Conventional inactivated bivalent H5/H7 vaccine prevents viral localization in muscles of turkeys infected experimentally with low pathogenic avian influenza and highly pathogenic avian influenza H7N1 isolates

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses cause viraemia and systemic infections with virus replication in internal organs and muscles; in contrast, low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) viruses produce mild infections with low mortality rates and local virus replication. There is little available information on the ability of LPAI viruses to cause viraemia or on the presence of avian influenza viruses in general in the muscles of infected turkeys. The aim of the present study was to determine the ability of LPAI and HPAI H7N1 viruses to reach muscle tissues following experimental infection and to determine the efficacy of vaccination in preventing viraemia and meat localization. The potential of infective muscle tissue to act as a source of infection for susceptible turkeys by mimicking the practice of swill-feeding was also investigated. The HPAI virus was isolated from blood and muscle tissues of all unvaccinated turkeys; LPAI could be isolated only from blood of one bird and could be detected only by reverse transcriptasepolymerase chain reaction in muscles. In contrast, no viable virus or viral RNA could be detected in muscles of vaccinated/challenged turkeys, indicating that viral localization in muscle tissue is prevented in vaccinated birds

Swine norovirus: past, present and future

Norovirus, an ssRNA + virus of the family Caliciviridae, is a leading disease burden in humans worldwide, causing an estimated 600 million cases of acute gastroenteritis every year. Since the discovery of norovirus in the faeces of swine in Japan in the 1990s, swine norovirus has been reported in several countries on several continents. The identification of the human-associated GII.4 genotype in swine has raised questions about this animal species as a reservoir of norovirus with zoonotic potential, even if species-specific P-types are usually detected in swine. This review summarises the available data regarding the geographic distribution of norovirus in swine, the years of detection, the genotype characterisation, and the prevalence in specific production groups. Furthermore, we discuss the major bottlenecks for the detection and characterisation of swine noroviruse

Survey on circulation of infectious bronchitis virus strains in Northern Italy

Infectious Bronchitis (IB) still causes significant health problems in the poultry industry with high economic impact. The presence of several serotypes of IB and the emergence of novel ones must be monitored in order to take appropriate action and to adapt the vaccination programmes to the prevalent serotypes. In order to establish which serotypes are circulating in densely populated poultry area (DPPA) of Northern Italy, a surveillance programme has been undertaken during 2004 and 2005. The results of this surveillance programme show the active circulation of 793-B, IT-02, the introduction of a novel strain, known as QXIBV, originally identified in China and the re-emergence of previously circulating serotype as B1648

Survey on circulation of infectious bronchitis virus strains in Northern Italy

Infectious Bronchitis (IB) still causes significant health problems in the poultry industry with high economic impact. The presence of several serotypes of IB and the emergence of novel ones must be monitored in order to take appropriate action and to adapt the vaccination programmes to the prevalent serotypes. In order to establish which serotypes are circulating in densely populated poultry area (DPPA) of Northern Italy, a surveillance programme has been undertaken during 2004 and 2005. The results of this surveillance programme show the active circulation of 793-B, IT-02, the introduction of a novel strain, known as QXIBV, originally identified in China and the re-emergence of previously circulating serotype as B1648

Disinfectants against African Swine Fever: An Updated Review

African Swine Fever (ASF), a hemorrhagic disease with a high mortality rate in suids, is transmitted via direct and indirect contact with infectious animals and contaminated fomites, respectively. ASF reached Europe in 2014, affecting 14 of the 27 EU countries including, recently, the Italian peninsula. The fast and unprecedented spread of ASF in the EU has highlighted gaps in knowledge regarding transmission mechanisms. Fomites, such as contaminated clothing and footwear, farming tools, equipment and vehicles have been widely reported in the spread of ASF. The absence of available vaccines renders biosecurity measures, cleaning and disinfection procedures an essential control tool, to a greater degree than the others, for the prevention of primary and secondary introductions of ASF in pig farms. In this review, available data on the virucidal activity of chemical compounds as disinfectants against the ASF virus (ASFV) are summarized together with laboratory methods adopted to assess the virucidal activity

Epidemiological study on circulation of Infectious Bronchitis Virus strains in North Eastern Italy

Infectious Bronchitis (IB) is still a major health problem in the poultry industry, as it is endemic in probably all countries which raise chickens. Previous investigations have shown that several IB variants are present in the Italian poultry industry. In order to establish which serotypes are circulating in the Veneto and Lombardia regions an investigation was carried out during 2004 in broiler and egg-layer farms. A total of 101 samples were collected from 29 farms with 16 IBV isolations. Of these, seven isolates were identified as being of the IT-02 serotype and six as 793-B on the basis of nucleotide sequencing

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a dog: a systematic diagnostic approach

A seven-year-old female neutered Parson Russel Terrier was referred for syncopal episodes. An electrocardiogram revealed paroxysmal atrial flutter followed by periods of sinus arrest, suggesting sick sinus syndrome. Echocardiography showed severe biventricular wall thickening (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) phenotype) with no signs of fixed or dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Blood pressure, abdominal ultrasound, serum total thyroxin and thyroid-stimulating hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-1 were all within normal limits. Cardiac troponin I was elevated (1.7 ng/mL, ref7/mm2) associated with myocyte necrosis, but no evidence of myocyte vacuolisation or infiltrative myocardial disorders. These findings were compatible with myocardial ischemic injury or acute lymphocytic myocarditis. Molecular analysis of canine cardiotropic viruses were negative. The dog developed refractory congestive heart failure and was euthanised 16 months later. Cardiac post-mortem examination revealed cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and disarray with diffuse interstitial and patchy replacement fibrosis, and small vessel disease, confirming HCM. We described a systemic diagnostic approach to an HCM phenotype in a dog, where a diagnosis of HCM was reached by excluding HCM phenocopies

Preliminary results of an influenza surveillance in wild birds, game birds, domestic ducks and geese in North Eastern Italy

Following the avian influenza (AI) epidemics which occurred in Italy between 1997 and 2003, a surveillance program, funded by the Italian Ministry of Health was implemented. Among the tasks of this surveillance program was an investigation on wild and domestic birds to asses circulation of avian influenza viruses in their natural reservoirs. In this study we collected samples from migratory wild birds (Anseriformes and Charadriiformes), from national and importated game fowls, and from 7 backyard farms of geese and ducks. Cloacal swabs were screened by means of real-time RT-PCR (RRT-PCR) and/or directly processed for attempted virus isolation in embryonated fowl’s SPF eggs and blood samples for presence of antibodies against avian influenza viruses. Avian influenza viruses were only obtained from migratory waterfowls belonging to the family Anseriformes, and not from domestic waterfowls or game birds. This study confirms that the risk of introduction of novel influenza viruses in densely populated areas of poultry farms in Veneto is linked to migratory wild birds and in particular from birds belonging to the family Anseriformes

Detection of Caliciviruses in young pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) with enteritis in Italy

During June 2004 a severe enteritis was reported in a farm of 21-28 day old pheasants reared in intensive conditions in North-Eastern Italy. Mortality in the flock had reached 25%. Virological investigations on cell culture of the gut content yielded reoviruses while electron microscopy examination revealed viral particles morphologically related to calicivirus in association with parvovirus-like and rod shaped virus-like particles