Search

Abstract: Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is the most frequent staphylococcal species isolated from canine pyoderma. The control of S. pseudintermedius infection is often difficult due to the expanded antimicrobial resistance phenotypes. Antibiotic resistance in staphylococcal pathogens is often associated to mobile genetic elements such as the insertion sequence IS256 that was first described as a part of the transposon Tn4001, which confers aminoglycoside resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and in Staphylococcus epidermidis. In this study a collection of 70 S. pseudintermedius isolates from canine pyoderma was used to investigate antimicrobial susceptibility to 15 antibiotics and the presence of IS256, not revealed in S. pseudintermedius yet. Antibiotic resistance profiling demonstrated that all S. pseudintermedius isolates had a multi-drug resistance phenotype, exhibiting simultaneous resistance to at least five antibiotics; indeed methicillin resistant S. pseudintermedius isolates were simultaneously resistant to at least nine antibiotics and all were also gentamicin resistant. PCR analyses revealed the presence of IS256 in 43/70 S. pseudintemedius isolates. The association between the presence of IS256 and the resistance was particularly significant for certain antibiotics: cefovecin, amikacin, gentamicin and oxacillin (χ 2 p-value<0.05). However, there was a striking result in frequency of strains resistant to gentamicin and oxacillin, suggesting a specific association between the presence of the IS256 element and the determinants for the resistance to these antibiotics. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing the detection of IS256 in S. pseudintermedius isolates and its association with antibiotic resistance. Our findings suggest that S. pseudintermedius may acquire antibiotic resistance genes through mobile genetic elements which may play a predominant role in the dissemination of multi-drug resistance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of this manuscript was to validate published PCR-based methods for detection of β-haemolytic Streptococci by comparison with established bacteriological techniques using 85 clinical isolates recovered from uterine swabs of mares with clinical signs of endometritis and to determine the distribution of SeeL/SeeM and SzeL/SzeM superantigens in isolates of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi (S. equi) and S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus). The conventional bacteriological techniques showed the vast majority of these isolates (78) were S. zooepidemicus with just 5 Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (S. equisimilis) and 2 S. equi strains detected. The PCR analyses confirmed the bacteriological results demonstrating the reliability of the 16S rRNA PCR assay for detecting Streptococci, the multiplex PCR for differentiating between S. zooepidemicus, and S. equi, and PCR assays based on streptokinase genes for identification of S. equisimilis. PCRs for genes encoding superantigens revealed seeL and seeM specific amplicons with size of approximately 800 and 810bp respectively for the S. equi strains and for 2 S. zooepidemicus strains. To our knowledge, this is the first report of szeL and szeM possession by S. zooepidemicus isolates derived from endometritis in mares. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this study was to determine serological values of lysozyme, hemolytic complement levels (alternative pathway), and bactericidal activity of serum in turkeys kept in different rearing systems (industrial, backyard, and experimental). Results showed that the values for serum bactericidal activity and hemolytic complement levels increased with age, and their values were higher in experimental and in industrial turkeys than in turkeys reared in backyard. Lysozyme concentration showed a similar pattern; its value was higher in the industrial and experimental groups than in the backyard group. Data obtained suggest that rearing system can have an influence on the natural immune parameters considered; experimental and industrial groups showed a similar trend, differentiated from that observed in the backyard group. In the backyard group, the values observed may suggest that hybrid turkeys, selected for high production, have difficulty with being reared outside where predators (foxes and weasels) and weather conditions could be responsible for a stress situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In Italy, smoking cessation programmes rarely consider the characteristics of people who make quit attempts during life (independently from quitting or still smoking) as an useful starting point for effective intervention. Behavioural risk factor surveillance systems can provide information about sociodemographic and health profile of smokers who express intention to quit smoking and therefore represent a potential target of cessation treatment and health promotion intervention. Objective To evaluate the percentage of people who reported smoking cessation or at least an attempt once in the last 12 months; to investigate the association between the attempt and sociodemographic, behavioural and clinical variables. Methods Data collected in 2008 from PASSI, the Italian behavioural risk factor surveillance system based on telephone interviews of residents aged 18–69 years, were analysed to identify factors associated to quit smoking attempts. Results Sample analysed included 18 281 current and ex-smokers. Around two out of three people (11 881) tried to quit smoking and among them 3911 (34%) failed the attempt. A multivariate analysis showed that smoking cessation attempt was more likely among males, elder (50–69 years) and married people; among those living with children (<14 yrs), with a temporary job, without economic difficulties and with a high level of education; among those with cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, obesity) and those affected by chronic diseases (almost one among cancer, diabetes and myocardial infarction). On the other side, sedentary people and those with good perceived health status are less intentioned to quit. Stratification by sex showed a different strength of association between the outcome variable and other variables in males and females, but most important that education and perceived health status are not associated with the attempt to quit smoking among women. Conclusions Population-based surveillance system tracking the characteristics of ex and current smokers, who tried to quit, may offer a lot of information, otherwise not available, for planning, implementing and evaluating promotion and prevention interventions to support people who try to quit smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In Italy, smoking cessation programmes rarely consider the characteristics of people who make quit attempts during life (independently from quitting or still smoking) as an useful starting point for effective intervention. Behavioural risk factor surveillance systems can provide information about sociodemographic and health profile of smokers who express intention to quit smoking and therefore represent a potential target of cessation treatment and health promotion intervention. Objective To evaluate the percentage of people who reported smoking cessation or at least an attempt once in the last 12 months; to investigate the association between the attempt and sociodemographic, behavioural and clinical variables. Methods Data collected in 2008 from PASSI, the Italian behavioural risk factor surveillance system based on telephone interviews of residents aged 18–69 years, were analysed to identify factors associated to quit smoking attempts. Results Sample analysed included 18 281 current and ex-smokers. Around two out of three people (11 881) tried to quit smoking and among them 3911 (34%) failed the attempt. A multivariate analysis showed that smoking cessation attempt was more likely among males, elder (50–69 years) and married people; among those living with children (<14 yrs), with a temporary job, without economic difficulties and with a high level of education; among those with cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, obesity) and those affected by chronic diseases (almost one among cancer, diabetes and myocardial infarction). On the other side, sedentary people and those with good perceived health status are less intentioned to quit. Stratification by sex showed a different strength of association between the outcome variable and other variables in males and females, but most important that education and perceived health status are not associated with the attempt to quit smoking among women. Conclusions Population-based surveillance system tracking the characteristics of ex and current smokers, who tried to quit, may offer a lot of information, otherwise not available, for planning, implementing and evaluating promotion and prevention interventions to support people who try to quit smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The role of the horse in Coxiella burnetii infection has not been defined. Accordingly, a twofold approach was taken to further our knowledge on this topic: (1) conduct a systematic review of the literature to establish available evidence of C. burnetii infection in the horse; (2) undertake a biomolecular investigation of 122 cases of equine abortion, stillbirth and neonatal foal death, for the presence of C. burnetii using a PCR test targeting the IS1111 gene of C. burnetii. A review of the literature turned up seven studies that identified C. burnetii DNA in equine specimens, especially aborted fetuses, while an additional 34 studies sought to determine seroprevalence of the infection in the horse. A meta-analytical approach was taken to calculate a pooled mean seroprevalence in equines based on published studies. A seroprevalence of 15.8% (95% confidence interval: 9.6–23.0%) was obtained. This figure is comparable to those previously reported in other species, especially ruminants. None of the 122 cases of equine abortion, stillbirth or neonatal foal death were positive for C. burnetii DNA. C. burnetii has rarely been looked for in equine specimens in previous studies. Cases of equine abortion should be comprehensively investigated to assess the risk of abortion in a pregnant mare infected with C. burnetii. Consideration should also be given to the possible role of the horse as a source of the organism for other animal species including humans. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The present work investigated the occurrence of Giardia infection in Chinchilla lanigera reared in three Italian breeding facilities and determined their role as potential zoonotic reservoir. One hundred and four fecal samples were tested for the presence of Giardia spp. cysts using a Direct Fluorescent Assay (DFA). A high positivity rate (39.4%) was found despite all animals were asymptomatic at the time of sampling. Thirty-one positive samples were genetically characterized by sequence analysis of the ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 region of the Giardia ribosomal DNA. Assemblages B (29 isolates) and C (two isolates) were identified. These results showed that Giardia infection can be common in chinchillas, thus spurring further molecular epizootiological studies of the infection to assess the zoonotic potential or host specificity of their isolates, to determine the source of infections, to identify the routes of transmission, and to control the infection among animal populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This is the first paper describing the cloning of pigeon IFN-γ gene (PiIFN-γ) and the analysis of the in vitro expressed recombinant protein. The PiIFN-γ gene was identified by RT-PCR as a 498bp, fragment coding for a precursor protein of 165 amino acids instead of 164 amino acids, as observed in the other avian species. The recombinant protein was expressed in vitro by an eukaryotic system and the biological properties of the cytokine were tested using a chicken macrophage cell line. The high degree of amino acid and nucleotide identity, shared with the ChIFN-γ, and the fact that the pigeon protein was functional on chicken cells, indicates a cross-reactivity between pigeon and chicken IFN-γ. The detection of the PiIFN-γ could represent an useful instrument in understanding the role played by this cytokine in immune response related to vaccinations and infectious diseases in the pigeon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the study on the causes of birth failures in equines, such as abortion, stillbirth and death in central Italy. The study suggests that the aetiology of such case may vary overtime due to the background diversity among at-risk equines. The study performed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to examine equine herpes virus type 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and 4). A table which lists the study results, such as Placentitis, Salmonella enteric and Staphylococcus aureus, is presented.