Introduction
The role of zoological collections in biosurveillance has been proven in
the past (McNamara, 2007). Many different animal species usually live in
a small area and in proximity to keepers, visitors, and other wildlife.
In some situations, infectious pressure might overcome the immune
defense of zoo animals, and pathogens might spread across various animal
species. In this context, infectious diseases monitoring is an extremely
important part of preventive veterinary medicine in zoological
collections. A well-designed vaccination program and regular
coprological examinations, including flotation and sedimentation
techniques, are obligatory in order to provide good health care for
animals in the zoo. A detailed screening plan for selected pathogens
based on the current epidemiological situation is of imminent importance
for the safety of animals and employees, as well as visitors. The
possibility of discovering infectious threats such as toxoplasmosis,
neosporosis, chlamydiosis, and encephalitozoonosis makes zoos suitable
epidemiological stations. The aim of this study was to monitor selected
pathogens at the Ljubljana Zoo in Slovenia and examine its role as a
sentinel in biosurveillance.