In Italy, canine piroplasmosis is believed to be widespread, but few data are available on its presence in most areas. In 2005 and 2006, vertebrate and invertebrate hosts were investigated in Central ...and Northern Regions of the Country. Microscopy on blood smears, molecular tools and serological tests were applied to 420 blood samples collected from dogs, in order to evaluate the presence of these protozoa and to identify possible risk factors. Moreover, ticks were analyzed by molecular techniques.
Microscopy identified as positive 2.8% of the animals, all from Central Italy, and PCR detected ‘piroplasm’ DNA in 6.0%. Serology evidenced a mean prevalence of 34.0% with a decreasing trend from Central to Northern areas. The 507 collected ticks were identified as belonging to 8 species, mostly represented by
Rhipicephalus sanguineus (
n
=
376) and
Ixodes ricinus (
n
=
58). Molecular analyses evidenced the presence of babesial parasites (
Babesia canis canis,
B. canis vogeli,
B. microti-like) in 25 (4.9%) of them; in
Rh. sanguineus there was also demonstration of the vertical transmission of
B. canis canis. Statistical analysis identified ‘kennel’ as risk factor for
Babesia infection.
Our findings evidenced that different species of piroplasms potentially infectious for dogs are circulating in Italy, and that epidemiological aspects of these infections are more complex than expected. Vector importance of both
Rh. sanguineus and
I. ricinus is hypothesized, but further investigation is needed.
A parasitologic study on 129 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Tuscany (central Italy) was carried out in 2004–2006. Five intestinal species were found at necropsy: Dipylidium caninum (prevalence ...57.3%), Mesocestoides lineatus (45.4%), Uncinaria stenocephala (39.1%), Toxocara canis (9.1%), and Toxascaris leonina (5.4%). Other parasites not associated with the intestine included Crenosoma vulpis (14.7%), Capillaria aerophila (7.0%), Angiostrongylus vasorum (7.0%), and filarial parasites (17.8%). Coprologic tests were less sensitive and less specific in identifying parasites than direct examinations at necropsy. Trichinella larvae were not found in muscles submitted to artificial digestion. By immunologic assay, antigens of Echinococcus spp. were detected in fecal samples of 20 foxes, but results could not be confirmed by fecal examination or molecular tests.
A Babesia isolate that was morphologically distinct from Babesia capreoli and very similar to B. divergens was found in the blood of a roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) found dead in central Italy. ...Sequences corresponding to the full coding region of the 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene were identical to a sequence reported for Babesia divergens from a reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and 99.9% and 99.8% similar to those reported for B. capreoli and bovine origin B. divergens, respectively.
This is the first report on the presence of Hepatozoon canis in Vulpes vulpes in Italy. During the years 2005 and 2006, a total of 119 foxes were collected and their spleen tissues were screened by ...microscopy, polymerase chain reaction, and sequencing. In the same area, 290 ticks were picked off from dogs or collected from the environment. Microscopy detected inclusion bodies regarded as belonging to the genus Hepatozoon in four samples, whereas molecular diagnostics evidenced 16 foxes (13.4%) and 6 ticks (2.1%) positive to H. canis. The H. canis isolates we found in foxes, compared with the strains we previously detected in dogs from the same area and with the strains found in foxes from other European countries, show a certain genetic heterogeneity. In fact, seven isolates cluster with the Italian dog strain and nine isolates cluster with the fox strain found in Spain and Slovakia; moreover, the dog's strain is closely related to one tick's isolate, and the strain found in three Rhipicephalus sanguineus and in one Ixodes ricinus collected from the environment cluster with the aforementioned Spanish and Slovak fox strains. Our findings confirm the importance of R. sanguineus as final host and suggest that I. ricinus might also be implicated in parasite transmission, explaining in that way the occurrence of hepatozoonosis in areas considered R. sanguineus-free. The peridomestic habits of V. vulpes and the increasing global temperature are expected to amplify the impact of this vector-borne disease and to enforce the transmission of Hepatozoon to domestic animals.
During a survey carried out to define the occurrence of Echinococcus granulosus in cattle bred in the province of Rieti (Central Italy), molecular diagnostics (PCR amplification and sequencing of a ...partial region of the mitochondrial CO1 gene) showed that 6/10 positive bovines harboured hydatid cysts (No.=16) genetically identical (95.8-100%) to the Indian buffalo genotype G3. As far the location of the 16 cysts, 11 of them were found in the lungs of three animals, whereas 5 cysts were in the liver of three parasitized hosts. The occurrence of genotype G3 in 60% of parasitized bovines living in an area never studied before provides more definite evidence about the existence of the strain in this region, and proves that cattle have to be considered a non-accidental host.
Foxes (Vulpes vulpes, n = 132) killed during the hunting seasons 2005-2006 in Central Italy (Tuscany region) were examined in order to investigate the possible importance of this animal as a wild ...reservoir for zoonotic filariae. In each specimen adult worms of Dirofilaria immitis and hematic microfilariae were searched for. Species identification was performed by morphology, morphometry, the Barka staining technique applied to pulmonary and splenic blood smears, and, finally, by molecular diagnostics -- polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Twenty-three subjects (17.4%) proved to be positive for filarial parasites. Infection by Acanthocheilonema was more widespread than by Dirofilaria. Briefly, 8 foxes harbored mature adults of D. immitis; two of them (25%) also had microfilariae that in one case were mixed with the microfilariae of D. repens. Twelve subjects had microfilariae of Acanthocheilonema reconditum, and 3 harbored microfilariae of A. dracunculoides. Molecular diagnostics confirmed all results. Our findings, drawn by the examination of a few microliters of blood obtained from foxes approximately <2 years of age, support the hypothesis that this animal may be an abundant source of infection for ticks that transmit Acanthocheilonema parasites and for mosquitoes that act as vectors for dirofilarial nematodes. Therefore foxes, contributing to the parasite circulation in areas where dogs usually undergo prophylactic treatment, have to be considered an important wild reservoir for filarial parasites that can be transmitted to companion animals and people.
A Babesia isolate that was morphologically distinct from Babesia capreoli and very similar to B. divergens was found in the blood of a roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) found dead in central Italy. ...Sequences corresponding to the full coding region of the 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene were identical to a sequence reported for Babesia divergens from a reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and 99.9% and 99.8% similar to those reported for B. capreoli and bovine origin B. divergens, respectively.
A parasitologic study on 129 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Tuscany (central Italy) was carried out in 2004-2006. Five intestinal species were found at necropsy: Dipylidium caninum (prevalence ...57.3%), Mesocestoides lineatus (45.4%), Uncinaria stenocephala (39.1%), Toxocara canis (9.1%), and Toxascaris leonina (5.4%). Other parasites not associated with the intestine included Crenosoma vulpis (14.7%), Capillaria aerophila (7.0%), Angiostrongylus vasorum (7.0%), and filarial parasites (17.8%). Coprologic tests were less sensitive and less specific in identifying parasites than direct examinations at necropsy. Trichinella larvae were not found in muscles submitted to artificial digestion. By immunologic assay, antigens of Echinococcus spp. were detected in fecal samples of 20 foxes, but results could not be confirmed by fecal examination or molecular tests.
Resumen Objetivo Determinar la prevalencia de síntomas sugestivos de vejiga hiperactiva (VH) en una población española y evaluar su impacto en el bienestar y la productividad laboral de esta ...población. Diseño Estudio transversal. Emplazamiento Atención primaria, Madrid, España. Participantes Varones y mujeres > 30 años. Intervenciones Clasificación con el instrumento abreviado Overactive Bladder Awareness Tool (OAB-V3). Sujetos con puntuación ≥ 3 y una población control similar con puntuación < 3 fueron investigados clínicamente. Mediciones principales Anamnesis, exploración física, análisis de orina, ecografía, escala de bienestar general y cuestionarios PPBC, OAB-q y WPAI-SHP. Resultados Se cribaron 923 sujetos, 209 (22,6%) de los cuales —35% hombres y 65% mujeres— presentaron probable VH. La distribución por edad aumentó del 11,1% en la cuarta década al 44,4% en la novena década. El coeficiente kappa entre probable VH y diagnóstico definitivo fue de 0,83. El área bajo la curva ROC para el diagnóstico según el cuestionario OAB-V3 y la constatación de molestias percibidas y estrategias de afrontamiento fue del 92%. Los sujetos clasificados por OAB-V3 ≥ 3 tuvieron peor bienestar, mayor puntuación PPBC y peores parámetros en las puntuaciones OAB-q total y transformadas para cada subescala OAB-q (p < 0,0001). Su productividad laboral no se vio afectada (p = 0,14), pero sí la capacidad de realizar actividades cotidianas (p < 0,0001). Conclusiones OAB-V3 es un cuestionario simple para el cribado de VH con buena exactitud de predicción en atención primaria y que conlleva implicaciones importantes en la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud.
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