Sero-epidemiological investigation on Toxoplasma gondii infection in Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Italy.

Background: The wild boar (Sus scrofa) and the Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) are two wild species that have both increased their presence in the Italian territory, albeit in varying numbers. They can be occasionally found in peri-urban areas as well. Both of these species can serve as intermediate hosts for Toxoplasma gondii, as they can become infected either through the consumption of oocysts found in water, soil, or on vegetables, or through the ingestion of meat containing bradyzoites.

In vitro susceptibility of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae strains isolated in pigs in northern Italy between 2005 and 2022.

Pleuromutilins (tiamulin and valnemulin) are often used to treat swine dysentery due to recurrent resistance to macrolides and lincosamides. Recently, reduced susceptibility of B. hyodysenteriae to pleuromutilin has been reported.

Condemnation of Porcine Carcasses: A Two-Year Long Survey in an Italian High-Throughput Slaughterhouse.

Ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection at slaughter are performed by Official Veterinarians and it is essential to identify alterations/lesions, which can make organs/carcasses unsuitable for human consumption. Obviously, carcass condemnation must be regarded as a highly undesirable event for the entire swine industry chain, as it represents the total failure of a long period of challenging work. Therefore, it seems valuable to estimate the prevalence and causes of carcasses condemnation, in order to preserve consumers' health and pig farming profitability.

A human-neutral large carnivore? No patterns in the body mass of gray wolves across a gradient of anthropization.

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) expanded its distribution in Europe over the last few decades. To better understand the extent to which wolves could re-occupy their historical range, it is important to test if anthropization can affect their fitness-related traits. After having accounted for ecologically relevant confounders, we assessed how anthropization influenced i) the growth of wolves during their first year of age (n = 53), ii) sexual dimorphism between male and female adult wolves (n = 121), in a sample of individuals that had been found dead in Italy between 1999 and 2021.

Integrated Use of Molecular Techniques to Detect and Genetically Characterise DNA Viruses in Italian Wolves ().

In this study, internal organs (tongue, intestine, and spleen) of 23 free-ranging Italian wolves () found dead between 2017 and 2019 were tested for , Canine adenovirus (CAdV), and Canine circovirus (CanineCV) using real-time PCR assays. Genetic characterisation of the identified viruses was carried out by amplification, sequencing, and analysis of the complete viral genome or informative viral genes. All the wolves tested positive for at least one of the DNA viruses screened, and 11/23 were coinfected.

Evidence of Common Isolates of in Bovines and Humans in Emilia Romagna Region (Northern Italy).

(group B , GBS) is one of the most important agents of bovine mastitis and causes remarkable direct and indirect economic losses to the livestock sector. Moreover, this species can cause severe human diseases in susceptible individuals. To investigate the zoonotic potential of , 203 sympatric isolates from both humans and cattle, isolated in the same time frame (2018) and in the same geographic area (Emilia Romagna region, Northern Italy), were characterized by molecular capsular typing (MCT), pilus island typing (PI), and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST).

A pathogenic HEXA missense variant in wild boars with Tay-Sachs disease.

Gangliosidoses are inherited lysosomal storage disorders caused by reduced or absent activity of either a lysosomal enzyme involved in ganglioside catabolism, or an activator protein required for the proper activity of a ganglioside hydrolase, which results in the intra-lysosomal accumulation of undegraded metabolites. We hereby describe morphological, ultrastructural, biochemical and genetic features of GM2 gangliosidosis in three captive bred wild boar littermates. The piglets were kept in a partially-free range farm and presented progressive neurological signs, starting at 6 months of age.

Epidemiologic case investigation on the zoonotic transmission of Staphylococcus aureus infection from goat to veterinarians.

Staphylococcus aureus infection led to a case of goat abortion, and four veterinarians contracted S. aureus infection from the goat during and after the abortion. Three veterinarians assisted a doe during the dystocic delivery of a dead foetus.

Antimicrobial Resistance Profile and ExPEC Virulence Potential in Commensal of Multiple Sources.

We recently described the genetic antimicrobial resistance and virulence profile of a collection of 279 commensal of food-producing animal (FPA), pet, wildlife and human origin. Phenotypic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the role of commensal as reservoir of extra-intestinal pathogenic (ExPEC) virulence-associated genes (VAGs) or as potential ExPEC pathogens were evaluated. The most common phenotypic resistance was to tetracycline (76/279, 27.

Differences in larval survival and IgG response patterns in long-lasting infections by Trichinella spiralis, Trichinella britovi and Trichinella pseudospiralis in pigs.

Background: Domesticated and wild swine play an important role as reservoir hosts of Trichinella spp. and a source of infection for humans. Little is known about the survival of Trichinella larvae in muscles and the duration of anti-Trichinella antibodies in pigs with long-lasting infections.

Modeling the behavior of Listeria innocua in Italian salami during the production and high-pressure validation of processes for exportation to the U.S.

A model describing Listeria innocua evolution according to process parameters of 51 Italian salami processes and HPP in 31 companies was developed. A total of 51 challenge tests were performed. During processing a L.

Effect of production process and high-pressure processing on viability of in traditional Italian dry-cured .

In this study the effect of the application of High Pressure Treatment (HPP) combined with four different manufacturing processes on the inactivation of Listeria innocua, used as a surrogate for L. monocytogenes, in artificially contaminated samples was evaluated in order to verify the most suitable strategy to meet the Listeria inactivation requirements needed for the exportation of dry-cured meat in the U.S.

Effect of production process and high-pressure processing on viability of in traditional Italian dry-cured .

The aim of the study was to investigate the combined effect of the manufacturing process followed by HPP treatment on the inactivation of spp. in artificially contaminated samples, in order to verify the ability of the combined processes to achieve the objective of a 5-log reduction of spp. needed for exportation to the U.

Who killed my dog? Use of forensic genetics to investigate an enigmatic case.

Genetic testing of animal biological material has become a valuable tool in forensic investigations, and it is successfully used to identify unknown crime perpetrators, to unmask food frauds, or to clarify cases of animal attacks on humans or other animals. When DNA profiling is not possible due to inadequate amounts of nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing is the only viable alternative, as in the case of shed hair samples. In this case, a dog was allegedly killed by wild animals while being hosted in a boarding house.

Factors affecting the microbiological load of Italian hunted wild boar meat (Sus scrofa).

This study investigates the microbiological conditions before maturation of wild boar meat (Sus scrofa) processed in approved game handling establishments in Italy. Fillets and legquarters of 37 carcasses were tested to assess Aerobic Colony Count (ACC), Enterobacteriaceae Count (EC) and Salmonella presence. Salmonella was never found and mean values of ACC and EC were 4.

A Probable Fatal Case of Oleander (Nerium oleander) Poisoning on a Cattle Farm: A New Method of Detection and Quantification of the Oleandrin Toxin in Rumen.

Oleander (Nerium oleander) is an ornamental plant common in tropical and sub-tropical regions that is becoming increasingly widespread, even in temperate regions. Oleander poisoning may occur in animals and humans. The main active components contained in the plant are cardiac glycosides belonging to the class of cardenolides that are toxic to many species, from human to insects.

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) spa type t127, Sequence Type (ST)1, quickly spreads and persists among young pigs.

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) clones other than Clonal Complex (CC)398, as CC1, have been isolated in pigs in some countries, and appeared to be prevalent in Italy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of Sequence Type (ST)1, CC1, LA-MRSA clone to colonize and to be transmitted among piglets. Eighteen caesarean-derived/colostrum-deprived piglets of 35 days of age were assigned randomly to three groups: four seeder piglets were contaminated with a spa type t127, ST1, SCCmec V, MRSA (Group A), 10 MRSA-negative piglets were exposed to Group A after 2 days post-contamination, dpc (Group B) and 4 piglets were used as control group (Group C).

Reduction of Salmonella spp. populations in Italian salami during production process and high pressure processing treatment: Validation of processes to export to the U.S.

This study involved ten enterprises producing Italian salami, 20 different samples of fermented sausages underwent challenge tests to assess and record the following parameters: time, temperature, pH, a, and Salmonella counts. A linear regression model was used to describe the Salmonella spp. decay: at the end of the process the result of total Salmonella reduction was 0.

First description of Streptococcus lutetiensis from a diseased cat.

This paper describes for the first time the isolation of Streptococcus lutetiensis in a cat with intestinal lymphoma. The Streptococcus bovis group has undergone significant taxonomic changes over the past two decades and, in 2002, Poyart et al. described two distinct novel species within the genus Streptococcus: Streptococcus lutetiensis and Streptococcus pasteurianus.