Veterinaria italiana最新文献

During epidemics, pandemics, or animal disease outbreaks, the large-scale disposal of carcasses presents greater environmental and biosecurity challenges. In Europe, disposal through a rendering plant is the preferred option, but the on-site carcasses burial may be authorised due to logistical and economic advantages. This study utilised a comprehensive GIS-based approach and focuses on the challenges and strategies for large-scale carcass disposal, particularly in the context of avian influenza outbreaks in the Lazio Region of Italy. Integrating data from official geospatial sources regarding presence of environmental restrictions and regulations, factors affecting susceptibility to groundwater contamination, factors affecting soil stability over time, potential burial sites were identified. The resulting map provides decision-makers with valuable information for prompt and efficient response during disease outbreaks. The study underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary approach involving veterinarians, epidemiologists, GIS experts, and geologists. Further research and international consensus are essential to standardize the selection of geographic variables/layers to use in similar projects. This study significantly contributes to the preparedness of environment, health and animal/human interface events.

Documented freedom from disease is paramount for international free trade of animals and animal products. This study describes a scenario tree analysis to estimate the probability of freedom from Enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) in Italy and Slovenia using information gathered via the data collection tool developed in the COST action project SOUND-control. Data on EBL control programmes (CPs) from 2018 to 2021 were used to build the models. Since animals are only sampled on the farm, one surveillance system component (SSC) was considered. The posterior probability of freedom (PostPfree) was estimated in time steps of one year, from 2018 to 2021.  After each year, the calculated from the previous year, combined with the probability of introduction, was used as a prior probability for the next year.  The herd level design prevalence was set to 0.2% in accordance with the Council Directive 64/432/EEC and the within herd design prevalence was set to 15%.  As Slovenia implemented a risk-based surveillance, targeting the herds importing cattle, in its model the design herd prevalence was combined with an average adjusted risk to calculate the effective probability of a herd importing cattle being infected.  The models were run for 10,000 iterations.  Over the study period the mean estimates were: i) for Italy both the surveillance system sensitivity ( SSe) and PostPFree 100%, with no differences between simulations and years, ii) for Slovenia the SSe was 50.5% while the PostPFree was 81.6%.

Disease maps are integral to spatial epidemiology and public health. The map appearance and analysis of corresponding data may both depend on a map projection used to transform the 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional surface. Map projections necessarily introduce bias - an issue that has not received full attention in the literature. This study aims to demonstrate the impact map projections can have on spatial analysis and disease maps for public health. Case studies applied varying map projections, including the Lambert, Mercator and Robinson projections, to Israel, North Carolina and Southern Ontario as study areas. The effect of projections on various measures, estimates, tests and models was assessed. When the map projection was changed: (i) a distance in Israel increased by 30%; (ii) for Southern Ontario an areal size increased by almost 95%; Moran's I test switched from significant to not; and (iii) a single disease cluster in North Carolina converted into three distinct clusters. Visual bias in disease mapping is unavoidable and should be recognized. Disease maps and spatial analytical inferences, including disease clusters should be reported with their geographic projection. Using geographic coordinates can prevent analytical bias.

One health is based on an interdisciplinary collaboration across professions using a common language. Geographic epidemiology is the study of spatial patterns of population health in a study area. Such spatial patterns (trend, cluster and clustering) require clear definition to be meaningful in science communication. However, the term "disease cluster" has been defined in the literature in various and rather different ways. When geographic epidemiology is unable to make sense of its own concepts it is questionable how respective research results can benefit one health. The goal of this study was to clarify the disease cluster concept. Examples of disease cluster definitions from the literature were used for illustration. The epidemiological triangle of causation (agent, host and environment) was used to conceptualize geographic epidemiological data analysis. The term disease cluster was distinguished from related concepts (clustering, high-risk area, hot spot and outbreak) additionally the semantics and statistical meaning of expectation and prediction were reviewed to further identify the cluster concept as a statistical outlier. The new paradigm of the geographic epidemiological trillium is proposed here and embedded within the spatial generalized linear mixed model to clarify concepts of spatial patterns and guide epidemiological research and teaching.

Caprine brucellosis due to Brucella melitensis is an important zoonotic disease. The present study was carried out to address the lack of a comprehensive study on the status of caprine brucellosis in Puducherry, India using serological and molecular tests in goats and to assess the seroprevalence in human risk groups of the aforementioned region to ascertain the public health significance of the disease. Seroprevalence in 120 goats was found to be zero, 3.33% and 18.33% by Rose Bengal agglutination Test (RBT), Standard Tube Agglutination Test (STAT) and Immunoglobulin G Indirect Enzyme Linked Immune Sorbant Assay (IgG iELISA) respectively. Of the 120 goat genital swabs screened, while conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detected genus specific 16S rRNA and Brucella melitensis specific omp2 genes in 17.50% and 5.00% of samples respectively, the OMP31TaqMan® real time PCR with a positive detection of 40.00% was both the most sensitive and specific for detection of Brucella melitensis. The study provides insight into the optimization of diagnostic tests following cluster wise sampling for brucellosis in goats. The strain of Brucella melitensis in Puducherry was found to be Biovar 3 based upon suggestive results of Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) of omp2 gene product. Seroprevalence by IgG iELISA was 33.33 % in 30 samples from human subjects. Serological evidence of caprine brucellosis in goats and human subjects and molecular detection of Brucella melitensis in Puducherry, India warrants regular screening, surveillance and reporting of disease in goats and human risk groups.

Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by facultative intracellular Gram-negative bacteria, of great importance in animal and human health. An ideal vaccine against brucellosis should induce protection, not cause disease in animals or humans, and not interfere with serological diagnosis. Vaccine adjuvants can improve the immune response, leading to a more intense and prolonged protection, improving its effectiveness. The Brucella ovis ΔabcBA strain encapsulated in alginate provides an experimental vaccine formulation that protects against Brucella spp. infection. However, the investigation of other polymers such as adjuvants is important for optimizing the efficiency of the candidate vaccine B. ovis ∆abcBA. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the vaccine potential of the B. ovis ∆abcBA associated with different polymeric adjuvants in mice challenged with B. ovis. We observed that B. ovis ∆abcBA encapsulated by alginate with chitosan, but not copolymer Poloxamer 407, resulted in the lowest bacterial recovery in both the spleen and liver of challenged animals compared to non-vaccinated mice. While copolymer Poloxamer 407 did not induce significant humoral immune response, the alginate and chitosan vaccine formulation induced higher levels of Immunoglobulin G, with an increase in the IgG2b subclass, indicating a Th1 type of response, which is known to play a critical role in controlling infections by intracellular agents.

A single dose of 1-2 x 109 CFU of the Brucella melitensis Rev.1 vaccine strain was administered subcutaneously or conjunctivally to two groups of ten sexually immature scimitar-horned oryx (SHO). A third group of ten served as unvaccinated controls. These groups were housed together and bred, producing offspring. No clinical signs appeared during the week following administration. The rose Bengal test (RBT), a lateral flow assay (LFA), and the brucellin skin test (BST) were conducted before and during the experiment to assess humoral and cellular immune responses. These responses were rapid and strong. The cellular response was durable and similar in both groups, with 80% of vaccinated SHO still positive 184 weeks post-vaccination (PV). The conjunctival route resulted in a shorter serological response, with all animals RBT seronegative at 12 weeks PV, compared to 57% still positive at 74 weeks PV with the subcutaneous route. LFA positivity remained high in both groups until 30 weeks PV, then decreased faster in the conjunctival group. All SHO returned to LFA negativity by 74 weeks PV. No reactions to RBT and BST were observed in the control group or offspring. These findings offer a strategic approach for managing brucellosis outbreaks in captive SHO.

Brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonotic disease that affects both humans and wildlife. It is one of the most commonly neglected diseases worldwide and can infect a wide range of domestic animals, including ruminants such as camels, as well as various wild species. This disease poses significant socioeconomic concerns. This study investigates the distribution of brucellosis in camels in Sudan's Kordofan States and compares several diagnostic tests, including a modified Rose Bengal Plate Test (mRBPT), Buffered Plate Agglutination Test (BPAT), Serum Agglutination Test (SAT), and a competitive Enzyme- Linkimmunosorbent Assay. A total of 388 apparently healthy camels were sampled to determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis. Forty-three (11.08%), 41 (10.56%) and 30 (7.73%) were found positive by (mRBPT), (BPAT) and (SAT) respectively. All serum samples were subsequently retested using (cELISA) as confirmatory test, which confirmed that 32 samples (8.24%) were positive. When comparing the screening tests to the confirmatory test, Cohen's kappa coefficients indicated poor agreement with cELISA: 16% for mRBPT, 32% for BPAT, and 31% for SAT. A kappa value of 40 or less is considered poor. This study highlights brucellosis prevalence in camels in Sudan's Western States and suggests targeted control measures. The data indicate that the mRBPT test is a more sensitive, cost-effective, and practical screening method compared to other agglutination tests.

Pure, potent and efficacious vaccines could help in the control of Newcastle disease (ND). The present study was designed to evaluate the thermo-stability of a live-attenuated ND virus vaccine containing the Mukteswar strain and to genetically characterize the seed virus. Moreover, the presence of extraneous agents (Fowl adenovirus, Mycoplasma, Salmonella Pullorum, and Salmonella Gallinarum) was assessed using polymerase chain reactions (PCR) optimized for detection in a panel. The vaccine was evaluated for its potency and efficacy after storage at 4°C, 25°C and 37°C for 36, 48, 96 and 144 hours. A total of 100 commercial broiler chickens were randomly divided into six groups and immunized with the vaccine stored at specified temperatures for the given times. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 post-vaccination, sera were separated and antibody titers were assessed using hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay. The data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Reverse-transcription  PCR targeting the F gene of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and subsequent sequence analysis confirmed the presence of NDV in the vaccine seed (deposited to GenBank Acc. Nos. MK310260 and MK310261). Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close resemblance of the vaccine virus with other Avian Avulaviruses (NDV class II Genotype III viruses and more specifically with NDV Mukteswar vaccine strains), yet it was distinct from NDV class II Pakistani field isolates, which grouped into genotype XIII.2.1. The PCR testing confirmed that the vaccine was free from extraneous agents. The present study's findings propose an alternative rapid PCR-based method to evaluate the purity of NDV live vaccines. Together these data suggest that the tested vaccine is pure, potent and efficacious, yet continuous maintenance of the cold chain for vaccine storage is recommended to maintain its potency and efficacy.

Brucella suis biovar 1 has the broadest animal host spectrum. Affects domestic animals and wildlife species. The aim of our study was to investigate the pathogenesis of B. suis biovar 1 infection in the armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) under experimental conditions. One gravid female and three adult males were inoculated with a suspension containing 1×106 CFU/mL (colony-forming units) of B. suis biovar 1 by oral route. In addition, the gravid female and one male received the same suspension by the conjunctival route. A young male and two females not inoculated were kept in contact with the animals inoculated. The animals that tested seropositive were euthanized. All inoculated armadillos showed positive antibody titres 2 weeks post-inoculation. Of the three uninoculated animals, one female was seropositive for Brucella infection.  Brucella was isolated from the spleen, liver, mesenteric lymph nodes, uterus, testes, and urine. Characteristic histologic lesions were found in the epididymis. These results suggest that armadillos can act as a reservoir for the spread of B. suis infection, and the persistence of Brucella in armadillo tissues constitutes a risk for humans, because of the cultural practice of armadillo meat consumption in rural communities.