Publications by authors named "O Portanti"
Article Synopsis
- Bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) are viruses spread by biting midges that cause serious diseases in ruminants, and they circulate in different forms (serotypes).
- A new EHDV strain (serotype 8) was first found in Tunisia in 2021 and later identified in cattle in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France in 2022, where BTV is already a concern.
- Researchers developed a TaqMan RT-qPCR assay that efficiently detects and differentiates BTV and EHDV, providing a quick and cost-effective method for diagnosis, aiding in better surveillance and control of these diseases.
Epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD), caused by the EHD virus (EHDV), is a vector-borne viral disease transmitted through Culicoides biting midges. EHDV comprises seven serotypes (1, 2, and 4-8), with EHDV-8 having recently emerged and spread in Europe over the last two years. Such event has raised concerns about the significant threat posed by EHDV-8 to livestock industry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAfrican swine fever virus (ASFV) is the etiological agent of African swine fever (ASF), a disease with detrimental effects on the health, welfare, and production of domestic and wild pigs. The ASF laboratory confirmation is based on the analysis of blood, serum and organ samples. However, testing these samples could not be always convenient, economically feasible or possible.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The study evaluated a SARS-CoV-2 mutant with a specific ten-amino acid deletion in the spike protein, comparing its effects to the original strain and two Delta variants using K18-hACE2 mice.
- - Mice were monitored for weight loss, lethality, and clinical symptoms for 14 days after being infected, with various tests conducted to assess viral presence and immune response.
- - Results showed that the mutant infection led to less viral shedding, reduced lung virulence, and milder lung damage, along with significantly lower levels of certain cytokines, indicating a less severe immune response.
Article Synopsis
- - EHDV-8, a virus that affects livestock, was first identified in Europe in late 2022, and this study examined its effects on cattle, sheep, and goats after experimental infection.
- - Infected calves mostly showed symptoms such as fever and lesions, with RNA levels peaking at 7 days post infection and remaining stable for the study's duration, while some sheep exhibited fever and consistent RNAemia, but goats showed no RNA presence.
- - All species developed an immune response, with calves showing the strongest, indicating that sheep could also be significant in spreading EHDV-8, which is essential information for developing disease control strategies in livestock.