European pond turtles have been found in poor
health, with general weakness, anorexia, and low motility. Comprehensive cytological, hematological,
molecular, and postmortem evaluations have been performed. Initially, Diff Quick staining of the
blood smears revealed rounded or elongated erythrocytes, often bearing premeront or U-shaped
gamont of the hemogregarines inside. The reduced erythrocyte numbers, hemoglobin, and hematocrit
values found in the examined population of infected turtles indicated anemia. Macroscopically, shell
necrosis and massive skin hemorrhages were the most prominent findings observed in diseased
turtles. Microscopically, the lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen revealed hyperemia, hemorrhages,
and the presence of parasitic stages in tissue samples in 31 of 40 necropsied turtles. Cytological
and microscopic examination of the samples proved to be sufficient for establishing the infection,
but molecular analyses of the 18S sequence were used for phylogenetic studies. Over the years, the
number of diseased and dead turtles has decreased, which could be hypothetically attributed to the
elimination of leeches as the definitive host.",
publisher = "MDPI",
journal = "Animals",
title = "Eight-Year Study of Haemogregarina stepanowi Infection in Poached European Pond Turtles (Emys orbicularis) Held in Belgrade Zoo Quarantine",
volume = "13",
number = "15",
pages = "2429",
doi = "10.3390/ani13152429"
}

Aleksić-Kovačević, S., Vučićević, M., Özvegy, J., Jelisić, S., Djurdjević, B., Prodanov-Radulović, J., Došenović, M.,& Marinković, D.. (2023). Eight-Year Study of Haemogregarina stepanowi Infection in Poached European Pond Turtles (Emys orbicularis) Held in Belgrade Zoo Quarantine. in Animals
MDPI., 13(15), 2429.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152429

Aleksić-Kovačević S, Vučićević M, Özvegy J, Jelisić S, Djurdjević B, Prodanov-Radulović J, Došenović M, Marinković D. Eight-Year Study of Haemogregarina stepanowi Infection in Poached European Pond Turtles (Emys orbicularis) Held in Belgrade Zoo Quarantine. in Animals. 2023;13(15):2429.
doi:10.3390/ani13152429 .

Aleksić-Kovačević, Sanja, Vučićević, Miloš, Özvegy, József, Jelisić, Stefan, Djurdjević, Biljana, Prodanov-Radulović, Jasna, Došenović, Milan, Marinković, Darko, "Eight-Year Study of Haemogregarina stepanowi Infection in Poached European Pond Turtles (Emys orbicularis) Held in Belgrade Zoo Quarantine" in Animals, 13, no. 15 (2023):2429,
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152429 . .