Publications by authors named "Valeria Di Lollo"

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that can infect humans, equids, and many bird species, posing a threat to their health. It consists of eight lineages, with Lineage 1 (L1) and Lineage 2 (L2) being the most prevalent and pathogenic. Italy is one of the hardest-hit European nations, with 330 neurological cases and 37 fatalities in humans in the 2021-2022 season, in which the L1 re-emerged after several years of low circulation.

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Usutu virus (USUV), an arbovirus from the Flaviviridae family, genus Flavivirus, has recently gained increasing attention because of its potential for emergence. After his discovery in South Africa, USUV spread to other African countries, then emerged in Europe where it was responsible for epizootics. The virus has recently been found in Asia.

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(BoAHV-1) infection is common in cattle worldwide. However, information on the spread of BoAHV-1-circulating strains in Italy remains limited. In this study, we investigated an outbreak characterized by severe respiratory symptoms in a cattle herd ( = 30) located in Central Italy.

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Within public health control strategies for SARS-CoV-2, whole genome sequencing (WGS) is essential for tracking viral spread and monitoring the emergence of variants which may impair the effectiveness of vaccines, diagnostic methods, and therapeutics. In this manuscript different strategies for SARS-CoV-2 WGS including metagenomic shotgun (SG), library enrichment by myBaits® Expert Virus-SARS-CoV-2 (Arbor Biosciences), nCoV-2019 sequencing protocol, ampliseq approach by Swift Amplicon® SARS-CoV-2 Panel kit (Swift Biosciences), and Illumina COVIDSeq Test (Illumina Inc.), were evaluated in order to identify the best approach in terms of results, labour, and costs.

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It is unclear whether West Nile virus (WNV) circulates between Africa and Europe, despite numerous studies supporting an African origin and high transmission in Europe. We integrated genomic data with geographic observations and phylogenetic and phylogeographic inferences to uncover the spatial and temporal viral dynamics of WNV between these two continents. We focused our analysis towards WNV lineages 1 (L1) and 2 (L2), the most spatially widespread and pathogenic WNV lineages.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) alters the immune response of amniotic epithelial cells (AECs), affecting how these cells react to lipopolysaccharides before and after EMT (eAECs vs. mAECs).
  • - The study found that eAECs primarily enhance genes related to immune system activation, while mAECs produce more inflammatory mediators; key proteins CIITA and Nrf2 drive these different responses.
  • - Understanding how AECs' immune functions change with EMT is crucial for insights into biological processes like pregnancy and could help develop new approaches in regenerative medicine.
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West Nile virus is a re-emerging arbovirus whose impact on public health is increasingly important as more and more epidemics and epizootics occur, particularly in America and Europe, with evidence of active circulation in Africa. Because birds constitute the main reservoirs, migratory movements allow the diffusion of various lineages in the world. It is therefore crucial to properly control the dispersion of these lineages, especially because some have a greater health impact on public health than others.

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Although there are increasing reports on the prevalence of in wild species, this is the first case of listeriosis in sea turtle. An adult female was rescued after being stranded alive along the coast of the Abruzzo region (Italy) in summer 2021. The turtle died in 6 days due to respiratory failure.

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In January 2022, West Nile virus (WNV) lineage 2 (L2) was detected in an adult female goshawk rescued near Perugia in the region of Umbria (Italy). The animal showed neurological symptoms and died 15 days after its recovery in a wildlife rescue center. This was the second case of WNV infection recorded in birds in the Umbria region during the cold season, when mosquitoes, the main WNV vectors, are usually not active.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Several circulating strains of SARS-CoV-2 have been detected in Abruzzo, Italy, with a specific lineage, B.1.177.75, showing a unique testing pattern (positive for ORF1ab and S genes, negative for N gene) due to a specific mutation.
  • - The B.1.177.75 lineage mutations suggest that the N gene dropout likely happens when two specific mutations occur together, with additional data indicating these cases are clustered largely among young people.
  • - This research emphasizes the need for sharing genomic data to understand connections between seemingly unrelated cases and the necessity of updating molecular testing methods.
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Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emergent zoonotic pathogen, causing worldwide acute and chronic hepatitis in humans. HEV comprises eight genotypes and several subtypes. HEV genotypes 3 and 4 (HEV3 and HEV4) are zoonotic.

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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers analyzed and reported the genetic sequences of a strain known as IVb variant 1.
  • This particular strain is a new and emerging serotype that has recently been identified.
  • It was specifically isolated in Italy from ready-to-eat vegetables, highlighting its relevance to food safety.
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In this report, the draft genome sequence of serovar 1/2a strain IZSAM_Lm_14-16064, isolated in Italy from a cooked ham, is announced. The genome is similar to that of a clinical strain isolated in 2014.

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subsp. () is the etiological agent of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), one of the major diseases affecting cattle in sub-Saharan Africa. Some evidences suggest that the immune system of the host (cattle) plays an important role in the pathogenic mechanism of CBPP, but the factors involved in the process remain largely unknown.

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