Survey on the presence of floating microplastics, trace metals and metalloids in seawater from Southern Italy to the United States of America.

The presence of microplastics (MPs), trace metals (TM) and metalloids (Ms) in surface seawater is a severe emerging issue of global concern. Information about the distribution of these pollutants is often lacking, and large-scale studies come with uncertainties because of difficult comparisons of results obtained using different methods to collect and process data. This study presents a comprehensive investigation of microplastics (MPs), trace metals (TM) and metalloids (Ms) in surface seawater during two transatlantic sampling campaigns, covering approximately 17,000 nautical miles.

Evaluation of Biochemical Parameters in Sea Turtles.

The is the only known sea turtle that nests along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. It is considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because it is threatened by human activities. The aim of this work was to analyze biochemical parameters in different age groups of subjects recovered at the Centro di Referenza Nazionale sul Benessere, Monitoraggio e Diagnostica delle Malattie delle Tartarughe Marine (C.

Comparative Study of and subsp. In Vitro Infection in Bovine Bone Marrow Derived Macrophages: Preliminary Results.

Bovine tuberculosis and paratuberculosis are endemic in many areas worldwide. This work aims to study cytokines production and gene expression profiles of bovine macrophages infected with and subsp. (MAP) strains to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers.

African Swine Fever and Its Control Measures in Wild Boar: A Analysis in the European Union.

Recently, the African swine fever (ASF) epizootic has been reported in domestic pigs and wild boars in several European Union Member States (EU MS) and epidemiological evidence has accumulated which indicates that wild boar play a key role in maintaining and spreading the disease. Thanks to the experience gained when managing ASF outbreaks in Sardinia (Italy) and Eastern Europe, Directive 2002/60 CE was issued. This directive represented an important step forward in controlling the disease, particularly the risk of spreading the virus to wild animals.

A Canine Leptospirosis Clinical Case Due to (Serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae) in a Dog Kennel in Castelvetrano (Western Sicily, South Italy).

Leptospirosis is a worldwide widespread zoonosis caused by genus. We report an acute leptospirosis case in a puppy housed at a municipal kennel and the subsequent diagnostic investigations carried out on all dogs housed in the kennel. Laboratory investigation included mainly a microagglutination test, real-time PCR, and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) for genus.

Serological and Molecular Evidence of Pathogenic spp. in Stray Dogs and Cats of Sicily (South Italy), 2017-2021.

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of public health concern. Its prevalence in stray animals in the South of Italy is unknown. This study aimed to investigate spp.

Preliminary Study on the Host Response to Bivalent and Monovalent Autogenous Vaccines against in Dairy Sheep.

In Italy, dairy sheep farming represents a vital agro-industry sector, but it is still challenged by contagious agalactia (CA), which is endemic there, and vaccination is the most economical and sustainable tool for control. This study aimed to evaluate the combined () vaccine ) against the monovalent vaccine in ewes. Twelve primiparous -free ewes were randomly grouped into three equal groups: first, the control group injected with placebo, second, the group vaccinated with the monovalent vaccine, and third, the group vaccinated with combined vaccine, with two S/C doses at 45-day intervals.

Evaluating the association between blood genotype or phenotype and haemoplasma infection in UK and Italian cats.

Background: In humans, blood groups are associated with varying prevalence of infections. The aim of this study was to determine if associations exist between the feline AB blood group system and haemoplasma infection.

Methods: Data from two studies were combined.

Alternative Molecular Tools for the Fight against Infectious Diseases of Small Ruminants: Native Sicilian Sheep Breeds and Maedi-Visna Genetic Susceptibility.

Maedi-visna (MV) is a disease caused by small ruminant lentiviruses. It is included in the list of notifiable terrestrial animal diseases due to economic losses and animal welfare harm in the sheep sector. To date, control programs remain the onliest approach to avoiding infection.

First Molecular Survey to Detect and in Poultry Farms in a Strategic Production District of Sicily (South-Italy).

Mycoplasmas are recognized as avian pathogens, which may cause both respiratory disease and synovial infections in poultry, resulting in severe economic losses. Our study aims to determine the occurrence of (MG) and (MS) among commercial and rural laying hens located in Ragusa province (South Italy), using a duplex real time PCR. Four hundred tracheal swabs were collected from seven commercial (200 swabs) and 25 rural (200 swabs) farms without any clinical disease history.

Serogroup Pomona in a Dairy Cattle Farm in a Multi-Host Zootechnical System.

Bovine leptospirosis is an infectious zoonotic disease causing reproductive problems and economic losses in livestock. This work reports, for the first time in Sicily (South Italy), an outbreak of serogroup Pomona that occurred in cattle farms within the Nebrodi Park and was mainly characterized by full-term abortion. Blood and urine samples were collected at different time points from animals of six different farms (Farms A-F) sharing the same grazing area.

Diagnostic Findings in a Confirmed Outbreak of Infection in a Traditional Sheep Farm in Sicily (South-Italy).

Aim of this study is to report a laboratory investigation performed following the isolation of , causing ovine epididymitis, in a traditional sheep farm in Sicily (South Italy). This disease represents a newly emerging risk for Italian livestock and is listed among diseases of EU priority (EU Reg 2016/429). Blood samples from 56 rams and 143 ewes were analyzed by both Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Complement Fixation Test (CFT).

Comparison of the Intestinal Microbiome of Italian Patients with Multiple Sclerosis and Their Household Relatives.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system, caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. In recent years, a role in MS pathogenesis was assigned to the gut microbiota. However, different signatures of gut dysbiosis have been shown to depend on environmental factors, like diet and lifestyle.

A Neglected Parasite: , First Report in Feral Pigs in a Natural Park of Sicily (Southern Italy).

Sanitary management and population control of feral pigs remains a major problem in public health, particularly in natural parks where hunting is prohibited and the extensive farming of livestock is common. is a zoonotic parasite species with a worldwide distribution of which the natural definitive hosts are primarily pigs and wild boars (). The present study describes the main anatomo-pathological and parasitological findings in the first case of in feral pigs in the Madonie park in Sicily (Southern Italy).

Serological and Molecular Evidence of in Stray Cats from Southern Italy.

is a slow growing and facultative intracellular pathogen mainly transmitted by arthropod vectors adapted to domestic and wild mammalian reservoir hosts. Since cats are the major source of the infection, this study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence and the DNA presence in randomly sampled stray cats. Blood samples of 429 cats were collected from shelter of Palermo (Southern Italy) and sera and whole blood were analyzed for the presence of antibodies against by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively.

A Cross Sectional Study on Serological Prevalence of and in Different Canine Population of Sicily (South-Italy) during 2017-2019.

Vector-borne pathogens such as and are widespread in the Mediterranean basin. , is considered the main vector in Mediterranean climatic areas. Seroprevalence in dogs is variable in relation to environmental factors, presence of vectors, and dogs' management.

Serogroup Sejroe Serovar Hardjo in Aborting Cows: Two Herd Cases in Sicily (Italy).

Introduction: The aim of this study was to present two outbreaks of bovine abortion due to infection in cattle herds located in the northern part of Sicily (Italy). The animals were positive for serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjo in a microscopic agglutination test (MAT).

Material And Methods: A total of 23 Charolaise cows (farm A) and 75 Limousine bulls and Cinisara and Modicana cows (farm B) were enrolled in this study.

Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in dairy cattle from Sicily.

Q fever is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium with a wide range of hosts. The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection in cattle in Sicilian farms.

Comparison of Antibiotic Resistance Profile and Biofilm Production of Isolates Derived from Human Specimens and Animal-Derived Samples.

Background: The diffusion of antimicrobial resistance is a significant concern for public health worldwide. represents a paradigm microorganism for antibiotic resistance in that resistant strains appear within a decade after the introduction of new antibiotics.

Methods: Fourteen isolates from human specimens and twenty-one from samples of animal origin, were compared for their antimicrobial resistance and biofilm capability.

Toxic mineral elements in from Sicilian coasts (Southern Italy).

We assessed the relationship between V, Cr, Mn, Hg, As, Cd, Sn, Sb and Pb concentrations in samples from the coasts of Sicily and the expression of . Toxic mineral elements assessment was carried out by A.A.

Antibiotic Resistance Profiling, Analysis of Virulence Aspects and Molecular Genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated in Sicily, Italy.

Staphylococcus aureus is the major cause of foodborne diseases worldwide. In this retrospective study, 84 S. aureus strains were characterized.

Analysis of seroprevalence against Coxiella burnetii in a sample of farm workers in Western Sicily.

Introduction And Objective: Little is known about the development of chronic Q fever caused by Coxiella burnetii in occupational risk groups and in the general population in Italy, as well as in many countries in the world. The aim of this study was to highlight the presence of the infection in a sample of workers operating outdoors (but not directly in contact with animals), in three provinces of western Sicily, in order to detect the human seroprevalence and compare the obtained data with those found in animals raised in the same territory.

Materials And Methods: The study included 126 generic seasonal agricultural workers (labourers), 84 male and 42 female; none of whom were aware of any previous contact with Coxiella burnetii.