Veterinaria italiana最新文献

Ixodes ricinus is a hard tick that can infest a large array of hosts. It is mostly abundant in the cool, humid deciduous and coniferous woods and forests of Europe. All I. ricinus life stages are potential vectors of many diseases, most notably Lyme disease, which affects millions of people yearly. Lebanon, an Asian Mediterranean country with mild cool winters and hot dry summers, lacks many reports concerning ticks. A study on tick abundance and identification on dogs presented to veterinary facilities, over the course of the years 2020 and 2021 was done. Several species of ticks were identified, with the least abundant being I. ricinus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the tick species in the country. More studies on the distribution and abundance of I. ricinus in Lebanon should be made in order to properly estimate the pathogens it carries, and consequently implement the appropriate prophylactic measures concerning public health.

The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a phage cocktail to reduce Salmonella Enteritidis contamination on perishable food items viz. chicken breast meat and shell eggs using different concentrations. Initially, four bacteriophages €P54, €P59, €P66, and €P72 were isolated from sewage water using Salmonella Enteritidis as a target strain. €P54 and €P66 were found to be Myoviruses while €P59 and €P72 belonged to the Siphoviridae family. A phage cocktail was applied at a concentration of 100 and 10,000 multiplicity of infection (MOI) after artificially contaminating both food items with Salmonella Enteritidis. Results showed that, phage cocktail significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced Salmonella Enteritidis count at both concentrations. However, the increased reduction was witnessed at 10,000 MOI. In comparison to untreated control, on chicken breast meat bacterial count was reduced to 1.94 and 3.17 Log10 cfu/g at 100 and 10,000 MOI respectively at 4oC. Similarly, on shell eggs, the bacterial count was reduced to 3.09 and 2.81 Log10 cfu/mL at 10,000 MOI at 4°C and 25°C respectively, while at 100 MOI there was less drop in bacterial count at both 4°C and 25°C. The results showed a better reduction at 4°C as compared to 25°C. Our data showed that the phage cocktail is an effective alternative and additional measure compared to conventional bacterial control methods for meat and eggs.

Shiga toxin‑producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are considered one of the most significant E. coli pathotypes transmitted by food, causing life‑threatening conditions in children and elderly people. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and determine the prevalence of STEC in dogs in Serbia by conventional PCR method, targeting three major virulence genes (stx1, stx2, and eae). The overall percentage of positive samples was 12.87% (13/101), with the stx2 gene, the more potent of the two toxins, found in all the positive samples. The finding of eae gene in combination with stx genes (8/13) within the same genetic pool implies the potential presence of enterohemorrhagic E. coli or the potential emergence of these strains, considering an efficient mechanism of horizontal transfer of three major virulence genes. Our results also highlight dogs' lifestyle as a risk factor for STEC colonisation. These E. coli strains, according to our results, are more likely to be found in dogs living outdoors than those kept in house. Due to significant prevalence of STEC in dogs determined in this research and due to close contact between dogs and humans, dogs could be considered a source of human infections.

Epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD) is a viral disease transmitted by Culicoides biting midges that affects wild and domestic ruminants. The causative agent, EHD virus (EHDV), belongs to the family Sedoreoviridae, genus Orbivirus. The virus has never been reported in Europe until October 2022, when the virus was for the first time detected in Sicily and Sardinia. After the first clinical cases, an intensive entomological field activity was carried out in five EHD affected farms located in Sardinia, with the aim of assessing the EHDV vector competence in European species of Culicoides. EHDV‑8 was detected in C. imicola, C. obsoletus/scoticus, C. newsteadi, C. pulicaris ss, and C. bysta. The first 4 species have also been demonstrated to be able to transmit bluetongue virus (BTV). According to these results, it is likely that EHDV‑8, sharing the same transmission patterns of BTV, can also spread to Europe.

Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) and Monocytic Ehrlichiosis (ME), which are an important zoonotic diseases of dogs, causing multiple organ dysfunction and has a poor prognosis when not interfered. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the cardiovascular injury that develops in dogs that co‑infected with VL and ME with cardiovascular biomarkers and echocardiographic parameters. The animal material of this study was consisted of 14 owned dogs in total; 7 diseased dogs which were determined to be co‑infected with VL and ME according to the results of clinical examination and rapid test kits, and 7 healthy dogs, which were determined to be healthy as a result of the same examinations. As a result of echocardiographic examinations, decreased left ventricular cytolic and diastolic diameters (LVIDs, LVIDd), fractional shortening (FS) and increased ratio of left atrium to left aortic root diameter (LA/Ao) values were determined in the Co‑infected Group compared with the Healthy Group. Also, as a result of biomarker analysis, higher cTnI) D‑dimer and NT‑proBNP levels were detected in the Co‑infected Group. In conclusion, considering studies of dogs infected with VL and/or ME alone, it was concluded that similar cardiovascular injury develops in dogs co‑infected with VL and ME.

Aedes japonicus is an invasive Asian mosquito species, and to date it is widespread in many European countries. In Italy, it was first recorded in 2015 at the Austrian border and it then spread throughout the Northeast of the country. In 2019, it was also identified in Piedmont region, near the Swiss border. In the framework of the Italian program for prevention, surveillance, and response to Arboviruses, from June to November 2021, biweekly entomological surveillance was performed in the Liguria region (Northwest Italy). The collected mosquitoes were morphologically and genetically identified and molecularly analysed for the detection of West Nile and Usutu viruses. Six female mosquitoes, trapped on the 6th of July 2021 using a gravid trap in Albenga (Savona province), were morphologically identified as Ae. japonicus and the identification was genetically confirmed. The pool tested was negative for the presence of West Nile and Usutu viruses. The detection of Ae. japonicus was performed in a coastal area characterized by the presence of many floriculture activities. Considering the distance from the established Ae. japonicus mosquito populations in Italy and other European countries, this could represent an independent introduction in this country.

The ability to maintain intra‑cellular pH is crucial for many microbes mainly the enterobacteria to survive in diverse environments, particularly those that undergo fluctuations in pH. In this context, the growth and survival of Shigella flexneri at different acid pH values were evaluated to explain the response strategies involved in the adaptation of S. flexneri CECT4804 in acid stress conditions. Furthermore, the capacity of this strain to produce slime on Congo Red Agar, biofilm formation on polystyrene plate and hydrophobicity are reported. In addition, the modification of the membrane fatty acids profiles has been studied. Moreover, an infection with the stressed strain was realized on rats in rates and examined for their toxicity in intestine tissue. The obtained results show that the strain survival is strongly influenced by acidity. Indeed, the stressed and unstressed strains became biofilm positive after acid stress. A significant increase in the hydrophobicity percentage compared to the values found under normal conditions, is also noticed. For the membrane fatty acids analysis, the acidity induces several modifications in the membrane composition. After the infection, the gravest lesion was registered in the intestine of rats administered with the bacteria stressed at the lowest pH.

Swine influenza presents a very important health and economic issue in pig productions worldwide. Viruses that cause the disease are genetically very diverse but usually belong to the H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2 subtype of influenza A viruses. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the full genome of viruses detected in swine from seven commercial farms. Through the analysis of the complete sequences of internal gene cassette together with previously characterized HA and NA genes we found three different genotypes amongst five completely sequenced viruses. Two viruses possessed a completely H1avN1 genotype (40%) and belonged to the H1avN1 lineage, which is prevalent in European swine populations. The other three viruses have arisen through the reassortment of the genes of H1avN1 and H1N1pdm09 lineages. In one sample we detected coinfection with viruses of H3N2 subtype with genes of H1avN1, H1N1pdm09 and A/swine/Gent/1/1984-like H3N2 lineages that presents a potential environment for the generation of a triple reassortant virus. The presence of the H1N1pdm09 origin M gene in this sample implies the potential risk of the introduction of these viruses into the human population. Phylogenetic analysis of internal gene cassette revealed slower evolution within genes of H1N1pdm09 lineage than those of H1avN1 lineage.

Phleboviruses are common human pathogens diffused on the Mediterranean area whose infection can cause the typical prodromal symptom of a mild three‑days fever. In particular, Toscana Virus (TOSV) has a great concern since its capacity to provoke central nervous system disorders like meningoencephalitis. Furthermore, as the phlebotomine arthropod vectors represent the main carrier for pathogens of the genus Leishmania as well, the purpose of the study was to investigate the presence of TOSV in Lampedusa, Italy previously reported for leishmaniosis infection cases. The survey was carried out through an initial sampling phase of sand flies, by means of CDC light traps, and a second step of molecular analyses. The genomic S‑segment of TOSV was targeted. The positive samples were sequenced and compared with those available in GenBank™ using Basic Local Alignments Tool (BLAST) analyses. The study revealed for the first time the presence of TOSV in Lampedusa, Italy. The entomological studies directed on vectors are currently widely used in sand fly surveillance, and new data on TOSV are of public health concern.

Wild birds have been reported to be reservoirs of viral diseases of poultry, and play an epidemiological role in their maintenance and spread. A serological survey was undertaken to determine the evidence of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) antibodies in wild birds in Zaria Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 150 apparently healthy wild birds comprising 30 each laughing dove, speckled pigeons, cattle egrets, village weavers and African silver bills were sampled. Sera collected were analysed for the presence of antibodies against NDV and avian paramyxovirus‑2 (APMV‑2) using the haemagglutination inhibition test. The results showed an overall seroprevalence of 4% (95% CI: 2.05‑10.1) to NDV. African silver bill showed a seroprevalence of 10.0% (95% CI: 2.61‑24.9) NDV antibodies while seroprevalence of 3.3% (95% CI: 0.16‑15.4) was recorded for cattle egrets, village weavers and laughing doves respectively. No statistically significant difference existed for NDV seroprevalence (P>0.05) among the different species of wild birds. All the 150 sera tested negative for APMV‑2 antibodies. The result of this study confirmed the exposure of wild birds to NDV in the study area. Continuous surveillance with isolation and characterization of NDV in the wild birds is therefore recommended for strategic planning for control.