Environmental exposure to non-essential trace elements in two bat species from urbanised (Tadarida teniotis) and open land (Miniopterus schreibersii) areas in Italy.

Bats are particularly suited as bioindicators of trace element pollution due to their longevity and their position in the trophic chain. In this study, the concentrations of ten non-essential trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Hg, Pb, Sb, Sr, Th, Tl) were determined in the tissues (whole body, skin-fur, skinned body, liver, kidney and bone) of lactant Tadarida teniotis from a nursery colony in Rome. A large number of bats from this nursery died before fledging and had bone deformities and fractures.

Outbreak of swimmer's itch in Central Italy: Description, causative agent and preventive measures.

Swimmer's itch is caused by the penetration of free-swimming larvae of trematodes of the family Schistosomatidae in human skin. It is usually reported in people engaged in recreational water activities in freshwater bodies and in most of cases, it is provoked by bird schistosomes of the genus Trichobilharzia. In the summer 2017, many cases of dermatitis were recorded in people bathing in the waters of the Albano Lake (Rome, Italy) and a parasitological investigation was carried out in order to ascertain the causative agent of these cases.

Reference values for hematology and plasma biochemistry variables, and protein electrophoresis of healthy Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermanni ssp.).

Background: Hermann's tortoise, Testudo hermanni, is currently on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of endangered species. Reptile medicine relies also on laboratory analyses to evaluate health status, but reference ranges for hematology and biochemistry variables and protein electrophoresis in plasma of healthy tortoises are not available.

Objective: The purposes of this study were to establish reference ranges for select hematologic and biochemical variables in clinically healthy Hermann's tortoises, and evaluate the impact of sex and season.