Geographical isolation and hyperendemicity of : Epidemiological scenario in Skopelos, Greece, and phylogenetic analysis.

Feline hepatozoonosis is a vector-borne disease caused by different species of the genus , i.e. , and .

Survey of ectoparasites affecting dog and cat populations living in sympatry in Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Background: Ectoparasites of dogs and cats are implicated to be responsible for life-threatening anaemia, allergic dermatitis and pruritic and non-pruritic skin disorders. In Ethiopia, few studies have been conducted on the arthropods of dogs and cats.

Objectives: In order to shed light on some of these aspects, a survey was conducted to investigate the presence of ectoparasites in dogs and cats living in sympatry in the urban and rural areas of Gamo Zone, Ethiopia.

Faecal egg count reduction test in goats: Zooming in on the genus level.

The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) is the most widely used method to assess treatment efficacy against gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). Information on genera composition of the GIN community is not available with this test and it is commonly obtained by identifying cultured third-stage larvae (L3) or through molecular assays in the post-treatment survey, but results provided are usually only qualitative or semi-quantitative. The updated WAAVP guidelines now recommend assessing anthelmintic efficacy for each GIN genus/species separately (genus-specific FECRT), but this approach is poorly employed in Europe and in goats especially.

Differential diagnosis of Eimeria species in farmed Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica).

Similarly to poultry industry, coccidiosis may cause significant economic losses also in the commercial quail industry, an emerging sector undergoing uneven development around the world. Although scant and mostly dated, the available literature reports detailed morphological and morphometric features of both oocysts and sporocysts of the Eimeria species hitherto recognized in Japanese quails, i.e.

Parasitological transitions: selected outcomes from the XXXII Congress of the Italian Society for Parasitology.

Founded in 1959, the Italian Society of Parasitology (SoIPa) includes nearly 200 researchers and professionals in the fields of medicine, veterinary medicine, biotechnology, epidemiology and environmental sciences. The diversity of its members, in a historical and continuous collaboration with other international scientific societies, embodies a broad and multidisciplinary field such as parasitology. Since 1959, SoIPa has organized a biennial congress, covering all aspects of general parasitology with participants from all over Italy, Europe and beyond, involved in a dynamic and multi-faceted scientific framework of contributions and symposia.

Molecular survey of spp. and spp. in felids using a novel real-time PCR approach.

Tick-transmitted apicomplexans of the genera and affect a wide range of felids worldwide, but little is known about them. Recently, several studies addressed the species circulating in Europe, their distribution, and their hosts. Molecular assays are the method of choice for their detection.

Do natural catastrophic events and exceptional climatic conditions also affect parasites?

Parasites and parasitologists have always lived together in good and bad luck in a sort of forced marriage. In recent times bad luck certainly prevailed, because of increasing man-made emergencies such as wars, chemical disasters, but also because of natural disasters, amplified by climate change, that condition more and more parasite–host equilibrium. The symposium at the National Congress of the Italian Society for Parasitology, was a first occasion for Italian parasitologists to reason about ‘disaster parasitology’ and researchers’ responsibilities.

Potential of Full-Fat Silkworm-Based Diets for Laying Quails: Performance and Egg Physical Quality.

The present research was conducted to determine the optimal inclusion level of full-fat silkworm chrysalis meal (SWM) into laying quails' diets, focusing on performance traits and egg physical quality. A total of 240 31-day-old female Japanese quails were randomly assigned to four dietary groups (12 replicates/treatment; 5 quails/replicate); quails were initially fed a standard commercial diet for pullets until 63 days of age. When oviposition started, the experimental groups received the following diets: a conventional corn and soybean-based diet (control diet-C) and three other diets, including 4%, 8%, or 12% of full-fat SWM (SWM4, SWM8, SWM12, respectively).

Evidence of in Felids in North-Eastern Italy.

is a mosquito-borne nematode, causing heartworm (HW) disease in wild and domestic canids. HW can also affect felids with different clinical patterns from asymptomatic pictures to sudden death, making the monitoring and diagnosis complicated. Canine HW is endemic in North-eastern Italy; however, very little information has been recorded for felids.

Hemorrhagic Meningoencephalomyelitis Due to Ectopic Localization of in a Cat: First Case Report.

The lungworm is one of the main causes of respiratory diseases in cats worldwide. This report describes the unusual case of a kitten infected with and presented to a veterinary clinic in Brazil with lethargy, dysphagia, non-ambulatory tetraplegia, and pelvic limbs bilateral myoclonus. The clinical picture of the kitten worsened with generalized flaccid tetraplegia and death a few days after hospitalization.

sp. and spp. in Domestic Cats: A Preliminary Study in North-Eastern Italy.

Knowledge on the presence of sp. and spp. in Italy is scant and mostly limited to a few areas of Northern and Southern regions, respectively.

Simultaneous Exposure to and Vector-Borne Pathogens in Dogs from Italy.

Several drivers have recently fostered the expansion of throughout Europe, where Vector-Borne Pathogens (VBPs) are also spreading. However, the level of simultaneous risk of infection is still unknown in canine populations. This study evaluated the simultaneous exposure to and major canine VBPs in dogs of Italy.

Quantitative Monitoring of Selected Groups of Parasites in Domestic Ruminants: A Comparative Review.

Parasites have had a significant impact on domestic ruminant health and production for a long time, but the emerging threat of drug resistance urgently requires an improved approach to parasite monitoring and control activities. The study reviewed the international literature to analyze the different proposals for the sampling approach and the quantitative estimation of parasite burdens in groups of animals. Moreover, the use of thresholds to decide when and which animal to treat was also investigated.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with cat parasites in Italy: a multicenter study.

Background: Parasites that infect cats include protozoa, helminths and arthropods, many of which are transmissible to humans. Effective control relies on a good knowledge of parasite distribution and the risk factors for infection. The present study was aimed at evaluating the prevalence of major feline parasites in Italy and the risk factors associated with their occurrence.

The Influence of Temperature on the Larval Development of in the Land Snail .

The metastrongyloid   has an indirect lifecycle involving gastropod intermediate hosts. The widespread snail   is an efficient intermediate host of . As the temperature may influence the developmental rate of metastrongyloids from first (L1) to the third infective larval stage (L3) inside molluscs, this study evaluated the effect of two controlled temperatures on the development of in .

Exposure to Major Vector-Borne Diseases in Dogs Subjected to Different Preventative Regimens in Endemic Areas of Italy.

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are globally widespread arthropod-transmitted diseases with a significant impact on animal and human health. Many drivers have recently spurred the geographic spread of VBDs in dogs. This study has evaluated the exposure to most important VBDs in dogs under different preventative treatments in different regions of Italy, i.

Survey on Endoparasites of Dairy Goats in North-Eastern Italy Using a Farm-Tailored Monitoring Approach.

With the spread of anthelmintic resistance (AR), endoparasite monitoring consolidates its role for a more sustainable targeting of treatments. A survey on endoparasites in dairy goat farms of north-eastern Italy was conducted to test a monitoring approach based on a farm-tailored sample size. Farm management and parasites control practices were investigated in 20 farms through a questionnaire survey.

An Unusual Case of Mixed Respiratory Capillariosis in a Dog.

Nematodes belonging to the genus infect a range of domestic and wild animals. and cause respiratory parasitoses in dogs and wild carnivores, e.g.

Surveillance of Zoonotic Parasites in Animals Involved in Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAIs).

Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are based on the establishment of a therapeutic relationship between animals and beneficiaries that is certain to provide positive effects, while currently, it reads as if AAIs aim at exposing stakeholders to potential risk of infection. The surveillance of zoonotic pathogens is necessary for guaranteeing common health. This study investigated the presence of potentially zoonotic parasites, including dermatophytes, in animals involved in AAIs.

First record of Hepatozoon spp. in domestic cats in Greece.

Feline hepatozoonosis is an emerging disease of domestic and wild felids though there is limited knowledge of this infection, e.g. regarding geographical distribution and parasite species involved.

Intermediate gastropod hosts of major feline cardiopulmonary nematodes in an area of wildcat and domestic cat sympatry in Greece.

Background: The metastrongyloid nematodes Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior and Angiostrongylus chabaudi are cardiopulmonary parasites affecting domestic cats (Felis catus) and wildcats (Felis silvestris). Although knowledge on these nematodes has been improved in the past years, gaps in our knowledge of their distribution and role of gastropods as intermediate hosts in Europe still exist. This study reports on the presence of these nematodes and their intermediate hosts in an area in Greece where domestic cats and wildcats occur in sympatry.