Valutazione della viremia in bovini persistentemente infetti da virus della diarrea virale bovina sottoposti a vaccinazione

The infection of pregnant cattle by bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) can result in the birth of immunotolerant and persistently infected (PI) calves, which represent an important source of spread of the virus in the breeding and contribute significantly to the maintenance of a high prevalence of infection. The vaccination of PI animals with BVDV strains antigenically different from persistent strain can induce the production of neutralizing antibodies. Following administration of an inactivated vaccine containing the C86 strain of BVDV to PI cattle, a transient, statistically significant, reduction of viremia was detected. However, the lowering of viremia levels is not high enough to affect the ability to detect PI animals

In vitro activity of a commercial otological solution containing a novel antimicrobial peptide on 30 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from canine otitis

In dogs, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infections fre- quently present as an acute suppurative otitis, with sev- ere inflammation, ulceration, discomfort and pain. This can be a therapeutic challenge that needs new effective treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of a commercial otologi- cal solution (Peptivet oto solution: ICF, Cremona, Italy) containing 0.02% chlorhexidine digluconate (CLX), 0.4% Tris/0.1% EDTA and 0.5 ug/mL of the antimicrobial peptide AMP2041 on PA from canine oti- tis. Minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were evaluated by broth microdilution. Standardized bacte- rial suspensions were incubated with different concen- trations of the test solution at pH8 and 37 °C for 30 min and then spread plated for colony forming unit (CFU) counts. The dynamics of bacterial killing were evaluated with time-kill curves obtained with undiluted product and at MBC for each strain by aliquoting and plating 20 uL of the bacterial suspension for CFU counts at fixed intervals (30 sec, 1, 5, 10, 15 min, 24 and 48 h). The MBC was 1:32 for 1/30 strains and 1:64 for 29/30 strains. The geometric average was 1:62.54, equivalent to a concentration of 0.0003% CLX/ 0.0064% Tris/0.0016% EDTA/0.008 ug/mL AMP2041. The time-kill assays with the undiluted product showed complete bactericidal effect within 5 min for all isolates, while at MBC this effect was reached within 10 min for 28/30 isolates. Complete bactericidal activity was observed after 48 h for all strains. The product evalu- ated in this study shows fast, complete and long-lasting antimicrobial activity against a panel of 30 PA clinical isolates from dogs with otiti

In vitro antimicrobial activity of a commercial dermatologic solution (PEPTIVET SOL.) containing chlorhexidine digluconate, Tris- EDTA and a novel antimicrobial peptide (AMP2041)

Cutaneous infections are frequently present in dogs due to bacteria and/or yeasts. The presence of new topical antimicrobials could help to reduce the use of systemic antibiotics and antifungal drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of a commercial dermatologic solution (PEPTIVET SOL. ICF, Cremona, Italy) containing 0.02% chlorhexidine digluconate (CLX), Tris 0.4%, EDTA 0.1% and 0.5 lg/mL of antimicrobial peptide AMP2041 on bacterial and fungal reference strains involved in canine cutaneous infections. The dynamics of bacterial killing was evaluated with time-kill curves obtained with undiluted product incubated with the standardized suspensions of Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853, Proteus mirabilis ATCC14153, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, MRSA ATCC43300, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius ATCC49444, Streptococcus canis ATCC20715, Malassezia pachydermatis ATCC14522 and Candida albicans ATCC10231. At fixed intervals (30 sec, 1, 5 & 10 min), 20 lL of suspension were plated for colony forming unit (CFU) counts. Time-kill assay obtained with the undiluted product showed complete microbicidal effect at 30 sec for E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. canis, S. pseudintermedius and C. albicans reference strains. The fungicidal effect was complete at 1 min for M. pachydermatis ATCC14522, while for P. mirabilis, S. aureus, and MRSA reference strains a complete bactericidal effect was reached within 5 min. The undiluted product shows a very fast and complete antimicrobial activity against a panel of bacterial and fungal reference strains involved in canine cutaneous infections although clinical studies will be needed to evaluate the in vivo activity

Association between Coxiella burnetii seropositivity and abortion in dairy cattle of Northern Italy

Coxiella burnetii the agent of Q fever in humans, has been associated with abortion in cattle. In this study 650 sera from cattle with abortion and 600 randomly-selected control sera were examined for antibodies to C. burnetii by ELISA. Two hundred and ninety-two (44.9%) out of 650 animals which experienced abortion were seropositive versus 132 (22%) out of 600 of the control group. A statistically significant difference resulted from the comparison of the seroprevalence of aborted cattle with that of controls (p < 0.001). Moreover, a significant higher prevalence was disclosed in cattle which aborted during late gestation (p < 0.002) and in the autumn (p < 0.001

Investigation on the prevalence of BVDV-2 in dairy cattle herds of northern Italy [Indagine sulla prevalenza di infezione da bovine viral diarrhea virus tipo 2 (BVDV-2) in allevamenti bovini da latte del nord Italia]

The study was aimed at obtaining data regarding the prevalence of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus type 2 (BVDV-2) in dairy cattle population of the Po Valley, Northern Italy. The survey was carried out in the period 2009-2011 and involved five diagnostic laboratories located in five provinces of Lombardia and Emilia Romagna regions, namely Brescia, Cremona, Lodi, Mantova e Parma. The area is characterized for a high density of bovine dairy herds, even large herds rearing animals with high genetic value. Despite of the lack of official control-eradication programmes by Authorities, the consciousness about BVD damages is widespread among practitioners and dairy farmers. Therefore, voluntary control-eradication programmes to BVDV are set up on herd level. The programmes, besides the vaccination practice, provided for detection and cull of persistently infected (PI) animals. Bulk milk, blood samples, aborted foetuses and specimens from organs of cattle died for suspected BVD were examined by PCR or real-time PCR to detect BVDV-1 and 2. In addition blood serum samples from BVDV unvaccinated herds were submitted to comparative serology through serum neutralization test (SN) to both the viral types. On the whole 4,464 dairy herds were submitted to diagnostic investigation. Direct diagnostic tests (PCR or real-time PCR) allowed BVDV-2 to be detected in 2.9% of the examined herds. Indirect diagnostic test (comparative SN) showed 4% of the tested herds positive for BVDV-2 infection. Sometimes both the viral types were present together in a single herd. Taken together our data pointed out that BVDV-2, introduced in Italy in 1999 by a contaminated vaccine, at present circulates among the considered cattle population but the prevalence is low. So that BVDV-1 must be considered the most relevant viral type circulating among the domestic dairy cattle population. This evidence is consistent with the epidemiological situation of other European Countries but in contrast with the US picture where BVDV-2 infection is widespread in dairy and beef cattle. The reason of this epidemiological disagreement is not yet elucidated