title: First recorded case of paramyxovirus infection introduced into a healthy snake collection in Croatia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the present study, we describe the first paramyxovirus infection in a snake collection in Croatia caused by an introduction of new snakes that were not previously tested and didn't show any signs of disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  In less than a month after introduction into a healthy colony, new snakes began to show respiratory symptoms (i.e. mouth opening, wheezing, etc.) and died within a month and a half after antibiotic therapy was applied. The same symptoms and a high mortality rate were then observed in in-contact snakes from other collections belonging to different snake families.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two entries of new snakes in different time periods were recorded and recognized as possible sources of infection. We stress the need for veterinary health control and monitoring of snakes prior to transportation as well as implementing obligatory quarantine measures to minimize the risk of infection among newly established snake groups.
authors.affiliation: Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska cesta 143, 10 000, Zagreb, Croatia. balatinec@veinst.hr.
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prpic
authors.affiliation: Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska cesta 143, 10 000, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Tomislav
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Keros
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Rockefellerova 10, 10 000, Zagreb, Croatia.|Center of Excellence for Viral Immunology and Vaccines, CERVirVac, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Maja Lang
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Balija
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Rockefellerova 10, 10 000, Zagreb, Croatia.|Center of Excellence for Viral Immunology and Vaccines, CERVirVac, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Dubravko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Forcic
authors.affiliation: Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska cesta 143, 10 000, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jemersic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010252:Paramyxoviridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000662:veterinary; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012911:Snakes / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; C080260:marbofloxacin
keywords: Croatia; Infection; Nested RT-PCR; Paramyxovirus; Phylogenetic characterization; Snake