Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in thrombocytopenic dogs

Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. are tick-transmitted bacteria of clinical relevance in European dogs. The diagnosis of infection is often difficult due to the wide spectrum of disease caused by them. During infection, reduction in platelet count is considered the most common haematological abnormality, frequently representing the sole alteration in asymptomatic dogs. In this study, the presence of bacteria belonging to the genera Anaplasma and Ehrlichia was investigated in Northern Italy in blood samples from 159 thrombocytopenic dogs using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay amplifying a portion of the heat shock gene (groEL). Obtained amplicons were sequenced and analysed. Two dogs were positive for A. phagocytophilum, while A. platys and E. canis were not detected. None of the PCR-positive dogs were diagnosed at the time of hospital admission, even in the presence of clinical signs and clinicopathological abnormalities potentially related to A. phagocytophilum infection. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the 2 detected strains belonged to the cluster Europe 1 and were different from each other. This study confirms the presence of A. phagocytophilum infections in dogs of Northern Italy, causing clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities that could not be properly diagnosed and treated

Clinicopathological findings and risk factors associated with Cytauxzoon spp. infection in cats : A case-control study (2008-2021)

In Europe, Cytauxzoon spp. infection was documented in domestic and wild felids. Cats often develop a subclinical infection, while fatal disease is rare. Currently, information on the epidemiology, risk factors and clinicopathological findings of Cytauxzoon spp. infection remains limited and obtained by a single subject or small groups of cats. The objective of this case-control study was to evaluate clinicopathological findings and to describe risk factors associated with Cytauxzoon spp. infection in domestic cats. Infected cats (n = 39) and non-infected (n = 190) cats were selected from the database of the referral San Marco Veterinary Laboratory between 2008 and 2021. Demographic information, a preset questionnaire considering lifestyle, environment, and clinical status, and a CBC performed contextually with the PCR analysis were recorded for all cats. Data on the biochemical profile and serum protein electrophoresis were also evaluated when available. Compared to the control group, infection was more likely to occur in stray cats (24/39, 61.5%, P < 0.001), living totally/partially outdoors (36/39, 92.3%, P < 0.001), in an urban context (37/39, 94.9%, P = 0.002), taken or recently adopted from colonies (34/35, 97.1, P < 0.001), with irregular or absent parasite preventive treatments (39/39, 100%, p = 0.005), without fleas (28/35, 80%, P = 0.047) and without clinical signs (22/39, 56.4%, p = 0.026) at the time of medical evaluation. Anemia was not associated with infection, but in cats without clinical signs, the percentage of anemic-infected cats (7/22, 31.8%, P = 0.009) was higher compared to non-infected cats (5/65, 7.7%). Furthermore, a decrease in total iron serum concentration approximating the lowest reference interval [median values (IQR): 79 μg/dL (52.25) vs. 50.5 μg/dL (34), P = 0.007] was likely in infected cats. No other laboratory findings were associated with infection. Interestingly, a partial/total outdoor lifestyle was a risk factor for infection (OR: 8.58, 95% CI: 2.90-37.0, P < 0.001). In conclusion, the present study revealed that Cytauxzoon spp. infection manifests itself prevalently as a subclinical infection, based on physical examination and laboratory findings, in domestic European cats. However, subclinical infected cats were more likely to be anemic compared to non-infected

Low-dose benzene exposure monitoring of oil refinery workers: inhalation and biomarkers

Airborne benzene in workplaces has progressively decreased due to preventive actions and the redesigning of facility processes. Professionals who assess occupational exposure should select techniques to detect benzene levels comparable to ambient air exposure. Thus, sensitive biomarkers are needed to discriminate the effects of confounding factors, such as smoking or sorbic acid (SA). In order to identify sensitive biomarkers and to study their correlation with confounding factors, 23 oil refinery workers were enrolled in the study; their airborne benzene exposures and biomarkers were monitored. Urinary benzene (U-B), t,t-muconic acid (t,t-MA), and S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA) were quantified. Urinary cotinine (U-C) and t,t-sorbic acid (t,t-SA) were evaluated to flag smoking and SA intake, respectively. The benzene measured in personal inhalation sampling ranged from 0.6 to 83.5 (median 1.7) µg/m3. The concentration range of the biomarkers, U-B, t,t-MA, and SPMA, were 18–4893 ng/m3, &lt;10–79.4 µg/g creatinine, and &lt;0.5–3.96 µg/g creatinine, respectively. Pearson tests were carried out; the best correlations were between airborne benzene and U-B (µg/L r = 0.820, p &lt; 0.001) and between benzene and SPMA (g/L r = 0.812, p &lt; 0.001), followed by benzene and t,t-MA (mg/L r = 0.465, p = 0.039). From our study, U-B and SPMA result to be the most reliable biomarkers to assess the internal number of low doses of benzene exposure, thanks to their specificity and sensitivity

Management of the corpse with suspect, probable or confirmed COVID-19 respiratory infection \u2013 Italian interim recommendations for personnel potentially exposed to material from corpses, including body fluids, in morgue structures and during autopsy practice.

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International validation of the EORTC QLQ-PRT20 module for assessment of quality of life symptoms relating to radiation proctitis: A phase IV study

Background: Although patients experience radiation proctitis post radiotherapy no internationally tested instruments exist to measure these symptoms. This Phase IV study tested the scale structure, reliability and validity and cross-cultural applicability of the EORTC proctitis module (QLQ-PRT23) in patients who were receiving pelvic radiotherapy. Methods: Patients (n = 358) from six countries completed the EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-PRT23 and EORTC Quality of Life Group debriefing questions. Clinicians completed the EORTC Radiation Therapy Oncology Group scale. Questionnaires were completed at four time-points. The module’s scale structure was examined and validated using standard psychometric analysis techniques. Results: Three items were dropped from the module (QLQ-PRT23→QLQ-PRT20). Factor analysis identified five factors in the module: bowel control; bloating and gas; emotional function/lifestyle; pain; and leakage. Inter-item correlations were within r = 0.3–0.7. Test-Retest reliability was high. All multi-item scales discriminated between patients showing symptoms and those without symptomology. The module discriminated symptoms from the clinician completed scoring and for age, gender and comorbidities. Conclusion: The EORTC QLQ-PRT20 is designed to be used in addition to the EORTC QLQ-C30 to measure quality of life in patients who receive pelvic radiotherapy. The EORTC QLQ-PRT20 is quick to complete, acceptable to patients, has good content validity and high reliability. Trial registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN1260900097222

Molecular epidemiology of small single-stranded DNA viruses

Il Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 ed il Canine circovirus (CanineCV) sono due piccoli virus con un genoma a singola molecola di DNA monocatenario, che conferisce loro una notevole tendenza a mutare. Se il ruolo patogeno del Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 è ben noto, quello del CanineCV non è stato ancora del tutto definito. Nel primo studio è stato ricercato il DNA del virus della panleucopenia felina (FPV) e del parvovirus canino tipo 2 (CPV-2) nel buffy-coat di una popolazione di gatti, successivamente è stata valutata l’immunità umorale nei confronti del parvovirus nei soggetti risultati positivi. I virus identificati sono stati, inoltre, molecolarmente caratterizzati. Il DNA del FPV e del CPV-2 è stato rilevato anche in gatti sani con titoli anticorpali considerati proteggenti, facendo supporre che il gatto possa rivestire un ruolo importante nell’epidemiologia dei parvovirus. Nel secondo studio è stato sviluppato un saggio molecolare in grado di rilevare i CanineCV circolanti nei canidi domestici e selvatici. Successivamente, tale saggio di Real-Time PCR è stato impiegato per determinare la prevalenza dell’infezione da CanineCV in cani affetti da parvovirosi; sono stati poi messi a confronto i dati clinici e clinico-patologici dei soggetti che presentavano una co-infezione da CanineCV e CPV-2 rispetto a quelli infetti dal solo CPV-2. Non essendo state evidenziate differenze statisticamente significative tra i due gruppi, l’effettivo ruolo patogeno del CPV-2 risulta tuttora incerto. Il saggio molecolare è stato inoltre utilizzato per indagare l’eventuale circolazione del CanineCV in una popolazione di volpi rosse italiane; le sequenze nucleotidiche genomiche dei virus identificati sono state poi caratterizzate ed analizzate filogeneticamente. In questo studio è stata identificata, per la prima volta in Italia, una volpe rossa infetta da un CanineCV. Il virus mostrava caratteristiche genetiche più simili ai CanineCV circolanti nei cani, suggerendo una possibile trasmissione del virus tra le due specie.Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 and Canine circovirus are two small viruses with a genome formed by one molecule of single-strand DNA; this feature gives these viruses a great tendency to evolve. While the pathogenic role of Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 variants is well known, that of Canine circovirus (CanineCV) remains still unclear. In the first study, the presence of DNA of feline panleukemia virus (FPV) and canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) in the buffy-coat of a population of cats was investigated. Then the humoral immunity against parvovirus was evaluated in the positive subjects. The identified viruses were successively molecularly characterized. DNA of FPV and CPV-2 was identified in buffy-coats of healthy cats, despite antibody titers considered protective; this suggests that cats can play an important role in the epidemiology of parvovirus infections. In the second study a molecular assay able to detect the circoviruses circulating both in domestic and wild canids was developed. Successively, the Real-Time PCR assay previously developed was used to determine the prevalence of the CanineCV infections in dogs with parvovirosis; the clinical and clinical-pathological data was then compared between subjects affected both by CanineCV and CPV-2 and subjects affected by CPV-2 only. No statistical differences were found between the two groups, and the effective pathogenic role of CPV-2 is still unclear. The same Real-Time PCR assay was also used to investigate the circulation of CanineCV in a population of Italian red foxes; the genomic nucleotide sequences of the identified viruses were then characterized and phylogenetically analyzed. This study identified, for the first time in Italy, a red fox infected by a CanineCV with genetic characteristics more similar to those circulating in dogs (compared to those circulating in the foxes), suggesting a possible transmission of the virus between the two host species

Genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology of Anaplasma

Anaplasma are obligate intracellular bacteria of cells of haematopoietic origin and are aetiological agents of tick-borne diseases of both veterinary and medical interest common in both tropical and temperate regions. The recent disclosure of their zoonotic potential has greatly increased interest in the study of these bacteria, leading to the recent reorganisation of Rickettsia taxonomy and to the possible discovery of new species belonging to the genus Anaplasma. This review is particularly focused on the common and unique characteristics of Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, with an emphasis on genetic diversity and evolution, and the main distinguishing features of the diseases caused by the different Anaplasma spp. are described as well