1,721,060 research outputs found
Occurrence of animal cystic echinococcosis in Italy: an updating
No full textCystic echinococcosis (CE) is an important public health and economic problem in many areas of the world, e.g. in the Mediterranean Region. In Italy, the lack of official data and poor level of reporting, both in animals and humans, do not allow to have a appropriate picture on its occurrence and socio-economic impact. At the moment, the most reliable epidemiological information is based on research data.
Aim. The aim of this paper is to give a brief updating of the occurrence of animal CE in Italy.
Methods. The epidemiological situation of animal CE in Italy is presented, mainly reviewing recent surveys and studies carried out on MIUR National Projects, PHD research or other research plans.
Results. Until now, in Italy, the following agents of CE have been identified: Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (genotypes G1, G2, G3), E. equinus (G4), E. ortleppi (G5), and pig strain (G7). CE has been reported in farmed animals, dogs, wildlife (mainly wolves and wild-boars), and in humans. E. multilocularis (alveolar echinococcosis) has been reported in foxes. It is not present in other animals (althought some wrong reports were notified in recent years) or in humans. Recent reported CE prevalences (ranges or mean) are the following:
Northern Italy: sheep 0.1- 0.5 % (in some areas, adult sheep 25-45%); cattle 0.02-0.7% (1.4 % in a limited area in Emilia-Romagna region); horses 0.3 %; pigs <1 per million. High and unexpected prevalences were found at necropsy in sheep (15%; cyst fertility 98%) and in wolves (2 out of 4 animals) from some alpine valleys in Piedmont, where previously 27% of sheperd dogs resulted positive by coproantigen test.
Central Italy: sheep and goats 20-80%; cattle 7-15%; pigs 0.3-0.8%; dogs 4-31%; wolves 15%; wild-boars 5 %. Cyst fertility is nearly 5% and 1%, in sheep and cattle, respectively. In Latium, official reports show prevalences < 3% in farmed ruminants.
Southern Italy: sheep and goats 4-36%; cattle 3-15%; pigs 0.05-0.5%; water buffaloes 10.5% (cyst fertility 13%); dogs 6%. In Campania region, 12% and 20% of cattle and buffalo farms were found positive, respectively.
Sicily: sheep 58%; cattle 11-67%; sheperd dogs 6-19%. Cyst fertility is 4% in cattle and extremely variable (9-90%) in sheep, depending on involved province.
Sardinia: sheep 75%; goats 24%; cattle 41.5%; home slaughtered pigs 11%; horses 4%; dogs 3-10%; wild boars 4%. Cyst fertility is nearly 10%, 3%, and 8%, in sheep, cattle, and pigs, respectively.
Conclusions. CE may be considered sporadic, endemic and hyperendemic in northern, central, southern and insular (Sardinia and Sicily) Italy, respectively. However, high prevalences have been reported in adult sheep in different italian provinces, irrespective of area of origin, and in alpine areas previously considered ipoendemic. The situation of Sardinia and Sicily continues to be alarming, even if CE prevalences and cyst fertlity rates seem to be lower than in the past.
In order to have appropriate official data on animal CE, Veterinary Services must improve the current surveillance activities, as requested by EU and national legislation
Why compulsory notification of human cystic echinococcosis should be reintroduced in Italy
No full textIn Italy, compulsory notification of human cystic echinococcosis (CE) to the Italian Ministry of Health was discontinued in 1991, and under the current legislation, the Ministry requires only a summary of the regional cases. Therefore, data of CE no longer reach the Central Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), making the assessment of human CE occurrence even more difficult. It should be noted that, according to the European Directive 2003/99/CE, the Italian regulations (Legislative Decree 4 April 2006, No. 191) officially included CE among zoonoses under surveillance. Thus, it is up to the individual physician’s goodwill to notify individual cases to the Local Health Unit, which in turn will fill out an electronic record to be transmitted to the Health Regional Council, which in turn will transmit the data to the Italian Ministry of Health. Unsurprisingly, with regard to Italy, the ECDC-EFSA Community Summary Reports (2003-2008) on trends and sources of zoonoses indicate that only 1 case (imported) of CE was reported in 2003 and that no surveillance system exists. This contrasts with hundreds of cases per year reported in single Italian Regions, when research was done using different methods and information, e.g. Hospital Discharge Records (HDRs).
Diagnosis of human CE relies on modern imaging techniques, with ultrasound (US) being the most frequently used, complemented by serology. The widespread use of US has shown that the cysts go through different stages of involution, either spontaneously or as a result of non-surgical therapies (medical treatment with benzimidazoles and percutaneous treatments) The use of US has spawned several sonographic classifications over the years. Recently, the WHO Informal Working Group on Echinococcosis issued a standard ultrasound classification of echinococcal cysts based on their ultrasound appearance. In this classification, cysts are grouped as active, transitional and inactive, and determining the cyst stage has important consequences for clinical management and prognosis.
No case of acute CE has ever been reported, so incidence is generally related to the first diagnosis of the disease, irrespective of cyst stage. Reports based on surgery-based surveys are known to greatly underestimate rates of infection. Several papers published in the last years evaluated a mean incidence of 1.3 cases/100,000 inhabitants in Italy. CE is most prevalent in the southern regions and in the islands of Sardinia (4-8 cases/100,000 inhabitants) and Sicily (Pozio E, 2008, Parassitologia 50: 17-24; Garippa G & Manfredi MT, 2009, Vet Res Commun 33, Suppl 1: 35-39).
Some studies performed in some regions analyzed the HDRs in order to estimate the occurrence of CE. In Emilia-Romagna, the mean yearly incidence (1997-2002) in Italian citizens residing in the region was 1.07/100,000 inhabitants; the average incidence of persons born in Italy was 0.97/100,000. The existence of an area in the Apennines between the provinces of Reggio Emilia and Modena with a significantly higher risk and incidence (7.1/100,000) similar to that encountered in areas considered endemic, was demonstrated (Battelli G et al, 2004, Parassitologia 46: 415-416). In Lombardy, in 2004, there were 156 admissions for CE; of the patients, 72% resided in the region (Brunetti E et al, 2006, Parassitologia 48: 220). In Tuscany, the mean yearly incidence (1995-2001) in citizens residing in the region was 1.61/100,000 (Montinaro L et al, 2004, G Ital Med Lav Erg 26: 202-207). In Apulia, the period prevalence of hepatic CE during the years 1996-2000 was 6.4/100,000 (Punzo C et al, 2002, Ann Ital Chir 73: 605-609). In Sardinia, the mean yearly incidence (2001-2005) in citizens residing in the region was 6.6/100,000, rising to 10.6/100,000 in the Nuoro province (Conchedda M et al, 2008, Parassitologia 50, Suppl 1: 40).
True occurrence of human CE is probably best assessed by ultrasound mass surveys, an increasingly popular method in highly endemic..
Sciaenacotyle panceri (Monogenea, Microcotylidae), un possibile fattore limitante per l’allevamento in gabbia dell’ombrina boccadoro (Argyrosomus regius) nel Mar Mediterraneo
No full textBlood-feeding polyopisthocotylean monogeneans are one of the most important group among the emerging parasites of cultured marine fish. The pathogenic effect of these parasites may be increased by adverse environmental conditions or poor zootechnical management, favouring infections and epizootics. The meagre Argyrosomus regius is a species with an increasing importance in Mediterranean aquaculture, because of its great potential for the diversification of productions. In May 2007, two groups of meagre were put together in one offshore floating cage sited in northeastern Sardinia (western Mediterranean Sea). In September 2007 the fish showed non-specific disease signs, such as lethargy, emaciation, gill anaemia and mortality. From September 2007 to January 2008, 65 specimens of meagre of both groups were sampled for parasitological and microbiological analyses. Only one single species of parasite, the microcotylid monogenean Sciaenacotyle panceri, was found on the gills. No other protozoan or metazoan parasites were found and no bacteria or viruses were isolated. The infection peaked suddenly in both groups in September and part of October 2007, with all hosts infected by several hundred of worms. In the following months prevalence remained high (60-70%) while the intensity of infection decreased noticeably to few units. After the outbreak, a total mortality rate of 5-10% was estimated for the older fish group, while no noteworthy mortality was recorded in the other fish. At histology, the parasites were observed grasping the gill lamellae with an evident traumatic effect on the tissue up to amputation of lamellae. In some cases the total “stripping” of the gill filament was observed. The presence of Sciaenacotyle panceri on Argyrosomus regius has been rarely reported. Previously it was reported only from a single specimen of this fish species in the Gulf of Tunis, while all the other reports were referred to the shi drum Umbrina cirrosa in the Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic Ocean. This is the first account of Sciaenacotyle panceri on the gills of cultured meagre as causative agent of disease and mortality. The presence of this parasite points out the need for improving the control strategies of the diseases of cultured meagre, and investigating the possible transfer of microcotylids from wild to caged fish
Lessepsian fish migration: genetic bottlenecks and parasitological evidence
No full textAs a rule, non-indigenous species (NIS) populations derived from biological invasion events represent a subset of the genetic diversity of the source population. In biological invasions, host–parasite interactions play an important role, and parasitological data for NIS populations can provide useful information such as their area of origin, mechanism of invasion and prospects of success in the new habitat. When both genetic and parasitological data are available, and they suggest the same scenario, the history of an invasion can be inferred with no discrepancy, but when data cannot be reconciled an alternative model should be considered. In this study a comparison of genetic and parasitological data for the Lessepsian migrant the bluespotted cornetfish, Fistularia commersonii, in the Mediterranean Sea presents the opportunity to evaluate the compatibility of information of this nature, and to propose possible invasion scenarios consistent with evidence provided by both criteria
In-feed trials of fenbendazole and other chemical/natural compounds against Sparicotyle chrysophrii (Monogenea) infections in Sparus aurata (Osteichthyes)
No full text
- …
