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Abstract: Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are highly prevalent and increasing in distribution worldwide. A longitudinal study was conducted in southern Italy to determine the incidence of and protection against CVBD-causing pathogens in dogs treated with a combination of imidacloprid 10% and permethrin 50% (ImPer). One hundred eleven autochthonous young dogs were divided into group A (n =63) and group B (n =48), both groups containing dogs positive and negative for one or more CVBD-causing pathogens. Additionally, 10 naïve male beagles were introduced in each group in May 2008. Group A was treated with ImPer on day 0 and every 21±2 days whereas group B was left untreated. Blood and skin samples were collected at baseline (March–April 2008) and at the first, second and third follow-up times (July and October 2008 and April 2009). Bone marrow was sampled at baseline and at the third follow-up. Serological, cytological and molecular tests were performed to detect Anaplasma platys, Babesia spp., Bartonella spp., Dirofilaria immitis, Ehrlichia canis, Hepatozoon canis and Leishmania infantum. Ectoparasites (fleas, ticks, and sand flies) were monitored throughout the study. The baseline prevalence of CVBDs was 39.6% with 44 dogs positive for at least one pathogen. A. platys (27.5%) and Babesia spp. (15.6%) were the most prevalent species and co-infections with up to two pathogens were detected in 16 (14.7%) individuals. At the end of the evaluation period, there was a 90.7% reduction in overall CVBD incidence density rate (IDR) in group A, as following: 100% reduction in L. infantum; 94.6% in E. canis; 94.4% in Babesia spp.; and 81.8% in A. platys. Initially positive treated dogs showed significantly lower pathogen prevalence at the third follow-up than untreated ones. At the end of the evaluation period, 8 of the 10 untreated beagles were infected with at least one pathogen whereas one of the treated beagles was A. platys positive at a single time point (second follow-up). Overall efficacy against ticks was 97.9%. In October 2009, samples were collected from the remaining 83 dogs (44 from group A and 39 from group B) to investigate the annual incidence of CVBDs in the same, at this time untreated, dog population. A high year incidence for tick-borne diseases (78.1%) and for L. infantum (13.6%) was detected in dogs from group A, seven months after the treatment had been withdrawn. The results demonstrate that ImPer preventive treatment against arthropods protects autochthonous and naïve beagle dogs against CVBD-causing pathogens. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A survey based on clinical, pathological and microbiological investigations was performed on 11 Brown Swiss cattle affected with depression, anorexia, agalaxia, ruminal hypomotility, abdominal pain and melaena. In eight animals, macroscopical lesions consisted in haemorrhagic enteritis in the small intestine. Seven of eight isolates from tissue samples were identified as Clostridum perfringens type A, and four were identified as C. perfringens type A with the β2 toxin gene. Based on these observations, animals were considered affected with haemorrhagic bowel syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine leishmaniasis (CanL), caused by Leishmania infantum, is widely distributed in many Mediterranean countries and is considered endemic in southern and central Italy with prevalence reaching up to 48.4%. Determination of the incidence would be useful as a measure of the risk of infection, then to evaluate the usefulness of control measures and to estimate whether a new focus is autochthonous or imported. This study was performed on two sites in the Apulia region of southern Italy, namely sites A and B. A total of 262 dogs were included in the evaluation of incidence, 94 farm dogs from site A and 168 dogs (92 farm and 76 kennel dogs) from site B. The incidence of infection was determined by using two different approaches: in site A by means of incidence density rate (IDR); in site B by the yearly seroconversion rate. In site A, the IDR was calculated at 4.25% dog-years; in site B the yearly incidence rate was of 9.52% (6.5% and 13.1% in farm and kennel dogs, respectively). The strength and weakness of the two different approaches (i.e. annual monitoring or monthly interval monitoring) for calculating the incidence of CanL in an endemic area have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the case of 3.5-month-old crossbreed dog presented with mild depression, diarrhoea and ascites and was referred to the Clinical Unit of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bari in Southern Italy. The dog had arrived in a kennel with heavy tick and flea infestation at the age of 2.5 months. Ultrasonography confirmed the presence of ascite in abdomen. The case reported a clinical presentation of coinfection with pathogens ehrlichia, babesia and hepatozoon in dog species.