Introduction: Exposure to zoonotic factors in veterinary practice is closely related to the nature of the work. The main aim of the study was to determine the risk of selected zoonotic infections among the occupational group of veterinarians in Poland. Material and Methods: Blood samples of 373 veterinarians (162 males and 211 females) from 12 provinces of Poland were collected by the venipuncture of a forearm for serological tests. Commercial immunoenzymatic tests (ELISA) were used for detection of specific IgG antibodies to Echinococcus granulosus, IgM and IgG to Leptospira spp., and IgM, IgA, and I and II phase IgG to Coxiella burnetii. Enzyme-linked fluorescence assays (ELFA) were used to detect IgM and IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Results: Positive results were found in 209 (56.0%) veterinarians for at least one of the examined diseases. The overall proportion of participants found to have specific Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in the IgM and/or IgG assays amounted to 44.5%. The presence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies was found in 16 (4.3%) subjects, while Leptospira spp. antibodies were detected in 63 (16.9%) veterinarians. Among the 373 veterinarians examined, no Echinococcus granulosus antibodies were found. Conclusion: Results of the study seem to indicate a slightly elevated risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection and a moderate risk of infection with Leptospira spp. and Coxiella burnetii in veterinarians.

A rare case is presented of a 58-year-old woman who developed ahepatic-bronchopleural fistula following a hydatid hepatic cyst complication. The hepatic-bronchopleural fistula was diagnosed when patient complained of severe repetitive attacks of productive cough of brown yellow to dark colour sputum biliptysis (bile in cough) with vomiting associated with night sweating and fever, for the past one month. She also complained of right side chest and abdominal pain for the past 3 years. This paper describes a unique case of hepatic-bronchopleural fistula caused by hydatid disease, emphasising the clinical feature and its surgical management. Hydatid disease is a zoonotic infection dueto the damage caused by Echinococcus granulosus. E. granulosus, also called the hydatid worm, hyper tape-worm or dog tapeworm, is a cyclophyllid cestode that parasitises the small intestine of canids as an adult, but which has important intermediate hosts such as livestock and humans, where it causes cystic echinococcosis, also known as hydatid disease. It is hoped thatthis case report will add to the meagre case management reports of hepaticbronchopleural fistula in literature.