Veterinaria Italiana (Journal)
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A comprehensive meta-analysis of Brucella infections in aquatic mammals
Get PDFThe presence of Brucella infections was documented in a large number of aquatic mammals, affecting wild animals living in oceans, seas, lakes and rivers within both northern and southern hemispheres. Through meta‑regression analysis, this study provides a comprehensive view of the prevalence of Brucella spp. in aquatic mammals, identifying risk subgroups as well as most common sampling and testing methods. Brucella ceti and Brucella pinnipedialis represent the main marine Brucella spp., with documented enzootic potential, for which information on standardized diagnostic methods for the implementation of efficient screening and monitoring programs is needed. A total of 71 articles investigating the occurrence of brucellosis in aquatic mammals since 1987, have met the inclusion criteria and have been included in this study. The prevalence of brucellosis in males (30.42%) was significantly higher than females (18.59%). The family of Delphinidae was the most studied among aquatic mammals with a total prevalence of 39.66%. Our meta‑regression analysis showed a strong and significant association between the prevalence of Brucella spp. in mammals and water temperature (C = 0.02, p value = 0.003), while no significant correlation was found with water salinity (C = ‑ 0.09; p value = 0.10). At least 130 species of aquatic mammals have been identified as potential hosts for Brucella spp. There is no systematic veterinary inspection and global or local requirements for the monitoring of brucellosis in aquatic mammals. The association of brucellosis prevalence and water temperature warrants further studies to assess the potential direct and indirect impacts of climate change on brucellosis in aquatic mammals. This study would help to determine the basis of adaptive management strategies in order to control enzootic brucellosis in wild aquatic mammals
Humoral and innate response in goats immunized with vaccine against Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
No full textThe objective of this study was to evaluate the humoral immune response and the innate response of goats immunized with attenuated vaccine against Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis prepared from the strain 1002. One hundred goats were divided into 5 groups (n=20 animals/group). Each group was vaccinated as follows: G control: saline solution; G1 - 107 CFU/mL; G2 -107 CFU/mL re-vaccinated within 21 days; G3 – 106 CFU/mL; G4 – 106 CFU/mL revaccinated within 21 days. Blood samples were collected monthly over 12 months and serology was performed through indirect ELISA. In order to verify the innate response through the dosages of acute phase proteins (ceruloplasmin and haptoglobin), samples of five animals from each group were evaluated on days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 days for the groups G1 and G3, and on days 0, 21, 28, 56 days for the groups G2 and G4. The results showed humoral response activation with the production of immunoglobulins above the cut-off point in all groups. The results showed that strain 1002 vaccine induced the antibody production by the goats’ humoral immune system and that the increase in serum concentrations of haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin may be related of the innate immune response
Potentially toxic metals in dust, blood, and hairs from exposed security dogs in an oil and gas industry
Get PDFEnvironmental pollutants pose a health risk to animals and humans. We evaluated levels of some potentially toxic metals in environmental dust, blood, and hair samples of apparently healthy security dogs from a crude oil well drilling site (A) and liquefied natural gas production site (B) industrial environments in Nigeria. These samples were routinely digested and analyzed for lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium, and zinc using atomic absorption spectrophotometry assay. Mann‑Whitney U test was used to compare concentrations of the metals in different samples. Dust samples contained a high amount of the metals considered. There was no significant difference between levels of heavy metals in blood and hair samples from dogs guarding both sites, except for blood (p = 0.034) and hair (p = 0.015) chromium which were higher in those securing site A compared with site B. Higher nickel (p = 0.001) and zinc (p = 0.001) with lower chromium (p = 0.004) levels occurred in the hair samples than in the blood. Lead was not detected in blood and hair samples suggesting safety. There was no correlation between the same metal in blood and hair. Hair chromium and nickel levels were above the reference suggesting toxic exposure. There is a need for regular monitoring and decontamination of air pollutants within similar facilities for environmental safety
TF-Test techniques for the laboratory diagnosis of gastrointestinal parasites of humans and animals
Get PDFIntestinal parasites inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals, causing damages whose severity depends on several factors related to the parasite and the host. Immunocompromised individuals are more likely to develop severe forms of parasitic infestation. The diagnosis of the gastrointestinal parasitosis is mainly performed by the examination of the feces, which consists of the direct visualization and identification of the parasites eliminated through the feces. These tests are generally low sensitive and the microscope slides contain a large number of impurities, which can impair the result of the diagnosis. In order to improve the diagnostic accuracy, a new parasitological technique called Three Fecal Test (TF‑Test) was developed. To further improve its diagnostic accuracy, few modifications of the original protocols have been made with the years. In this study the performance of these new techniques to detect gastrointestinal parasites in human and animal fecal samples was described and discussed in relation to the performance of other conventional coprological tests. It could be concluded that the TF‑Test conventional and modified can be used for the diagnosis of several human and animal parasites, with satisfactory results
Effect of changes of vaccination strategies on IBV epidemiology, diagnosis and control: an Italian retrospective study
Get PDFInfectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is among the most impactful poultry pathogens, whose control, based on biosecurity and routine vaccination, is hampered by the existence of countless genetic variants sharing poor cross‑protection. A retrospective study was conducted on IBV positive samples collected in Italian broiler farms from 2012 to 2019. In 2015, the adopted vaccination protocol shifted from a Mass and 793B‑based vaccines to the administration of Mass and QX vaccines, allowing to study how changes in vaccination strategies may affect IBV epidemiology, control and diagnosis in the field. The most frequently detected lineages were QX (70.3%), 793B (15.8%) and Mass (11.9%). The relative frequencies of QX and 793B detections remained stable throughout the study, while Mass detections significantly increased after the vaccination change. Rather than to an actual growth of Mass population size, this finding may be attributable to different vaccine interactions, with Mass strains being more frequently concealed by 793B vaccines than by QX ones. Based on the obtained results, the two vaccination protocols appear to be similarly effective in fighting IB outbreaks, which in the last decade have been caused primarily by QX field strains in Italy. These results indicate that vaccination strategies may significantly affect IBV epidemiology and diagnosis, and should therefore be considered when choosing and interpreting diagnostic assays and planning control measures
Stima del rischio di ingestione di fipronil per il consumatore italiano mediante il consumo di uova da tavole contaminate
No full textFipronil is an insecticide which is not approved for use in any food‑producing animal species in the European Union (EU). However, the inappropriate use of fipronil in mites’ disinfestation products utilized in poultry farms in the Netherlands and other EU countries in 2017, led to the detection of residues of this pesticide in eggs across Europe. In Italy, a national monitoring plan was established to verify the possible misuse of fipronil in Italian laying hens. Out of 577 sampled farms, 23 eggs resulted contaminated (4.0%; 95% CI: 2.7%‑5.9%). A higher prevalence of contamination was observed in flocks kept on cage (8.7%; 95% CI: 6.0% ‑ 12.4%) than on ground (1.6%; 95% CI: 0.7% ‑3.7%); Chi‑square = 16.1; P < 0.001). The results allowed developing a stochastic model for estimating the risk of fipronil ingestion through the consumption of contaminated table eggs for the Italian consumer. The probability that an individual ingests a dose of fipronil greater than the acute reference dose (ARfD, equal to 0.009 mg/kg body weight) was assessed as very low, ranging from values very close to 0 in people with more than 10 years of age and 0.0007 in infants less than 3 years.Il fipronil è un insetticida che non è approvato per l'uso in nessuna specie animale destinata alla produzione di alimenti nell'Unione europea (UE). Tuttavia, l'uso inappropriato del fipronil nei prodotti per la disinfestazione degli acari negli allevamenti di pollame nei Paesi Bassi e in altri Paesi dell'UE nel 2017, ha portato al rilievo di residui di tale pesticida nelle uova in tutta Europa. In Italia è stato istituito un piano nazionale di monitoraggio per verificare il possibile abuso di prodotti contenenti fipronil negli allevamenti di galline ovaiole italiane. Su 577 allevamenti campionati, 23 uova sono risultate contaminate (4,0%; IC 95%: 2,7%-5,9%). Una maggiore prevalenza di contaminazione è stata osservata nei gruppi allevati in gabbia (8,7%; 95% IC: 6,0%-12,4%) rispetto a quelli allevati a terra (1,6%; 95% IC: 0,7%-3,7%); Chi quadrato = 16,1; P <0,001). I risultati hanno permesso inoltre di sviluppare un modello stocastico per la stima del rischio di ingestione di fipronil per il consumatore italiano attraverso il consumo di uova da tavola contaminate . La probabilità che un individuo ingerisca una dose di fipronil maggiore della dose acuta di riferimento (ARfD, pari a 0,009 mg/kg di peso corporeo) è stata valutata come molto bassa, oscillando tra valori molto vicini a 0 nelle persone con più di 10 anni di età e a 0,0007 nei bambini di età inferiore a 3 anni
An improved visual closed tube Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid identification of orf virus in sheep and goats
Get PDFThe Orf virus (ORFV) is an epitheliotropic virus causing a highly contagious skin disease mainly in sheep and goats. Several diagnostics including molecular tools like Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay are available to detect ORFV in affected species. However, the carry‑over contamination associated with LAMP as open tube format prevents the assay applicability as point‑of‑care test in field diagnostic settings. In this study, the B2L gene based LAMP assay was optimized in a closed tube format using hydroxynaphthol blue (HNB) and calcein as pre‑addition dyes and it has shown a clear positive and negative signal at 60 °C using 4 and 5 mM concentrations of MgSO4 for these dyes, respectively. This optimized assay that could reveal the result within one hour is highly specific and sensitive with a limit of detection of 12.5 femtogram of viral genomic DNA or ~ 85 virus genome equivalent. This improved method can also prevent the cross‑contamination of LAMP reactions in the laboratory without compromising diagnostic sensitivity and specificity when compared to open tube system. This closed tube LAMP method has potential to act as a simple visual detection assay for the rapid and specific diagnosis of ORFV in sheep and goats
Assessment of Paratuberculosis international official reporting in Europe using the information supplied to the WOAH by National Veterinary Services
Get PDFThe present study characterizes the epidemiological situation of Paratuberculosis (PTB) in Europe during the last 24 years, using the information officially reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) by the National Veterinary Services (NVS) of the European countries. The prevalence of PTB at country level was described during the study period. A Cox proportional hazards (PH) regression analysis was implemented to evaluate the reporting behaviour. The most affected countries were found in southern and western Europe, whereas PTB presence was lower in northern and eastern Europe. PTB was routinely declared as a notifiable disease in 65% of the countries. Less than 50% of the countries routinely implemented passive surveillance, and only 19%, reported active surveillance for disease detection. Results of the Cox PH regression indicate that the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita and the application of active surveillance significantly influence the recurrence of PTB reporting. In countries with lower and upper middle income, the hazard of recurrence is 0.13 and 0.18 times lower than in countries with high income. The hazard of recurrence in countries that infrequently and moderately applied active surveillance is 1.99 and 1.65 times higher than in countries that routinely applied active surveillance. Findings of this work highlight an important variation in the reporting behaviour, disease status and surveillance across Europe
Larvae and adult flies of Rhinoestrus purpureus and R. usbekistanicus: morphology and pupation (Diptera: Oestridae)
Get PDFRhinoestrus species larvae are considered obligatory parasites of the nasal cavities of equine. This type of myiasis is characterised by sneezing, coughing, olfactory nerve damage and encephalomyelitis. Also, it has a zoonotic importance as the larvae might cause ophthalmomyiasis and conjunctivitis in human. While few studies describing R. purpureus adult fly antennal sensillae are available, the R. usbekistanicus antennal sensillae have never been described. Also, scanty data are available on the adult flies of Rhinoestrus species morphology. For this reason, the current study aimed at identiying and comparing different Rhinoestrus species (larvae, adult flies and time of pupation). Using light and scanning electron microscopy, we have evidenced differences between R. purpureus, R. usbekistanicus larvae in spination pattern, shape of spines, peritremes shape and ultrastrucures. The study also showed that for both species the pupa required 15‑21 days at room temperature to develop into adult flies, identified the adult male flies and female external genitalia have been identified. As well, the gross features of R. purpureus and R. usbekistanicus adult flies which included the disposition of the parafrontalia and parafascialia tubercles, mesonotal weals, wings and abdominal pellonisityhave been characterised and the sensillae compared
Isolation and bioinformatics analysis of the NADC30_Like CJS01 strain of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus
Get PDFIn this study, lung tissue was collected from nursery piglets suspected of being infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in a large‑scale pig farm in Sichuan, China. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription quantitative‑polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) methods were used to ensure that no other pathogens were present. Virus isolation was also carried out where the presence of PRRSV was determined by indirect immunoinfluscent assay (IFA). Compared with the common PRRSV strain, the isolate did not produce evident Cytopathic effect (CPE) in the early stage of isolation. CPE was found in the late stage, and the titer was 104.17 TCID50/0.1 mL. The strain was named CJS01. Bioinformatics analysis showed that it was a NADC30‑Like strain. The virus load was determined by measuring the nucleic acid load during the proliferation of the strain on Marc‑145 cells. The strain showed good adaptability on cells, and the virus proliferated on cells for 84 hr when the highest nucleic acid load was achieved. By recombinant analysis of ORF3~7 genes and prediction of its epitope, it was found that CJS01 strain might interfere with the immunesystem of the infected animals