Bed bug infestations: a case report in an urban environment of central Italy and effectiveness of steam treatment against Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae).

270 BED BUG INFESTATIONS: A CASE REPORT IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT OF CENTRAL ITALY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF STEAM TREATMENT AGAINST CIMEX LECTULARIUS (HEMIPTERA: CIMICIDAE) Roberto Amerigo Papini Department of Veterinary Science, Veterinary Teaching Hospital “Mario Modenato”, University of Pisa, Italy ABSTRACT There has been resurgence in interest in infestations from the common bed bugs (Cimex lectularius), as they have become more prevalent in well-developed countries. This paper reports the case of a 50-year-old woman whose bedroom was infested by bed bugs. The woman presented in our laboratory with insect specimens that she had caught in her bedroom. She reported bites on shoulders, back, belly, and thighs associated with sleep disturbance. Based on an examination of the morphological characteristics, the insects were identified as Cimex lectularius. As the apartment had been rented for several years before the woman moved in, it was suspected that the bed bugs had been introduced by some of the tenants, including some from overseas, who may have inadvertently brought the bugs with them in their luggage/belongings and who had previously lived in the apartment. After two unsuccessful insecticide applications, a thorough weekly decontamination using a steam cleaner completely resolved the infestation within about two months. Knowledge of the epidemiology, life cycle, clinical signs, medical treatment and environmental management of bed bugs by physicians, dermatologists, and entomologists may contribute to the better dissemination of information needed for effective prevention and control as well as to a more accurate diagnosis of the bite marks caused by these insects

observations on the occurrence of heterakis gallinarum in laying hens kept on soil

The occurrence of Heterakis gallinarum infection in a flock of Rhode Island Red laying hens is described. These hens were entirely kept in houses on a farm for commercial egg production, where a deep litter production system was adopted. Faecal samples from 120 hens selected at random were examined by common flotation technique and modified McMaster's technique. H. gallinarum eggs were detected in 50% of the examined samples with very low faecal egg counts (<50 eggs per gram of faeces). There was no evidence of clinical signs, gross pathological lesions, and consequences on production level linkable to heterakiasis. H. gallinarum is transmitted by direct ingestion of infective eggs from the soil and is one of the most important intestinal helminths of poultry due to the role it plays as vector of histomoniasis. In accordance with European legislation on the welfare of laying hens, a progressively increasing number of farmers can adopt breeding programs on soil. Periodic coprological examinations of chickens reared on commercial farms from areas throughout Italy are thus advisable to determine the exact distribution of H. gallinarum and the extent to which heterakiasis may influence health status and production of chickens in this country

GIARDIA AND CRYPTOSPORIDIUM IN RED FOXES (VULPES VULPES): SCREENING FOR COPROANTIGENS IN A POPULATION OF CENTRAL ITALY AND MINI-REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Giardia and Cryptosporidium are common protozoan parasites affecting several animal species and humans. The aim of this survey was to investigate, for the first time, their prevalence in red fox (Vulpes vulpes) faecal samples in central Italy. Seventy-one red foxes of different ages and sexes were examined for antigenic detection of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in fecal samples by means of a commercial rapid immunochromatographic test. The sample was randomly selected from foxes culled during a population control program. They were divided into groups based on sex and age ( 641-year-old and >1-year-old). Five (7%) and one (1.4%) out of 71 fecal samples were positive for the Giardia or Cryptosporidium antigens by immunochromatographic assay, respectively, and no coinfections were observed. The present prevalence rates of Giardia and Cryptosporidium antigens in faeces from V. vulpes suggest that this host species is likely to play only a limited role in the spread of the two protozoa in the study area. A concise review of the literature related to Giardia and Cryptosporidium in V. vulpes is presented

Incidental Detection of Onchocerca Microfilariae in Donkeys (Equus asinus) in Italy: Report of Four Cases

This paper reports the occurrence for the first time in Italy of autochthonous Onchocerca infection in donkeys. Four jennies, bred on the same farm, were referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Pisa for a check-up on ovarian activity (n = 3) or for veterinary support during the delivery (n = 1). Microfilariae were incidentally detected during the blood smear examination of one jenny. Peripheral blood samples were then collected from the other three jennies and the presence of microfilariae was investigated by Knott's test. Circulating unsheathed microfilariae were identified in all the animals. The level of microfilaraemia was between 1 and 31 microfilariae in 2 mL of blood. Hematological changes showed moderate eosinophilia in one case or both remarkable eosinophilia and basophilia in another case. Based on molecular findings by PCR and sequencing, the microfilariae showed 98% sequence similarity with Onchocerca sp. in the NCBI GenBank database (Accession No.: MK541848.1). The present report provides evidence that Onchocerca is an etiological agent of parasitic infection in donkeys in Italy. Our findings highlight the importance of screening in donkeys for Onchocerca even in the absence of clinical indications

Evaluation of three commercial rapid kits to detect Cryptosporidium parvum in diarrheic calf stool

The aim of this study was to evaluate three commercially available rapid immunochromato-graphic tests for detection of Cryptosporidium parvum antigens in faeces of naturally infected neonatal diarrhoeic calves. FASTest (R) CRYPTO strip, FASTest (R) CRYPTO-GIARDIA Strip and TETRASTRIPS (R) were compared for their sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value using a cumulative positivity as gold standard. In addition, the agreement between each test and the gold standard was evaluated by Cohen's Kappa (k) value. The highest infection rate was observed by FASTest (R) CRYPTO GIARDIA Strip (65.15%), followed by FASTest (R) CRYPTO strip (63.64%) and TETRASTRIPS (R) (56.06%,). A very good diagnostic performance of all the three tests was observed. FASTest (R) CRYPTO strip (k= 0.935) and FASTest (R) CRYPTO-GIARDIA Strip (k= 0.968) had the highest sensitivity (100%) while TETRASTRIPS (R) (k= 0.875) had the highest specificity (100%). Eimeria spp oocysts were present in six samples but cross-reaction with this protozoan was not observed. These assays were not time-consuming and very easy to perform and to read. Based on our results, we recommend the use of FA

Extinction of consummatory behavior in rats

Two experiments with rats studied the relationship between reinforcer magnitude and frequency, and extinction rate in a consummatory situation with rats. In Experiment 1, groups received access to either a 2% or a 32% sucrose solution during twenty 5-min sessions and were subsequently shifted to extinction (access to an empty sipper tube). Goal tracking time (time spent near the sipper tube) was the dependent measure. Extinction was faster after training with 2% solution than with 32% solution. In Experiment 2, extinction was faster after training with 50% partial reinforcement than with continuous reinforcement. In both experiments, extinction was gradual and rats exhibited spontaneous recovery of goal-tracking behavior. Results are discussed in the context of evidence pointing to a dissociation of consummatory and instrumental behavior.Fil: Mustaca, Alba Elisabeth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Freidin, Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Papini, Mauricio Roberto. Texas Christian University; Estados Unido

evaluation of three commercial rapid kits to detect cryptosporidium parvum in diarrhoeic calf stool

The aim of this study was to evaluate three commercially available rapid immunochromatographic tests for detection of Cryptosporidium parvum antigens in faeces of naturally infected neonatal diarrhoeic calves. FASTest® CRYPTO strip, FASTest® CRYPTO-GIARDIA Strip and TETRASTRIPS® were compared for their sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value using a cumulative positivity as gold standard. In addition, the agreement between each test and the gold standard was evaluated by Cohen's Kappa (k) value. The highest infection rate was observed by FASTest® CRYPTO-GIARDIA Strip (65.15%), followed by FASTest® CRYPTO strip (63.64%) and TETRASTRIPS® (56.06%,). A very good diagnostic performance of all the three tests was observed. FASTest® CRYPTO strip (k = 0.935) and FASTest® CRYPTO-GIARDIA Strip (k = 0.968) had the highest sensitivity (100%) while TETRASTRIPS® (k = 0.875) had the highest specificity (100%). Eimeria spp oocysts were present in six samples but cross-reaction with this protozoan was not observed. These assays were not time-consuming and very easy to perform and to read. Based on our results, we recommend the use of FASTest® CRYPTO strip, FASTest® CRYPTO-GIARDIA Strip or/and TETRASTRIPS® for detection of C. parvum antigens in faeces of neonatal diarrhoeic calves

Small ruminant Gongylonema pulchrum infection in the South West Algerian desert: prevalence of a sporadic zoonosis

Individual faecal samples were randomly collected from the rectum of goats (n = 120) and sheep (n = 182) bred in four distinct areas of the South West Algerian desert. All the samples were examined by faecal flotation technique. A range of gastro-intestinal parasites was recorded by microscopic examination. Special reference was given to potentially zoonotic nematodes. Typical G. pulchrum eggs were detected as mixed or single infections in 9.3% of the animals (15% of goats and 5.5% of sheep). Goats were statistically (OR=3.04 [1.35-6.83]) more likely to harbor G. pulchrum infections than sheep. Animals older than 1 year of age were more likely to be infected with G. pulchrum than younger ones, but these differences di not reach statistically significant values. Monitoring human infections represents an imperative need of modern society. Anyone working with sheep and goats or sharing the same environment with them and physicians should be aware of gongylonemiasis and other potentially zoonotic nematode infections due to ovicaprines, though considered not life-threatening, sporadic or neglected

Use of a reactive transport model to describe reductive dechlorination (RD) as a remediation design tool: application at a CAH-contaminated site

n/