A survey on zoonotic helminths in farmed fish to evaluate the safety of Italian aquaculture products

Introduction: Several zoonotic helminths can be transmitted to humans by consumption of raw, undercooked, marinated or cold smoked fish products, representing a relevant public health concern. Although up to now in Italy the presence of zoonotic helminths has been documented only in wild fish populations, extensive epidemiological surveys are needed in order to assess the possible zoonotic risks linked to consumption of national aquaculture products. At this purpose, a wide parasitological survey has being undertaken on rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (RBT), gilthead seabream Sparus aurata (GSB) and European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax (ESB) farmed in Italy. Methodology: From spring 2016 to spring 2017 a total of 2347 fish have been examined. In particular, 738 RBT from 4 Italian freshwater trout farms (two farms located in the area endemic for diphyllobothriasis in Northwestern Italy, 1 in the area endemic for opisthorchiasis in Central Italy and 1 in a highly productive area of Northeastern Italy) were subjected to methods aimed to search for larval stages of diphyllobothriid cestodes (visual inspection and candling) and opisthorchiid digeneans (muscular compression/artificial digestion followed by microscopic examination). Furthermore, 781 GSB and 828 ESB from 4 marine farms (3 cage systems and 1 inland farm located in Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas) were examined for anisakid larvae by UV-press method and artificial digestion. A seasonal periodicity has been applied, sampling 65 specimens/fish species/farm/season in order to reach a statistically significant amount of fish at the end of the survey (258 fish/farm). Results: No zoonotic parasites have been found in all the examined fish at the level of confidence of 99% with a margin of error of 5%. Conclusions: The results so far obtained during this survey are encouraging and seem to confirm that the risks linked to zoonotic helminths in Italian aquacultured fish species are null or negligible, when good farming practices are applied along the production chain

Anticancer effects against colorectal cancer models of chloro(triethylphosphine)gold(I) encapsulated in PLGA–PEG nanoparticles

Chloro(triethylphosphine)gold(I), (Et(3)PAuCl hereafter), is an Auranofin (AF)-related compound showing very similar biological and pharmacological properties. Like AF, Et(3)PAuCl exhibits potent antiproliferative properties in vitro toward a variety of cancer cell lines and is a promising anticancer drug candidate. We wondered whether Et(3)PAuCl encapsulation might lead to an improved pharmacological profile also considering the likely reduction of unwanted side-reactions that are responsible for adverse effects and for drug inactivation. Et(3)PAuCl was encapsulated in biocompatible PLGA–PEG nanoparticles (NPs) and the new formulation evaluated in colorectal HCT-116 cancer cells in comparison to the free gold complex. Notably, encapsulated Et(3)PAuCl (nano-Et(3)PAuCl hereafter) mostly retains the cellular properties of the free gold complex and elicits even greater cytotoxic effects in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, mediated by apoptosis and autophagy. Moreover, a remarkable inhibition of two crucial signaling pathways, i.e. ERK and AKT, by nano-Et(3)PAuCl, was clearly documented. The implications of these findings are discussed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10534-021-00313-0

Unusual localization of pennella sp. In swordfish (xiphias gladius) hearts

The genus Pennella comprises hematophagous parasites of marine aquatic species, including cephalopods, marine mammals, and pelagic fish. Nine species have been officially included in the genus Pennella plus another six species inquirendae. They are most often found in the host’s musculature, without penetrating internal organs. For the present study, 83 hearts from swordfish (Xiphias gladius) caught in the Mediterranean Sea were sampled and immediately fixed in formalin for histopathological analysis. In total, 10 (12.05%) hearts were found to be parasitized by copepods of the genus Pennella. Macroscopically, there was mild-to-severe fibrinous pericarditis with atrial wall thickening and multiple parasitic nodules. Histologically, the parasitic nodules were surrounded by an inflammatory-necrotizing reaction. Parasitic infestation by Pennella spp. is common in pelagic fish and in swordfish, in particular. Here, however, we report atypical cardiac localization. A future area of focus is the evaluation of cardiac Pennella spp. infestation by histopathology and genetic identification of the parasites

Relationship between the prevalence of Dibothriocephalus latus(Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea) and the load of Escherichia coli: New findings in a neglected fish-borne parasitic zoonosis

The sub-Alpine lakes of Switzerland, Italy and France have long been reported as an endemic area of diphyllobothriosis, a parasitic zoonosis aused by Dibothriocephalus latus. With this study, we explored the hypothesis for a relationship between the prevalence of D. latus in Perca fluviatilis and the Escherichia coli load in lake water. To do this, we identified eleven sampling sites in three areas (north, centre and south) of Lake Iseo (north Italy) to determine E. coli load and the prevalence of D. latus in P. fluviatilis. Prevalence and 95% confidence interval (CI) of D. latus infestation ranged from 0% (95% CI: 0.71–0.0) in Sarnico (southern area) to 20% (95% CI: 33.0–11.2) in Pisogne (northern area). There were significant differences in prevalence be-tween the sites (χ2= 31.12; p- value= .0006) and in E. coli load (Kruskal–Wallis test; p- value= .0005). There was decreasing gradient of E. coli load and prevalence of D. latus infestation from north to south. A significant positive correlation (r= .881; p- value= .003) was found between E. coli load and prevalence of D. latus. Also, linear regression showed a significant relationship between E. coli load and prevalence of infestation (R2= .775). Our findings offer an explanation for the link between E. coliload in water and D. latus prevalence. The potential factors in this link are the ef-ficiency of the local wastewater treatment plant, the bathymetric profile of the lake and the life cycle of D. latus, which is mainly affected by light and water temperature.KEYWORDSItaly, Lake Iseo, Perca fluviatilis, prevalence of infestation, wastewater treatment plant, the bathymetric profile of the lake and the life cycle of D. latus, which is mainly affected by light and water temperature

INDAGINE PARASSITOLOGICA SULLA PRESENZA DI STADI LARVALI DI NEMATODI ANISAKIDAE IN PESCI MARINI ALLEVATI IN ITALIA

L\u2019anisakiasi \ue8 una zoonosi parassitaria di origine alimentare sostenuta da larve al terzo stadio (L3) di nematodi appartenenti alla famiglia Anisakidae ed in particolare al genere Anisakis. Soprattutto in seguito alla recente emergenza di sindromi allergiche da Anisakis, l\u2019EFSA nel 2010 ha pubblicato un parere scientifico sui rischi correlati alla presenza di parassiti zoonotici in prodotti ittici, considerando sicura la pratica d\u2019allevamento del salmone atlantico (Salmo salar) in quanto, se allevati partendo da avannotti prodotti in sistemi chiusi e alimentati sempre con mangime inerte, questi animali presenterebbero un rischio di infestazione da larve di Anisakis trascurabile. Su questa base, il Reg. UE n. 1276/2011, che modifica l\u2019allegato III del Reg. CE n. 853\2004, puntualizza la possibile deroga al trattamento di congelamento, obbligatorio per i prodotti della pesca destinati ad essere consumati sotto forma di preparazioni a rischio (crudi, marinati, affumicati a freddo, ecc.), per i prodotti ittici derivanti da allevamento quando vengono rispettati i criteri definiti dall\u2019EFSA analogamente al salmone atlantico. Appare quindi d\u2019importanza strategica fornire dati scientifici estesi ed attendibili sull\u2019assenza di parassiti zoonotici nei prodotti della maricoltura mediterranea non solo ai fini di una loro migliore qualificazione commerciale ma anche per una pi\uf9 facile applicabilit\ue0 di tale deroga da parte delle autorit\ue0 competenti. Nell\u2019ambito delle attivit\ue0 di ricerca previste dal progetto europeo H2020 ParaFishControl \u201cAdvanced Tools and Research Strategies for Parasite Control in European farmed fish\u201d, da marzo 2016 a giugno 2017 \ue8 stato condotto un esteso monitoraggio parassitologico in spigole (Dicentrarchus labrax) ed orate (Sparus aurata) allevate in Italia. Le attivit\ue0 di campionamento hanno coinvolto 4 allevamenti nazionali, di cui 3 in gabbie galleggianti ed uno in vasche a terra, prelevando almeno 258 esemplari per specie/allevamento suddivisi in 4 campionamenti a cadenza stagionale per un totale di 1040 spigole e 1090 orate. La numerosit\ue0 campionaria \ue8 stata calcolata in modo da ottenere almeno il 95% di probabilit\ue0 di evidenziare un esemplare positivo con prevalenza >2%. Per la ricerca di larve di nematodi Anisakidae sono stati associati: esame visivo diretto e mediante transilluminatore di visceri e porzioni muscolari, metodo della UV-press dei filetti e digestione con soluzione cloro- peptica del pacchetto viscerale. Tutti gli esemplari di spigola e orata esaminati sono risultati negativi per la presenza di stadi larvali di Anisakis spp. In un unico esemplare di spigola proveniente da un allevamento in gabbia \ue8 stata evidenziata la presenza di una larva di Hysterothylacium fabri (nematode non zoonotico) incistata sulla superficie del fegato ed identificata a livello di specie mediante PCR-RFLP. Alla luce della trasmissione di questo parassita a pesci predatori per via trofica, similmente ai nematodi Anisakidae zoonotici, nel prossimo futuro verranno condotte indagini mirate ad identificare i fattori di rischio che hanno condotto all\u2019infestazione da H. fabri in allevamento, seppur in un unico esemplare, ed individuare gli eventuali punti critici da monitorare. I risultati ottenuti da questa indagine indicano comunque come nelle spigole e nelle orate allevate in Italia il rischio d\u2019infestazione da Anisakis sia da ritenersi trascurabile, aprendo la via ad azioni di qualificazione dei prodotti della maricoltura mediterranea

The unusual isolation of carnobacteria in eyes of healthy salmonids in high‑mountain lakes

Carnobacteria are common bacteria in cold and temperate environments; they are also reported during fsh mortality events. In a previous study, carnobacteria were isolated from the eyes of healthy wild salmonids from a high-mountain lake. To better understand these fndings, salmonids were captured from three high-mountain lakes (Lower and Upper Balma Lake, Rouen Lake; northwest Italy) during August 2019 and subjected to bacteriological and histological examination. Although all were healthy, 8.7% (Lower Balma Lake), 24% (Upper Balma Lake), and 32.6% (Rouen Lake) were positive for carnobacteria colonization of the eyes. A Trojan-horse efect was hypothesized to explain carnobacteria isolation in the eye. This immune-escaping macrophage-mediated mechanism has been identifed in other Gram-positive bacteria. Biochemical, molecular, and phylogenetic analysis were carried out on isolated bacteria (Carnobacterium maltaromaticum and C. divergens). Based on previous references for carnobacteria isolated from fsh, C. maltaromaticum strains were tested for the pisA precursor gene of the bacteriocin piscicolin 126. Carnobacterium maltaromaticum strains were found to display genotypic heterogeneity and a low percentage of pisA positive amplifcation. Features of geomorphology, geographic isolation, and microbiota common to the three lakes are thought to be possibly related to our fndings. Moreover, terrestrial insects collected from the lake shoreline and the stomach contents were screened for the presence of carnobacteria. The salmonids in these high-mountain environments feed mainly on terrestrial insects, which are considered possible vectors for carnobacteria that might catabolize the exoskeleton chitin. All insects tested negative for carnobacteria, but as a small number of samples were analyzed, their role as possible vectors of infection cannot be excluded. Further studies are needed to corroborate our research hypothesis

Artificial Sequences and Complexity Measures

In this paper we exploit concepts of information theory to address the fundamental problem of identifying and defining the most suitable tools to extract, in a automatic and agnostic way, information from a generic string of characters. We introduce in particular a class of methods which use in a crucial way data compression techniques in order to define a measure of remoteness and distance between pairs of sequences of characters (e.g. texts) based on their relative information content. We also discuss in detail how specific features of data compression techniques could be used to introduce the notion of dictionary of a given sequence and of Artificial Text and we show how these new tools can be used for information extraction purposes. We point out the versatility and generality of our method that applies to any kind of corpora of character strings independently of the type of coding behind them. We consider as a case study linguistic motivated problems and we present results for automatic language recognition, authorship attribution and self consistent-classification.Comment: Revised version, with major changes, of previous "Data Compression approach to Information Extraction and Classification" by A. Baronchelli and V. Loreto. 15 pages; 5 figure