Publications by authors named "Ilaria Menozzi"

Human salmonellosis is a high-priority foodborne disease worldwide. The main reservoir of is livestock, mainly swine and poultry that are infected both by generalist serovars and serovars adapted to them. The most widespread livestock-adapted serovars are attenuated in both their primary hosts and humans.

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  • - Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a serious infectious disease affecting both livestock and wildlife, which can also be transmitted to humans, prompting a study in Italy to investigate its genetic makeup and transmission.
  • - Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of two common bTB strains in Italy revealed distinct genetic variations, with Italian isolates showing significant differences from other European strains, highlighting regional differences in infection.
  • - The study found that while there’s limited genetic diversity within specific cattle herds, persistent strains are common in hotspots, underscoring the need for updated control strategies that leverage WGS and promote a One-Health approach to tackle this public health issue.
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This study integrated population data with assessment of virulence phenotypes to unveil that a considerable part of the global population of Derby is evolving to enhance its host adaptation to the swine host and that this evolution is simultaneously increasing its attenuation for humans. The study shows that the fixation of deleterious mutations in SPI-1 has a role in this process. This evidence indicates that SPI-1 has a key role for .

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Rare cases of community-acquired pneumonia (PA-CAP) were reported in non-immunocompromised patients. We describe a case of (PA) necrotizing cavitary CAP with a fatal outcome in a 53-year-old man previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, who was admitted for dyspnea, fever, cough, hemoptysis, acute respiratory failure and a right upper lobe opacification. Six hours after admission, despite effective antibiotic therapy, he experienced multi-organ failure and died.

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is an ubiquitous pathogen isolated from different host species including fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, but it is rarely a pathogenic microorganism to marine reptiles. In particular, only two cases of fatal disseminated listeriosis have been described in the loggerhead sea turtle (). In this study, we describe a lethal case of infection in a loggerhead sea turtle.

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Wild boar (Sus scrofa) is the most widely distributed large wildlife mammal worldwide. To investigate the transmission of Salmonella enterica amongst wild boars (Sus scrofa), humans, and livestock, we compared via pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and whole genome sequences the isolates of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium (biphasic and monophasic variants) and Enteritidis collected from wild boars, food-producing animals, and human patients in Emilia-Romagna region (Northern Italy) between 2017 and 2020.

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A clinical strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae typed as sequence type 307 carrying three different alleles of the flu gene encoding the Escherichia coli virulence factor antigen 43 associated with biofilm formation was detected and characterized. The flu alleles are located in the chromosome inside putative integrative conjugative elements. The strain displays the phenotypes associated with Ag43, i.

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The aims of this study were to characterize new SARS-CoV-2 genomes sampled all over Italy and to reconstruct the origin and the evolutionary dynamics in Italy and Europe between February and June 2020. The cluster analysis showed only small clusters including < 80 Italian isolates, while most of the Italian strains were intermixed in the whole tree. Pure Italian clusters were observed mainly after the lockdown and distancing measures were adopted.

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This case report describes for the first-time cases of severe gastroenteritis in water buffalo calves due to a new serovar of . The study was carried out on fecal matrix collected from live water buffalo calves that showed profuse diarrhea, severe dehydration and fever, exhibiting a systemic course. Culture and molecular investigations identified the pathogens isolated from intestinal contents as two Salmonella serovars, and a new serovar of .

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This study aims to describe trends of mcr-positive Enterobacterales in humans based on laboratory surveillance with a defined catchment population. The data source is the Micro-RER surveillance system, established in Emilia-Romagna region (Italy), to monitor the trend of mcr resistance. Enterobacterales isolates from human clinical samples with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≥ 2 mg/L for colistin were sent to the study reference laboratory for the detection of mcr genes.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study analyzed human listeriosis cases in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, from 2012 to 2018, focusing on genomic clusters to assess potential outbreaks and improve ongoing surveillance methods.
  • During this period, the region reported a listeriosis case rate over twice the EU average, with 95% of cases typed using whole genome sequencing (WGS) to identify clusters.
  • Results indicated that 66-72% of cases were part of genomic clusters, lasting up to 5 years, and highlighted that long-term surveillance and robust data collection are key to effectively tracking outbreaks, emphasizing the need for multiple analytical approaches.
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Transthyretin (TTR) is an amyloidogenic homotetramer involved in the transport of thyroxine and retinol in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. TTR stabilizers, such as tolcapone, an FDA approved drug for Parkinson's disease, are able to interact with residues of the thyroxine-binding sites of TTR, both wild type and pathogenic mutant forms, thereby stabilizing its tetrameric native state and inhibiting amyloidogenesis. Herein, we report on the synthesis of 3-deoxytolcapone, a novel stabilizer of TTR.

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The inherent amyloidogenic potentialof wild type transthyretin (TTR) is enhanced by a large number of point mutations, which destabilize the TTR tetramer, thereby promoting its disassembly and pathological aggregation responsible for TTR-related amyloidosis. TTR stabilizers are able to interact with the thyroxine-binding sites of TTR, stabilizing its tetrameric native state and inhibiting amyloidogenesis. Herein, we report on in vitro, ex vivo, and X-ray analyses to assess the TTR structural stabilization by analogues of flurbiprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

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Four Cellular Retinol-binding Proteins (CRBP 1, 2, 3, 4) are encoded in the human genome. CRBP 1 and 2, sharing a 56% amino acid sequence identity, exhibit the highest binding affinities for retinol. Previous NMR studies provided some insights into the mechanism of retinol uptake, but details of such mechanism remain to be elucidated.

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  • The study focuses on human transthyretin (TTR), a protein involved in transporting thyroid hormones, examining its molecular symmetry and behavior in solution compared to its crystal structure.
  • It suggests that TTR has a hypothetical D2 symmetry in solution, which is influenced by differences in binding affinities for its two thyroid hormone (T4) binding sites due to a negative binding cooperativity.
  • Additionally, the research indicates that TTR displays significant structural flexibility and dynamics, revealing how small structural variations can impact its functional properties, particularly the differing characteristics of the T4 binding sites.
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  • The study identifies the structural characteristics of human cellular retinol-binding protein 1 (CRBP1) by comparing its apo (unbound) and holo (bound) forms using X-ray crystallography.
  • It reveals that the flexibility of certain regions within CRBP1, specifically α-helix-II and specific amino acids, is crucial for its function in binding and releasing retinol, a form of vitamin A.
  • Binding affinity tests show that while wild type CRBP1 binds retinol strongly, mutations at specific sites significantly decrease this binding, highlighting the importance of both hydrophobic and polar interactions in the binding process.
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A series of quinoline-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazones and their copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized. In all complexes the ligands are in the E configuration with respect to the imino bond and behave as terdentate. The copper(II) complexes form square planar derivatives with one molecule of terdentate ligand and chloride ion.

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