21 research outputs found
Detection of vesivirus in minks (Neovison vison), Italy 2021
No full textVesiviruses are important animal pathogens with a broad host range, and they have also been involved in accidental contamination of cells used for the production of drugs for rare and life-threatening human diseases. A vesivirus (family Caliciviridae) was detected in minks (Neovison vison) with respiratory and neurological signs, during syndromic surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 conducted in Italy. The complete genome (8,397 nucleotides in length) of the vesivirus strain ITA/2021/mink/TE (OR130287) was obtained by combining NGS approach with 5' and 3' RACE protocols. The virus was seemingly more related (95.9-97.2% nt identity in the partial RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) to American vesivirus isolates 9/1980/US, 12/1980/US, and 20/1980/US dating back to the early 1980s than to recent mink strains. These results highlight the importance of gathering information on the virome of animals
Evaluation of Quantitative PCR (qPCR) <i>Paenibacillus larvae</i> Targeted Assays and Definition of Optimal Conditions for Its Detection/Quantification in Honey and Hive Debris
No full textThe application of quantitative PCR (qPCR) as a routine method to detect and enumerate Paenibacillus larvae in honey and hive debris could greatly speed up the estimation of prevalence and outbreak risk of the American foulbrood (AFB) disease of Apis mellifera. However, none of the qPCR tests described so far has been officially proposed as a standard procedure for P. larvae detection and enumeration for surveillance purposes. Therefore, in this study, inclusivity, exclusivity and sensitivity of detection of P. larvae spores directly in samples of honey and hive debris were re-evaluated for the previously published qPCR methods. To this aim, recently acquired P. larvae sequence data were considered to assess inclusivity in silico and more appropriate non-target species were used to verify exclusivity experimentally. This led to the modification of a previously described method by shortening the forward primer, designing a new reverse primer and using more stringent amplification conditions. The new test allowed the detection of P. larvae spores in honey and hive debris down to 1 CFU/g. The qPCR test optimized in this study proved suitable for quantification and also for identification of field P. larvae strains and real contaminated samples. Therefore, it is proposed for reliable detection and quantification of P. larvae in honey and hive debris, thus circumventing the disadvantages of late AFB diagnosis based on clinical symptoms and possible underestimation of spore numbers that is the main drawback of culture-dependent procedures
Oltrepassare il verbum. La comunicazione non-verbale nella trilogia fantastica di Anna Maria Ortese
No full textThe essay reflects on the fantastic trilogy of Anna Maria Ortese, consisting of L’Iguana (1986), Il cardillo addolorato (1993) and Alonso e i visionari (1996), focusing on interspecies relationships involving the human protagonists and the monstrous creatures imagined by the author. The article investigates the possibilities of non-verbal communication used by the iguana, the bird and the puma, protagonists respectively of the three novels. By means of cries, singing and gazes, the three animals are able to undermine the idea of language as evidence of human superiority, and thus to question the very concept of humanity. The verbal language is superseded in favour of a new emotional intelligence, capable of empathetically reconnecting the human and the non-human.Il saggio riflette sulla trilogia fantastica di Anna Maria Ortese, costituita da L’Iguana (1986), Il cardillo addolorato (1993) e Alonso e i visionari (1996), concentrandosi sulle relazioni interspecie che coinvolgono i protagonisti umani e le creature mostruose immaginate dall’autrice. Il discorso indaga le possibilità di comunicazione non-verbale che mettono in atto l’iguana, il cardillo e il puma, protagonisti rispettivamente dei tre romanzi. Per mezzo del verso, del canto e dello sguardo, i tre animali sono in grado di scardinare l’idea di lingua come prova della superiorità umana, e dunque di mettere in discussione il concetto stesso di umanità. La lingua verbale è oltrepassata in favore di una nuova intelligenza emotiva, capace di ricongiungere empaticamente l’umano e il non-umano
Sodium oxybate in maintaining alcohol abstinence in alcoholic patients according to Lesch typologies: A pilot study
No full textSodium oxybate (SO) is a γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA)-ergic drug currently used for the treatment of alcohol dependence (AD) in some European countries. The aim of this study was to describe the effect of SO administration in alcoholics classified according to Lesch alcoholism typology (LAT). Forty-eight patients were enrolled and classified into four groups according to LAT. All patients were treated with oral SO (50 mg/kg of body weight t.i.d.) for 12 weeks. All patients significantly reduced their alcohol intake (p<0.001). Alcohol abstinence during the 12 weeks of treatment did not differ between the four groups at the end of treatment. Craving for SO did not significantly differ amongst groups; cases of SO abuse were very limited and were observed in almost 10% of patients. In conclusion, our study showed an overall efficacy of SO in the treatment of AD irrespective of LAT categories. However, our results confirm that alcoholics with psychiatric co-morbidity, particularly with a borderline personality disorder of Axis II, are at a greater risk of developing craving for and abuse of the drug: until craving for alcohol and craving for SO are characterized in depth, SO should be used with caution in these patients. © The Author(s) 2013
Detection of vesivirus in minks (Neovison vison), Italy 2021
No full textVesiviruses are important animal pathogens with a broad host range, and they have also been involved in accidental contamination of cells used for the production of drugs for rare and life-threatening human diseases. A vesivirus (family Caliciviridae) was detected in minks (Neovison vison) with respiratory and neurological signs, during syndromic surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 conducted in Italy. The complete genome (8,397 nucleotides in length) of the vesivirus strain ITA/2021/mink/TE (OR130287) was obtained by combining NGS approach with 5’ and 3’ RACE protocols. The virus was seemingly more related (95.9-97.2% nt identity in the partial RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) to American vesivirus isolates 9/1980/US, 12/1980/US, and 20/1980/US dating back to the early 1980s than to recent mink strains. These results highlight the importance of gathering information on the virome of animals.  
First report of Trichinella pseudospiralis in a wolf (Canis lupus italicus)
No full textWithin the genus Trichinella, Trichinella pseudospiralis is the only recognized non-encapsulated species known to infect mammals and birds. In October 2020, larvae recovered from muscle tissues of a wolf (Canis lupus italicus) originating from Molise Region, Central Italy, were molecularly confirmed as those of Trichinella britovi and T. pseudospiralis. This is the first detection of T. pseudospiralis from a wolf. In Italy, this zoonotic nematode was detected in a red fox (Vulpes vulpes), three birds (Strix aluco, Athene noctua, Milvus milvus) and five wild boars (Sus scrofa), and was also identified as the etiological agent of a human outbreak of trichinellosis in 2015. Since T. pseudospiralis is rarely reported from carnivore mammals in comparison to the encapsulated species frequently detected in these hosts, this finding opens the question of the role of carnivores as reservoirs for this parasite
Survey of Mycobacterium spp. in Eurasian Badgers (Meles meles) in Central Italy
No full textA survey to determine the presence of Mycobacterium spp. in the Abruzzo and Molise regions was conducted by testing samples from 124 badgers found dead or road-killed during the 2013–2021 period. Head lymph nodes were collected from all carcasses, as well as mediastinal lymph nodes from 20 of them, for bacteriological and molecular tests; tissues were inoculated onto a set of solid egg-based Lowenstein–Jensen media and in a liquid culture system (BACTEC) and were analyzed by polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). Organs and lymph nodes from 31 carcasses were collected for histological tests. During post-mortem examinations, macroscopic lesions consistent with a Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections were not detected. Mycobacteria were isolated from four animals (3.22%). M. avium subsp. avium was isolated by head lymph nodes from two badgers (1.61%), M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (0.80%) from one, and Mycobacterium spp. from another (0.80%). The significance of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in wildlife hosts in the absence of clinical signs and gross pathology has yet to be assessed. The most critical aspect came from isolates belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex infection in wildlife due to the possible interference with tuberculin skin tests in cattle
Genomic Links between Listeria monocytogenes in Wild Animals and the Food Chain: Insights from Central and Southern Italy
No full textListeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a significant foodborne pathogen, posing a threat to public health. This study investigated the prevalence and genomic diversity of L. monocytogenes in 466 wild animals sampled across Central and Southern Italy (2017–2023), including species such as wild boar, red fox, and wolf, to assess their role as reservoirs and potential links to the food chain. Overall, 22.5% of the animals tested positive, and 118 L. monocytogenes strains were isolated, predominantly from wild boar (n=46), red fox (n=20), and Italian wolf (n=15).
Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis revealed high genomic diversity, classifying the strains into 27 Clonal Complexes (CCs) and 31 Sequence Types (STs). Both hypervirulent clones (e.g., CC1, CC6, CC207) and hypovirulent clones (e.g., CC9, CC19), known for their persistence, were identified, with wild boars harboring a majority of the hypervirulent isolates. All strains carried key virulence genes, and accessory virulence factors, particularly LIPI-3, were detected in hypervirulent strains. Persistence factors, such as the Stress Survival Islet 1 (SSI-1) and genes for metal/disinfectant resistance (cadA, qacA), were also detected, particularly in wild boar isolates.
Crucially, core-genome MLST (cgMLST) analysis demonstrated direct genomic links between the wildlife isolates and the Italian National Reference Laboratory database. Multiple clusters were identified, connecting strains from wild animals (wild boars, foxes, wolves) with those from meat products, fresh salads, and food processing environments. A persistent CC9 cluster, circulating in the meat chain for seven years, was strongly correlated with wild boar isolates, underscoring the role of wildlife as a reservoir that continuously introduces both high-virulence and highly persistent strains into the food production system. These findings emphasize the necessity of integrating wildlife surveillance into public health strategies to mitigate the risk of zoonotic transmission, particularly through game meat consumption and handling
P04.1 Investigation on the presence of Hepatitis E virus in different animal species populations in Abruzzo and Molise Regions during the 2015-2021 period, Italy
No full textHepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic pathogen, causing infectious hepatitis in man. Pigs and wild boars are the natural asymptomatic reservoirs, while the disease in humans could be either asymptomatic or evolve in hepatitis. In Europe, an increasing number of human infections from HEV has been reported over the last years. Up to now, HEV prevalence in Italian northern Regions has been extensively determined in wild boars and pigs, while less data have been collected from the central-southern ones, especially in wild animals. Moreover, the Abruzzo Region located in central Italy is considered a hot spot for HEV human infections and Molise Region, located in southern Italy and close to Abruzzo, should be also taken in consideration. The aim of this study was to investigate the circulation of HEV in different animal species from Abruzzo and Molise Regions, central-southern Italy. Liver, gallbladder and faeces samples were collected from pigs coming from closed farms or kept free-ranging and from hunted wild boars. Liver samples from other wild species were also considered. Overall, RNA from HEV virus was detected in 336 samples out of the 4,486 collected during the 2015-2021 period (7.5%, CI 6.8% - 8.3%). Animal species in which HEV genome was detected were wild boars (10.3%, CI 9.2% - 11.6%), domestic swine (5.6%, CI 4.6% - 6.9%), roe deer (2.2%, CI 1.0% - 4.8%), deer (2.4%, CI 0.7% - 8.3%), and badger (1.7%, CI 0.4 – 9.1). The positivity in liver samples was higher than in faeces, which was higher than in gallbladder. The higher number of positive samples was found in wild boars, and especially in liver. The results of this study suggest that HEV infection seems to be endemic in the wild boars living the two Regions under study. The detection of HEV RNA in other non-target species, such as roe deer, deer, and badgers also warrant consideration in surveillance programs and in estimating the risk for HEV human infections
Characterising acute and chronic care needs: insights from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
No full textChronic care manages long-term, progressive conditions, while acute care addresses short-term conditions. Chronic conditions increasingly strain health systems, which are often unprepared for these demands. This study examines the burden of conditions requiring acute versus chronic care, including sequelae. Conditions and sequelae from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2019 were classified into acute or chronic care categories. Data were analysed by age, sex, and socio-demographic index, presenting total numbers and contributions to burden metrics such as Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), Years Lived with Disability (YLD), and Years of Life Lost (YLL). Approximately 68% of DALYs were attributed to chronic care, while 27% were due to acute care. Chronic care needs increased with age, representing 86% of YLDs and 71% of YLLs, and accounting for 93% of YLDs from sequelae. These findings highlight that chronic care needs far exceed acute care needs globally, necessitating health systems to adapt accordingly.
© 2025. The Author(s)
