Evidenza di un caso di epatite infettiva del cane in Sicilia

L’Adenovirus Canino di tipo 1 (CAV-1), appartenente al genere Mastadenovirus, famiglia Adenoviridae, è l’agente causale dell’epatite infettiva del cane (ICH). Il virus replica negli endoteli vascolari e negli epatociti, causando epatite necrotico emorragica acuta. I sintomi neurologici sono rari e sono causati da una vasculite del SNC. Negli ultimi anni, la diffusa vaccinazione ha ridotto la circolazione di CAV-1 ed i casi clinici segnalati sono diventati rari ed isolati. In questo lavoro, gli Autori descrivono un caso clinico in un cucciolo di 2 mesi, non vaccinato, con febbre, prostrazione, convulsioni, vomito, diarrea ed esito infausto in una settimana. A seguito dell’esame autoptico, sono stati prelevati campioni di vari organi (cuore, milza, polmone, rene, encefalo, fegato, intestino). Questi sono stati analizzati mediante PCR ed isolamento su colture cellulari sensibili, per la ricerca dei principali agenti virali causa di malattia nel cane: parvovirus, cimurro, CAV-1 e CAV-2, coronavirus, rotavirus. Tutti gli organi esaminati sono risultati positivi sia in PCR che all’isolamento su MDCK solo per CAV-1. Il genoma estratto è stato amplificato secondo la metodica descritta da Hu et al. (2001), in grado di discriminare CAV-1 da CAV-2. L’isolamento su MDCK ha prodotto effetto citopatico al secondo passaggio ed il virus isolato è stato identificato mediante immunofluorescenza diretta e PCR. Il presente lavoro costituisce un contributo alla esigua disponibilità bibliografica sulle infezioni da CAV-1. La vaccinazione sistematica condotta nell’ultimo decennio ha sensibilmente ridotto i casi di malattia. Infatti, gli ultimi casi risalgono al 2001 in Basilicata e Puglia dove sono stati descritti rispettivamente un caso di CAV-1 con sintomatologia classica ed un altro caratterizzato anche da sintomi neurologici. La presente indagine dimostra l’attuale circolazione di CAV-1 e la sporadica comparsa di casi clinici. La vaccinazione sistematica con CAV-2 rimane il mezzo più efficace di protezione della popolazione canina e costituisce l’unico metodo di controllo della malattia

Infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum in a seronegative patient in Sicily, Italy: Case Report

BACKGROUND: Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) in humans, which has been recognized as an emerging tick-borne disease in the United States and Europe. Although about 65 cases of HGA have been reported in Europe, some of them do not fulfill the criteria for confirmed HGA. Confirmation of HGA requires A. phagocytophilum isolation from blood, and/or identification of morulae in granulocytes and/or positive PCR results with subsequent sequencing of the amplicons to demonstrate specific rickettsial DNA. Seroconversion or at least fourfold increase in antibody titers to A. phagocytophilum has been used as criteria for confirmed HGA also. CASE PRESENTATION: Infection with A. phagocytophilum was confirmed by PCR in a patient in Sicily, Italy, who had negative serology for A. phagocytophilum. A fragment of A. phagocytophilum 16S rDNA was amplified by two independent laboratories and sequenced from two separate patient's blood samples. The 16S rDNA sequence was identical in both samples and identical to the sequence of the A. phagocytophilum strain USG3 originally obtained from a dog. CONCLUSION: Infection with A. phagocytophilum was confirmed in a patient without a detectable antibody response against the pathogen. The results reported herein documented the first case of confirmed HGA in Sicily, Italy. These results suggested the possibility of human infections with A. phagocytophilum strains that result in clinical symptoms and laboratory findings confirmatory of HGA but without detectable antibodies against the pathogen

Is caretta caretta a carrier of antibiotic resistance in the mediterranean sea?

Sea turtles can be considered a sentinel species for monitoring the health of marine ecosystems, acting, at the same time, as a carrier of microorganisms. Indeed, sea turtles can acquire the microbiota from their reproductive sites and feeding, contributing to the diffusion of antibiotic-resistant strains to uncontaminated environments. This study aims to unveil the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in (i) loggerhead sea turtles stranded along the coast of Sicily (Mediterranean Sea), (ii) unhatched and/or hatched eggs, (iii) sand from the turtles’ nest and (iv) seawater. Forty-four bacterial strains were isolated and identified by conventional biochemical tests and 16S rDNA sequencing. The Gram-negative Aeromonas and Vibrio species were mainly found in sea turtles and seawater samples, respectively. Conversely, the Gram-positive Bacillus, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus strains were mostly isolated from eggs and sand. The antimicrobial resistance profile of the isolates revealed that these strains were resistant to cefazolin (95.5%), streptomycin (43.2%), colistin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (34.1%). Moreover, metagenome analysis unveiled the presence of both antibiotic and heavy metal resistance genes, as well as the mobile element class 1 integron at an alarming percentage rate. Our results suggest that Caretta caretta could be considered a carrier of antibiotic-resistant genes

Detection of natural killer T cells in mice infected with Rickettsia conorii

Little information is available regarding the role of natural killer T (NKT) cells during the early stage of Rickettsia conorii infection. Herein, C3H/HeN mice were infected with the Malish 7 strain of R. conorii. Splenocytes from these mice were analysed in the early stage of the infection by flow cytometry and compared with uninfected controls. Our results showed an increase in NKT cells in infected mice. Additionally, NKT interleukin (IL)-17(+) cells increased three days after infection, together with a concurrent decrease in the relative amount of NKT interferon (IFN)-\u3b3(+) cells. We also confirmed a higher amount of NK IFN-\u3b3(+) cells in infected mice. Taken together, our data showed that NKT cells producing Il-17 increased during the early stage of rickettsial infection. These results suggest a connection between IL-17(+) NKT cells and vasculitis, which is the main clinical symptom of rickettsiosi

Prion protein gene frequencies in three Sicilian dairy sheep populations

The objective of this paper was to investigate the prion protein (PrP) genotype and haplotype frequencies in three Sicilian dairy sheep populations. The three populations were: (1) 1096 Valle del Belice animals, (2) 1143 Comisana animals, and (3) 1771 individuals from 5 flocks with scrapie outbreaks, in which the animals were crossbreds derived from indigenous Sicilian dairy breeds. PrP genotypes are described for the three codons 136 (Alanine or Valine; A, V), 154 (Histidine or Arginine; H, R), and 171 (Glutamine, Arginine or Histidine; Q, R, H) which represent polymorphisms known to be linked with scrapie susceptibility. The Valle del Belice haplotype frequencies were 32.3% ARR, 6.5% AHQ, 1.0% ARH, 58.8% ARQ, and 1.4% VRQ. The Comisana frequencies were 39.4% ARR, 2.9% AHQ, 2.9% ARH, 50.9% ARQ, and 3.9% VRQ. In the flocks with scrapie outbreaks the frequencies were 32.8% ARR, 2.4% AHQ, 1.7% ARH, 59.1% ARQ, and 3.9% VRQ. In all three populations ARQ and ARR were the most frequent haplotypes. Multiple generations of strong selection will be needed to fixate the most resistant ARR haplotype

Measurements of polarized photo-pion production on longitudinally polarized HD and Implications for Convergence of the GDH Integral

We report new measurements of inclusive pion production from frozen-spin HD for polarized photon beams covering the Delta(1232) resonance. These provide data simultaneously on both H and D with nearly complete angular distributions of the spin-difference cross sections entering the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn (GDH) sum rule. Recent results from Mainz and Bonn exceed the GDH prediction for the proton by 22 microbarns, suggesting as yet unmeasured high-energy components. Our pi0 data reveal a different angular dependence than assumed in Mainz analyses and integrate to a value that is 18 microbarns lower, suggesting a more rapid convergence. Our results for deuterium are somewhat lower than published data, considerably more precise and generally lower than available calculations.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Submitted for publication in Physical Review Letter

Gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric and microbiological analyses on irradiated chicken

Ionizing radiation is widely used as treatment technique for food preservation. It involves among others reduction of microbial contamination, disinfestations, sprout inhibition and extension of shelf life of food. However, the commercialization of irradiated food requires the availability of reliable methods to identify irradiated foodstuffs. In this paper, we present results on the application to irradiated chicken of this method, based on the detection, in muscle and skin samples, of the peaks of ions 98 Da and 112 Da, in a ratio approximately 4:1, typical of radiation induced 2-dodecylcyclobutanones (2-DCB). Aim of the work was also to study the time stability of the measured parameters in samples irradiated at 3 and 5 kGy, and to verify the efficacy of the treatment from a microbiological point of view. Our results show that, one month after irradiation at 3 kGy, the method is suitable using the skin but not the muscle, while the measured parameters are detectable in both samples irradiated at 5 kGy. The microbial population was substantially reduced even at 3 kGy. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Biotic and abiotic factors shape the microbiota of wild-caught populations of the arbovirus vector Culicoides imicola

Biting midges of the genus Culicoides are known vectors of arboviruses affecting human and animal health. However, little is known about Culicoides imicola microbiota and its influence on this insect’s biology. In this study, the impact of biotic and abiotic factors on C. imicola microbiota was characterized using shotgun-metagenomic sequencing of whole-body DNA samples. Wild-caught C. imicola adult nulliparous females were sampled in two locations from Sicily, Italy. The climatic variables of temperature and soil moisture from both localities were recorded together with potential host bloodmeal sources. Shared core microbiome among C. imicola populations included Pseudomonas, Escherichia, Halomonas, Candidatus Zinderia, Propionibacterium, and Schizosaccharomyces. Specific and unique taxa were also found in C. imicola from each location, highlighting similarities and differences in microbiome composition between the two populations. DNA and protein identification showed differences in host preferences between the two populations, with Homo sapiens and Canis lupus familiaris L. being the preferred bloodmeal source in both locations. A principal component analysis showed that the combined effect of host preferences (H. sapiens) and local soil moisture factors shape the microbiome composition of wild-caught populations of C. imicola. These results contribute to characterizing the role of the microbiome in insect adaptation and its utility in predicting geographic expansion of Culicoides species with potential implications for the control of vector-borne diseases

Frequency of Piroplasms Babesia microti and Cytauxzoon felis in Stray Cats from Northern Italy

Emerging diseases caused by piroplasms pose a health risk for man and other animals, and domestic cats have been proposed as potential reservoirs for some piroplasm infections. The aim of this study was to identify the frequency of the piroplasms Babesia microti and Cytauxzoon felis in stray cats from northern Italy and to identify possible risk factors associated with these infections. Blood samples from 260 stray cats enrolled in a trap-neuter-release (TNR) program in northern Italy were examined with conventional PCR for the presence of Babesia microti and Cytauxzoon felis DNA. No sample (0.0%) tested positive for C. felis, whilst B. microti DNA was detected in two samples (0.8%). Both infected cats were in good clinical condition and recovered well from the neutering surgery. One of these two cats had a triple coinfection with Babesia microti, Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Evidence presented in this study indicates that the blood borne protozoans Babesia microti and Cytauxzoon felis are not widely distributed in stray cat populations in Milan, northern Italy, and that the significance of cats as a reservoir host for B. microti in this area is limited