Evolutionary dynamics of PRRS virus in Italian Pig farms: a retrospective study.

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) causes huge economic losses to pig farms worldwide. Currently available vaccines do not always offer complete protection, due to the extreme variability of the virus. Therefore, good farming practices must be improved to prevent the disease from spreading across the pig production system.

Fecal Carriage and Risk Factors Associated with Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-/AmpC-/Carbapenemase-Producing in Dogs from Italy.

MDR bacteria are an emerging global threat to public health, and the role of dogs in the rise of antimicrobial resistance is under investigation. This study investigated the fecal shedding of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-, AmpC- and carbapenemase (CP)-producing and associated risk factors in dogs admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Lodi, University of Milan, or other veterinary clinics and kennels in Northen Italy. Feces collected in 2020-2022 were microbiologically and molecularly analyzed.

Infectious Agents Associated with Abortion Outbreaks in Italian Pig Farms from 2011 to 2021.

The present study retrospectively analyzed the infectious agents associated with 829 abortion outbreaks occurring from 2011 to 2021 in northern Italy. Foetuses were subjected to necropsies, and organ samples were analyzed by direct PCR to screen for six swine pathogens. In 42.

Biosecurity measures to control hepatitis E virus on European pig farms.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 is a prevalent zoonotic pathogen in European pig farms, posing a significant public health risk primarily through the foodborne route. The study aimed to identify effective biosecurity measures for controlling HEV transmission on pig farms, addressing a critical gap in current knowledge. Utilizing a cross-sectional design, fecal samples from gilts, dry sows, and fatteners were collected on 231 pig farms of all farm types across nine European countries.

Corrigendum: Biosecurity measures to control hepatitis E virus on European pig farms.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.

Isolation and Molecular Evidence of Tunisian Sheep-like Pestivirus () in Persistently Infected Sheep in Northern Italy, 2023.

Over the last few decades, several pestiviruses have been discovered in ruminants, pigs, and, more recently, in non-ungulate hosts. Consequently, the nomenclature and taxonomy of pestiviruses have been updated. The Tunisian sheep-like pestivirus (TSV, ) is an additional ovine pestivirus genetically closely related to classical swine fever virus (CSFV).

An Integrated Analysis of Abattoir Lung Lesion Scores and Antimicrobial Use in Italian Heavy Pig Finishing Farms.

Respiratory diseases significantly affect intensive pig finishing farms, causing production losses and increased antimicrobial use (AMU). Lesion scoring at slaughter has been recognized as a beneficial practice to evaluate herd management. The integrated analysis of abattoir lesion scores and AMU data could improve decision-making by providing feedback to veterinarians and farmers on the effectiveness of antimicrobial treatments, thus rationalizing their use.

Brucella spp. in Wildlife of the Lombardy Region, Northern Italy.

Surveillance data collected in the period 2017-20 for Brucella spp. in wildlife of the Lombardy Region in northern Italy were used to describe the exposure of the wildlife species to Brucella spp. in wild boar (Sus scrofa), European brown hare (Lepus europaeus), fallow deer (Dama dama), red deer (Cervus elaphus), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).

Feasibility of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in the Classification of Pig Lung Lesions.

Respiratory diseases significantly affect intensive pig farming, causing production losses and increased antimicrobial use. Accurate classification of lung lesions is crucial for effective diagnostics and disease management. The integration of non-destructive and rapid techniques would be beneficial to enhance overall efficiency in addressing these challenges.

Bacteriological culture and direct PCR for detecting the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in the Italian eradication campaign: a decade of experience at the National Reference Laboratory.

Aims: Our study evaluates the capacity of direct real-time PCR for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), with a focus on diagnostic performances and the feasibility of implementing this protocol in an eradication campaign. Specifically, we compare the effectiveness of the direct PCR method to various culture systems used by the Italian National Reference Laboratory over the last decade to detect MTBC.

Methods And Results: Bovine tissue samples were routinely tested and analyzed for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) confirmation using microbiological culture (solid and liquid media), histopathological analysis, and a direct PCR assay targeting IS6110, an insertion sequence specific to the MTBC that is widely used for tuberculosis diagnosis.

Factors related to longevity and mortality of dogs in Italy.

Besides its translational value, an improved understanding of dog longevity and mortality is necessary to guide health management decisions, breed selection, and improve dog welfare. In order to analyse the lifespan of dogs in Italy, identify the most common causes of death, and evaluate possible risk factors, anonymised medical records were collected from 9 veterinary teaching hospitals and 2 public health institutions. Data regarding breed, sex, neuter status, age, diagnosis, and mechanism of death were retrieved.

Molecular Survey on Porcine Parvoviruses (PPV1-7) and Their Association with Major Pathogens in Reproductive Failure Outbreaks in Northern Italy.

Successful reproductive performance is key to farm competitiveness in the global marketplace. Porcine parvovirus 1 (PPV1) has been identified as a major cause of reproductive failure, and since 2001 new species of porcine parvoviruses, namely PPV2-7, have been identified, although their role is not yet fully understood yet. The present study aimed to investigate PPVs' presence in reproductive failure outbreaks occurring in 124 farms of northern Italy.

Identification of Putative Novel Rotavirus H VP7, VP4, VP6 and NSP4 Genotypes in Pigs.

Rotavirus H (RVH) has been detected in humans, pigs and bats. Recently, RVH infections were reported in different porcine farms worldwide, suggesting epidemiological relevance. However, to date, the genome information of RVH strains has been limited due to the scarcity of deposited sequences.

The Characterisation of Isolated in an Outbreak of Septicaemic Disease in Farmed Sea Bass (, Linnaues 1758) in Italy.

In aquaculture, is a common fish pathogen that can cause significant economic losses in several fresh and saltwater species. Despite the extensive range of hosts, infection in sea bass () has rarely been reported. During the summer of 2023, an outbreak occurred in an inland farm in the Gulf of Follonica (Tuscany, Italy).

H NMR Metabolomics on Pigs' Liver Exposed to Antibiotics Administration: An Explorative Study.

An untargeted Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-based metabolomics approach was applied as a first attempt to explore the metabolome of pigs treated with antibiotics. The final goal was to investigate the possibility of discriminating between antibiotic-treated (TX group) and untreated pigs (CTRL group), with the further perspective of identifying the authentication tools for antibiotic-free pork supply chains. In particular, 41 samples of pig liver were subjected to a biphasic extraction to recover both the polar and the non-polar metabolites, and the H NMR spectroscopy analysis was performed on the two separate extracts.

A Review of Slaughter Practices and Their Effectiveness to Control Microbial - esp. Salmonella spp. - Contamination of Pig Carcasses.

The BIOPIGEE project (part of the One Health European Joint Programme under Horizon 2020) aimed to identify relevant measures to effectively control Salmonella, and another zoonotic pathogen, hepatitis E virus (HEV) within the pig meat food chain. The aim of this study was to identify biosecurity measures or management practices that are relevant for limiting Salmonella and/or HEV occurrence and spread within pig slaughterhouses. This was with the final goal of compiling a list of biosecurity measures for different processes and operations along the slaughter line with evidence of their effectiveness.

A Preliminary Study on the Relationship between Gastric Lesions and Anti-Inflammatory Drug Usage in Heavy Pigs.

Gastric lesions in pigs cause welfare and economic losses. Their prevalence in heavy pigs reared for premium products (e.g.

Comparing Visual-Only and Visual-Palpation Post-Mortem Lung Scoring Systems in Slaughtering Pigs.

Respiratory diseases continue to pose significant challenges in pig production, and the assessment of lung lesions at the abattoir can provide valuable data for epidemiological investigations and disease surveillance. The evaluation of lung lesions at slaughter is a relatively simple, fast, and straightforward process but variations arising from different abattoirs, observers, and scoring methods can introduce uncertainty; moreover, the presence of multiple scoring systems complicates the comparisons of different studies, and currently, there are limited studies that compare these systems among each other. The objective of this study was to compare validated, simplified, and standardized schemes for assessing surface-related lung lesions in slaughtered pigs and analyze their reliability under field conditions.

Elemental profiles of swine tissues as descriptors for the traceability of value-added Italian heavy pig production chains.

The increasing demand for reliable traceability tools in the meat supply chain has prompted the exploration of innovative approaches that meet stringent quality standards. In this work, 57 elements were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and direct mercury analysis in 80 muscle and 80 liver samples of Italian heavy pigs to investigate the potential of new tools based on multi-elemental profiles in supporting value-added meat supply chains. Samples from three groups of animals belonging to the protected designation of origin (PDO) Parma Ham circuit (conventionally raised; raised with genetically modified organism (GMO)-free feeds; raised with GMO-free feeds plus the supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA)) and a fourth group of samples from animals not compliant with the PDO Parma Ham production process were analyzed.

Assessing pig farm biosecurity measures for the control of on European farms.

spp. is a common zoonotic pathogen, causing gastrointestinal infections in people. Pigs and pig meat are a major source of infection.

PRRS Monitoring by Processing Fluids on Italian Swine Breeding Farms.

The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) control strategy within swine breeding farms is based on herd classification relative to PRRSV infection status. This study aims to assess the efficacy of a monitoring plan based on processing fluids (PFs) by comparing it with the classification of herds based on the analysis of blood serum. Twenty-five breeding herds were enrolled in the study, with at least five consecutive batches sampled from each herd.

Cross-sectional study of hepatitis E virus (HEV) circulation in Italian pig farms.

Foodborne transmission is considered the main way of spreading zoonotic hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in Europe. In recent years, the human cases of hepatitis E in subjects without history of travel in endemic areas have raised, suggesting that domestic HEV transmission is increasing. Pork products with or without liver, are often indicated as the source of many human foodborne HEV cases as well as small outbreaks.