EN
The aim of the study was to determine the kind of bacteria isolated from the internal organs of sucking polar and silver fox babies. The studies included 19 fox farms in which a high death rate of new-born foxes (40-100%) was found within the first four days after birth. Apart from necropsy, bacteriological examinations were performed using the internal organs of stillborn foxes. From 2 to 9 litters per farm were examined. No bacteria were found in the internal organs of dead litters coming from six farms. E. coli was isolated from the samples of four farms, from 3 farms – Staph. aureus, from one - Str. pyogenes and from one - Str. viridans. Abundant growth of the pure culture of the above bacteria was found in each organ of all sucking babies under study. In an other four farms a mixed microflora was stated, i.e. Staphyloccocus spp, Enterococcus spp, Klebsiella spp. At necropsy, hyperaenemia and inflammatory lesions in the lungs and frequent cases (6 farms) of hair decolorisation of the new-born babies were observed. A large amount of a bloody liquid in body cavities was present in the case of E. coli infections and subcapsular haemorrhages in the kidney in Staph. aureus infections. In five more farms leptospirosis and brucellosis were excluded on the basis of serological examinations.