Identification of new amoebae strains in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum) farms affected by nodular gill disease (NGD) in Northeastern Italy.

Nodular gill disease (NGD) is an emerging condition associated with amoeba trophozoites in freshwater salmonid farms. However, unambiguous identification of the pathogens still must be achieved. This study aimed to identify the amoeba species involved in periodic NGD outbreaks in two rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) farms in Northeastern Italy.

An update and ecological perspective on certain sentinel helminth endoparasites within the Mediterranean Sea.

The Mediterranean Sea is recognized as a marine biodiversity hotspot. This enclosed basin is facing several anthropogenic-driven threats, such as seawater warming, pollution, overfishing, bycatch, intense maritime transport and invasion by alien species. The present review focuses on the diversity and ecology of specific marine trophically transmitted helminth endoparasites (TTHs) of the Mediterranean ecosystems, aiming to elucidate their potential effectiveness as ‘sentinels’ of anthropogenic disturbances in the marine environment.

Molecular and morphological studies on A and B in great cormorants () from Italy and Israel.

The distribution of parasites is shaped by a variety of factors, among which are the migratory movements of their hosts. Israel has a unique position to migratory routes of several bird species leaving Europe to winter in Africa, however, detailed studies on the parasite fauna of birds from this area are scarce. Our study investigates occurrence and distribution of sibling species among complex in from Italy and Israel, to acquire further information on the geographical range of these species to gain deeper knowledge on the ecology of these parasites and their bird host.

in Debilitated and Bycatch-Derived Loggerhead Sea Turtles from Northwestern Adriatic Sea.

(Copepoda: Harpaticoida) is one of the few components of the epibiontic fauna of that show a "true" parasitic association with their host. From rrosive to ulcerative cutaneous lesions may seldom appear as a consequence of the copepod feeding on keratin on turtles' skin. Debilitating Turtle Syndrome (DTS) is the final outcome of a chronic insufficient assumption of nutrients, generally occurring with the impairment of immune functions and high epibiota burdens.

A stratified compartmental model for the transmission of (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea) in gilthead seabream () fish farms.

The rapid development of intensive fish farming has been associated with the spreading of infectious diseases, pathogens and parasites. One such parasite is (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea), which commonly infects cultured gilthead seabream ()-a vital species in Mediterranean aquaculture. The parasite attaches to fish gills and can cause epizootics in sea cages with relevant consequences for fish health and associated economic losses for fish farmers.

Dirofilaria repens Testicular Infection in Child, Italy.

Testicular Dirofilaria repens infection was identified and confirmed by sequence analysis in a child in northeastern Italy. Because human dirofilariasis is emerging in southern and eastern Europe, this parasitic infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of scrotal swelling in disease-endemic countries to avoid unnecessary interventions, such as orchiectomy.

Human Pulmonary Dirofilariasis Due to : The First Italian Case Confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis, with a Systematic Literature Review.

Dirofilariasis is a zoonosis caused by nematodes of the genus is cosmopolitan as regards its distribution in animals, being responsible for human pulmonary dirofilariasis in the New World. However, human infections by are exceptional in Europe, and the previously reported Italian cases of pulmonary dirofilariasis were due to . We performed a systematic literature review of the Italian cases of human dirofilariasis due to according to the PRISMA guidelines.

The first new species of European Looss, 1899 (Digenea: Heterophyidae) described in more than half a century.

() n. sp. is described based on adults from experimentally infected ducklings () fed with metacercariae from the visceral serosa of the Mediterranean banded killifish, (Cyprinodontiformes: Aphaniidae), from coastal lagoons in northeastern Italy (Emilia-Romagna Region).

Morphological description and molecular characterization of larvae (Nematoda: Anisakidae) parasitizing market-size hybrid tilapia ( x ) and red drum () farmed in Israel.

Nematodes belonging to the genus (family: Anisakidae) are heteroxenous parasites with a complex life cycle. larvae infecting farmed fish and fishery products are economically important causing market rejection in massive infection and may have zoonotic potential. In Israel, larvae have been described morphologically in several fish species; however, none of these descriptions were supported by molecular tools.

Occurrence of (Monogenea: Capsalidae) in Gilthead Seabream (Actinopterygii: Sparidae) Cultured in Portugal.

Monogenean capsalids of the genus are widespread parasites of wild and farmed marine fish, and represent a potential threat to mariculture due to their pathogenicity and ability to cause mortality in fish maintained in controlled conditions. The identification of species and, consequently, the definition of their host specificity is often problematic due to their highly conserved morphology; therefore, in order to establish their specific identity, microscopic observation should be complemented with molecular analysis. The present work aims at characterizing specimens infecting the skin of cage reared gilthead seabream from Portugal.

Three new species of Neoechinorhynchus (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) from fresh-water fish collected from Tigris River, Iraq.

Three new species of Neoechinorhynchus are described from freshwater fish of Tigris River, at Salah Al-Din province, mid Iraq, namely Neoechinorhynchus tigrisensis n. sp. from Shilik Leuciscus vorax (Heckel) and Brond-snout Chondrostoma regium (Heckel), N.

Illegal fishing with electrofishing devices in the Po river basin, Emilia Romagna, Italy.

Electric fishing is an illegal hunting method, unfortunately widely used by poachers to paralyze fish and to catch many animals in a short time. In Italy, it is authorized only for scientific and conservative purposes. Between 2014 and 2018, the Ferrara section of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardy and Emilia Romagna, Italy, received nine cases of potentially illegal electric fishing in Po river and its tributary rivers.

Histological assessment of systemic granulomatosis progression in meagre Argyrosomus regius during cage ongrowing phase.

Meagre Argyrosomus regius is a potential candidate for Mediterranean aquaculture diversification, although several health issues still represent important bottlenecks for its sustainable production, including systemic granulomatosis (SG). To evaluate the SG progression in meagre during a 10 mo period of cage ongrowing, a histopathological investigation was carried out on 108 meagre fed 3 different diets (commercial pellets, hydrated commercial pellets and defrosted sardines). Histological sections of the gills and visceral organs were examined and lesions referable to SG scored from 1-3 according to the severity of the granulomatosis.

Helminth Infection of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle along the Coasts of Sicily and the North West Adriatic Sea.

We provide new data on the presence of helminth parasites in 64 individual loggerhead sea turtles stranded along the coasts of Sicily and the northwest Adriatic Sea between June 2014 and August 2016. The necropsy examination revealed 31 individuals (48.4%) positive for endoparasites, showing a greater prevalence of trematodes than nematodes.

Absence of anisakis nematodes in smoked farmed Atlantic salmon () products on sale in European countries.

The increase of global demand of aquaculture products as compensation for the lowering of fishery sustainability has shown a parallel awareness by the consumers on the importance of the safety and quality of fish products. Among these, salmon industry has reached a leading position demonstrating the negligible risk of presence of zoonotic helminths such as in farmed salmon. Despite the massive production of data in literature on parasitological surveys carried out on fresh salmon, no data are published on processed farmed salmon such as smoked products.

Negligible risk of zoonotic anisakid nematodes in farmed fish from European mariculture, 2016 to 2018.

BackgroundThe increasing demand for raw or undercooked fish products, supplied by both aquaculture and fisheries, raises concerns about the transmission risk to humans of zoonotic fish parasites. This has led to the current European Union (EU) Regulation No 1276/2011 amending Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and mandating a freezing treatment of such products. Zoonotic parasites, particularly anisakid larvae, have been well documented in wild fish.

Metacestodes of Elasmobranch Tapeworms in (Mollusca, Cephalopoda) from Central Mediterranean-SEM and Molecular Data.

Cephalopods are intermediate/paratenic hosts in the life cycle of elasmobranch tapeworms, nevertheless most records of infection in this group of mollusks are outdated and fragmentary. The present work aimed to investigate the cestode fauna of the common octopus from the Tyrrhenian Sea (Central Mediterranean). The parasitic stages were characterized by light and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and sequencing of 28S rDNA.

in Mediterranean Fish Farms: New Trouble for European Aquaculture?

, a slow-growing mycobacterium closely related to , has been isolated only in wild fish in the United States and in Japanese fish farms to date. Here, we report cases of mortality in three farmed fish species (, , and ) caused by in Italy. Samples underwent necropsy, histology, and culture with pathogen identification based on PCR and sequencing of housekeeping genes (16S rRNA, , ).

Multiplex PCR for simultaneous identification of the most common European Opisthorchiid and Heterophyid in fish or fish products.

Among others, the families Opisthorchiidae and Heterophyidae includes several genera causing fish-borne zoonoses and distributed also in European Countries and that are included in the ParaFishControl (Advanced Tools and Research Strategies for Parasite Control in European farmed fish) H2020 EU project. Due to the small size of the metacercariae, the infective stage for human, these parasites cannot be detected visually in fish and monitoring requires expert application of time-consuming techniques. The aim of this was to develop a rapid and affordable molecular method based on multiplex PCR for simultaneous identification of metacercariae of the most common European Opisthorchiid and Heterophyid in fish or fish products.