Occurrence of emerging food-borne pathogenic Arcobacter spp. isolated from pre-cut (ready-to-eat) vegetables.

Given that changes in consumer food behaviours have led to an increase in the demand for pre-cut ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables, and that few data are currently available on the occurrence of Arcobacter spp. in such foods, the aim of the present study was to assess the occurrence of Arcobacter spp. that carry virulence-associated genes on pre-cut RTE vegetables, using cultural and molecular methods.

Serological diagnosis of bovine brucellosis using B. melitensis strain B115.

Bovine brucellosis is diagnosed by official tests, such as Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) and Complement Fixation test (CFT). Both tests detect antibodies directed against the lipolysaccharide (LPS) of Brucella cell wall. Despite their good sensitivity, those tests do not discriminate between true positive and false positive serological reactions (FPSR), the latter being generated by animals infected with other Gram negative microorganisms that share components of Brucella LPS.

Critical role of the lipid rafts in caprine herpesvirus type 1 infection in vitro.

The fusion machinery for herpesvirus entry in the host cells involves the interactions of viral glycoproteins with cellular receptors, although additional viral and cellular domains are required. Extensive areas of the plasma membrane surface consist of lipid rafts organized into cholesterol-rich microdomains involved in signal transduction, protein sorting, membrane transport and in many processes of viruses infection. Because of the extraction of cholesterol leads to disorganization of lipid microdomains and to dissociation of proteins bound to the lipid rafts, we investigated the effect of cholesterol depletion by methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD) on caprine herpesvirus 1 (CpHV.

Role of the lipid rafts in the life cycle of canine coronavirus.

Coronaviruses are enveloped RNA viruses that have evolved complex relationships with their host cells, and modulate their lipid composition, lipid synthesis and signalling. Lipid rafts, enriched in sphingolipids, cholesterol and associated proteins, are special plasma membrane microdomains involved in several processes in viral infections. The extraction of cholesterol leads to disorganization of lipid microdomains and to dissociation of proteins bound to lipid rafts.

A population prevalence study on influenza infection in dogs in Southern Italy.

Despite several data on influenza infection in dogs, the first natural outbreak of canine influenza virus, closely related to H3N8 equine subtype, dates back to 2004 in Florida. Subsequent studies highlighted the role of dogs in adaptation of H5N1 to mammals and the susceptibility of dogs to different subtypes of influenza. A prevalence study was carried out on 562 sera collected from pet and kennel dogs in the south of Italy.

Ground Anthrax Bacillus Refined Isolation (GABRI) method for analyzing environmental samples with low levels of Bacillus anthracis contamination.

Background: In this work are reported the results of a qualitative analytical method capable of detecting Bacillus anthracis spores when they are present in very low concentration in the soil. The Ground Anthrax Bacillus Refined Isolation (GABRI) method, assessed in our laboratory, was compared with the classic method. The comparison involved artificially anthrax-contaminated soil samples (500 spores/7.

Comparison of the cross-antibody response induced in sheep by inactivated bovine viral diarrhoea virus 1 and Hobi-like pestivirus.

Hobi-like pestivirus, a new tentative species within genus Pestivirus, was firstly detected in foetal bovine serum batches and later associated to respiratory distress and reproductive failures in cattle. In the present study, the cross-antibody response between bovine viral diarrhoea virus 1 (BVDV-1) and the emerging pestivirus was evaluated in the sheep model. Ten sheep were immunised against BVDV-1 or Hobi-like pestivirus using inactivated preparations and the induced antibody responses were evaluated against the homologous and heterologous viruses.

Assessment of the antifungal susceptibility of Malassezia pachydermatis in various media using a CLSI protocol.

The microdilution antifungal method (CLSI BMD, M27-A3) was used for testing the antifungal susceptibility of Malassezia species. However, optimal broth media that allow sufficient growth of M. pachydermatitis and produce reliable and reproducible MICs using the CLSI BMD protocol are yet to be established.

A caprine herpesvirus 1 vaccine adjuvanted with MF59™ protects against vaginal infection and interferes with the establishment of latency in goats.

The immunogenicity and the efficacy of a beta-propiolactone-inactivated caprine herpesvirus 1 (CpHV-1) vaccine adjuvanted with MF59™ were tested in goats. Following two subcutaneous immunizations, goats developed high titers of CpHV-1-specific serum and vaginal IgG and high serum virus neutralization (VN) titers. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated in vitro with inactivated CpHV-1 produced high levels of soluble IFN-gamma and exhibited high frequencies of IFN-gamma producing cells while soluble IL-4 was undetectable.

In vitro evaluation of Malassezia pachydermatis susceptibility to azole compounds using E-test and CLSI microdilution methods.

Dermatitis caused by Malassezia spp., one of most common skin disease in dogs, requires prolonged therapy and/or high doses of antifungal agents. In the present study, the antifungal susceptibility of M.

Immunogenicity and protective efficacy in dogs of an MF59™-adjuvanted vaccine against recombinant canine/porcine coronavirus.

Recently, canine coronavirus (CCoV) strains with putative recombinant origin with porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) were shown to be widespread in Europe. In this study, a killed vaccine against TGEV-like CCoV strains, included in the new subtype CCoV-IIb, was developed through inactivation with betapropiolactone and emulsification with MF59™ adjuvant. Safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of the developed vaccine were evaluated in vivo.

Detection of Caprine herpesvirus 1-specific antibodies in goat sera using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and serum neutralization test.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies directed to whole Caprine herpesvirus 1 (CpHV-1). Sera from 248 goats were obtained from CpHV-1-free and CpHV-1-infected flocks and were subjected to both IgG ELISA and serum neutralization (SN) assays, with the latter considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of CpHV-1 infection. In flocks where CpHV-1 infection was detected, 57 sera were negative by the SN and the ELISA tests and 97 sera were positive with both tests.