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Puglia I, Ripà P, Curini V, Ciarrocchi E, Pulsoni S, Irelli R, Bencivenga F, Caporale M, Lorusso A, Berjaoui S. Low pathogenic human coronaviruses during the first waves of COVID-19 in Italy. Vet Ital 2024; 60. [PMID: 38647004 DOI: 10.12834/vetit.3521.3521.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Low-pathogenic human coronaviruses (HCoVs) infect the upper respiratory tract and cause mild, cold-like respiratory illness. Although several studies have shown evidence of the global distribution of HCoVs, information about their distribution in Italy are often focused only on hospitalized children and elderly with respiratory symptoms. In this study, a total of 916 swab samples collected during the first two SARS-CoV-2 pandemic waves in Abruzzo region (central Italy) was selected for molecular screening of low pathogenic HCoVs by real-time RT-PCR. We identified low-pathogenic HCoV in nine samples. Positive samples underwent whole genome sequencing for genome characterization; indeed, we also report the whole genome sequence of a HCoV-229E strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Puglia
- PhD National Programme in One Health approaches to infectious diseases and life science research, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, 27100, Italy
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM) - Teramo, Italy
| | - Paola Ripà
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM) - Teramo, Italy.
| | - Valentina Curini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM) - Teramo, Italy
| | - Eugenia Ciarrocchi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM) - Teramo, Italy
| | - Simone Pulsoni
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM) - Teramo, Italy
| | - Roberta Irelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM) - Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Marialuigia Caporale
- PhD National Programme in One Health approaches to infectious diseases and life science research, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, 27100, Italy
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM) - Teramo, Italy
| | - Alessio Lorusso
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM) - Teramo, Italy
| | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM) - Teramo, Italy
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Valleriani F, Di Pancrazio C, Spedicato M, Di Teodoro G, Malatesta D, Petrova T, Profeta F, Colaianni ML, Berjaoui S, Puglia I, Caporale M, Rossi E, Marcacci M, Luciani M, Sacchini F, Portanti O, Bencivenga F, Decaro N, Bonfante F, Lorusso A. A cell-adapted SARS-CoV-2 mutant, showing a deletion in the spike protein spanning the furin cleavage site, has reduced virulence at the lung level in K18-hACE2 mice. Virology 2024; 592:109997. [PMID: 38324940 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.109997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Here we investigated the virulence properties of a unique cell-adapted SARS-CoV-2 mutant showing a ten-amino acid deletion encompassing the furin cleavage site of the spike protein (Δ680SPRAARSVAS689; Δ680-689-B.1) in comparison to its parental strain (wt-B.1) and two Delta variants (AY.122 and AY.21) of concern. After intranasal inoculation, transgenic K18-hACE2 mice were monitored for 14 days for weight change, lethality, and clinical score; oral swabs were daily collected and tested for the presence of N protein subgenomic RNA. At 3 and 7 dpi mice were also sacrificed and organs collected for molecular, histopathological, and immune response profile investigations. The Δ680-689-B.1-infected mice exhibited reduced shedding, lower virulence at the lung level, and milder pulmonary lesions. In the lung, infection with Δ680-689-B.1 was associated with a significant lower expression of some cytokines at 3 dpi (IL-4, IL-27, and IL-28) and 7 dpi (IL-4, IL-27, IL-28, IFN-γ and IL-1α).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizia Valleriani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Chiara Di Pancrazio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Massimo Spedicato
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Giovanni Di Teodoro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Daniela Malatesta
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Tetyana Petrova
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Francesca Profeta
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | | | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Ilaria Puglia
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Marialuigia Caporale
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Emanuela Rossi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Maurilia Marcacci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Mirella Luciani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Flavio Sacchini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Ottavio Portanti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Decaro
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano-Italy
| | - Francesco Bonfante
- IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), Legnaro-Italy
| | - Alessio Lorusso
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy.
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3
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Thabet S, Sghaier S, Ben Hassine T, Slama D, Ben Osmane R, Ben Omrane R, Mouelhi W, Spedicato M, Leone A, Teodori L, Curini V, Othmani M, Berjaoui S, Ripà P, Orabi M, Mohamed BB, Sayadi A, Slama SB, Marcacci M, Savini G, Lorusso A, Hammami S. Characterization of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Serotype 8 in Naturally Infected Barbary Deer ( Cervus elaphus barbarus) and Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Tunisia. Viruses 2023; 15:1567. [PMID: 37515253 PMCID: PMC10383031 DOI: 10.3390/v15071567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) is a Culicoides-borne disease of domestic and wild ruminants caused by EHD virus (EHDV). This virus circulates in multiple serotypes. In late September 2021, a novel strain belonging to EHDV-8 was reported in cattle farms in Central-Western Tunisia, and in the fall of 2022, the same virus was also detected in Italy and Spain. In the present study, we described EHDV-8 occurrence in deer and, a preliminary identification of the potential Culicoides species responsible for virus transmission in selected areas of Tunisia. EHDV-8 was identified in deer carcasses found in 2021 and 2022 in the national reserve of El Feidja, Jendouba, Northwestern Tunisia, and isolated on cell culture. Instead, insect vectors were collected in October 2021 only in the areas surrounding the city of Tozeur (Southern Tunisia) where EHDV-8 cases in cattle were confirmed. Morphological identification showed that 95% of them belonged to the Culicoides kingi and Culicoides oxystoma species and both species tested positive for EHDV-8 RNA. C. imicola was not detected in this collection and EHDV-8 RNA was not evidenced in vector pools collected in 2020, prior to official EHDV-8 emergence. EHDV whole genome sequences were also obtained directly from infected biological samples of deer and positive vectors. EHDV-8 sequences obtained from deer and vectors share a nucleotide identity ranging from 99.42 to 100% and amino acid identity from 99.18 to 100% across all genome segments with the EHDV-8/17 TUN2021 reference sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Thabet
- Service de Microbiologie, Immunologie et Pathologie Générale, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, IRESA, Université de la Manouba, Tunis 2020, Tunisia
| | - Soufien Sghaier
- Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie, Tunis 1006, Tunisia
| | - Thameur Ben Hassine
- Direction Générale des Services Vétérinaires, Commissariat Régional au Développement Agricole de Nbeul, Nabeul 8000, Tunisia
| | - Darine Slama
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Parasitology-Mycology LP3M (Code LR12ES08), Department of Clinical Biology B, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
| | - Raja Ben Osmane
- Laboratoire National de Contrôle des Médicaments, Tunis 1006, Tunisia
| | - Ridha Ben Omrane
- Direction Générale des Services Vétérinaires, Commissariat Régional au Développement Agricole de Ariana, Tunis 2010, Tunisia
| | - Wiem Mouelhi
- Direction Générale des Services Vétérinaires, Commissariat Régional au Développement Agricole de Jendouba, Jendouba 8100, Tunisia
| | - Massimo Spedicato
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Alessandra Leone
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Liana Teodori
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Valentina Curini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Moncef Othmani
- Direction Générale des Services Vétérinaires, Commissariat Régional au Développement Agricole de Tozeur, Tozeur 2200, Tunisia
| | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Laboratoire National de Contrôle des Médicaments, Tunis 1006, Tunisia
| | - Paola Ripà
- Laboratoire National de Contrôle des Médicaments, Tunis 1006, Tunisia
| | - Makram Orabi
- Direction Générale des Services Vétérinaires, Commissariat Régional au Développement Agricole de Tozeur, Tozeur 2200, Tunisia
| | | | - Ayda Sayadi
- Laboratoire National de Contrôle des Médicaments, Tunis 1006, Tunisia
| | - Sonia Ben Slama
- Laboratoire National de Contrôle des Médicaments, Tunis 1006, Tunisia
| | - Maurilia Marcacci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Savini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Alessio Lorusso
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Salah Hammami
- Service de Microbiologie, Immunologie et Pathologie Générale, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, IRESA, Université de la Manouba, Tunis 2020, Tunisia
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4
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Leopardi S, Desiato R, Mazzucato M, Orusa R, Obber F, Averaimo D, Berjaoui S, Canziani S, Capucchio MT, Conti R, di Bella S, Festa F, Garofalo L, Lelli D, Madrau MP, Mandola ML, Martin AMM, Peletto S, Pirani S, Robetto S, Torresi C, Varotto M, Citterio C, Terregino C. One health surveillance strategy for coronaviruses in Italian wildlife - CORRIGENDUM. Epidemiol Infect 2023; 151:e104. [PMID: 37366049 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268823001000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Leopardi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università Aldo Moro di Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Rosanna Desiato
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Quart, Italy
| | - Matteo Mazzucato
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Riccardo Orusa
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Quart, Italy
- National Reference Center Wildlife Diseases, Aosta Valley, Quart, Italy
| | - Federica Obber
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Daniela Averaimo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Sabrina Canziani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia ed Emilia Romagna, Brescia, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Capucchio
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Centro Animali Non Convenzionali (C.A.N.C), University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Raffaella Conti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Lazio e Toscana, Roma, Italy
| | - Santina di Bella
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Festa
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Luisa Garofalo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Lazio e Toscana, Roma, Italy
| | - Davide Lelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia ed Emilia Romagna, Brescia, Italy
- Molecular Medicine PhD Program, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Maria Lucia Mandola
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Quart, Italy
| | | | - Simone Peletto
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Quart, Italy
| | - Silvia Pirani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Umbria e Marche, Perugia, Italy
| | - Serena Robetto
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Quart, Italy
| | - Claudia Torresi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Umbria e Marche, Perugia, Italy
| | - Maria Varotto
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Carlo Citterio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
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5
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Leopardi S, Desiato R, Mazzucato M, Orusa R, Obber F, Averaimo D, Berjaoui S, Canziani S, Capucchio MT, Conti R, di Bella S, Festa F, Garofalo L, Lelli D, Madrau MP, Mandola ML, Moreno Martin AM, Peletto S, Pirani S, Robetto S, Torresi C, Varotto M, Citterio C, Terregino C. One health surveillance strategy for coronaviruses in Italian wildlife. Epidemiol Infect 2023:1-24. [PMID: 37263583 DOI: 10.1017/s095026882300081x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
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6
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de Villiers L, Molini U, Coetzee LM, Visser L, Spangenberg J, de Villiers M, Berjaoui S, Khaiseb S, Lorusso A, Franzo G. Molecular epidemiology of Canine circovirus in domestic dogs and wildlife in Namibia, Africa. Infect Genet Evol 2023:105458. [PMID: 37257803 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Canine circovirus (CanineCV) is a DNA virus affecting domestic dogs and other wild carnivore species. Despite the potential implications for dogs' health and wildlife conservation, data on CanineCV presence, epidemiology and genetic features from Africa is still poor. In the present study, biological specimens collected between 2020 and 2022 from a total of 32 jackals and 575 domestic dogs were tested for the presence of CanineCV DNA to evaluate its frequency. Furthermore, sequencing was conducted on positive samples to characterize the strains and compare them with publicly available sequences through phylogenetic analysis. A high CanineCV prevalence was observed both in jackals (43.75%; 95 CI: 28.17% - 60.67%) and domestic dogs (27.13%; 95 CI: 23.66% - 30.91%). All aside from one Namibian strain formed an independent clade, suggestive of extremely rare introduction events, followed by local persistence, circulation, and evolution. Remarkably, different recombination events were observed involving strains from both jackals and domestic dogs, which testify to the likely strain exchange between these populations. Distinctive amino acid residues were also observed in jackals. The limitations of the considered host populations however prevent a definitive conclusion on host adaptation, biological, and clinical features. Further studies should be performed to expand our current knowledge of the CanineCV disease scenario in Namibia, other African regions, and associated host species in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourens de Villiers
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Neudamm Campus, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Umberto Molini
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Neudamm Campus, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia; Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), 24 Goethe Street, Private Bag 18137, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Lauren M Coetzee
- Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), 24 Goethe Street, Private Bag 18137, Windhoek, Namibia; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Leandra Visser
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Neudamm Campus, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Jani Spangenberg
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Neudamm Campus, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Mari de Villiers
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Neudamm Campus, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Siegfried Khaiseb
- Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), 24 Goethe Street, Private Bag 18137, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Alessio Lorusso
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Franzo
- Dept. of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro 35020, Italy.
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7
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Molini U, Curini V, Jacobs E, Tongo E, Berjaoui S, Hemberger MY, Puglia I, Jago M, Khaiseb S, Cattoli G, Dundon WG, Lorusso A, Di Giallonardo F. First influenza D virus full-genome sequence retrieved from livestock in Namibia, Africa. Acta Trop 2022; 232:106482. [PMID: 35537488 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Influenza D virus (IDV) was first isolated in 2011 in the USA and has since been shown to circulate in cattle, pigs, sheep, wild boar, and camels. In Africa, there is limited data on the epidemiology of IDV and, so, we investigated the presence of IDV among domestic ruminants and wild animals in Namibia by screening nasal swabs using an IDV-specific molecular assay. IDV RNA was detected in bovines (n=2), giraffes (n=2) and wildebeest (n=1). The hemagglutinin-esterase-fusion (HEF) gene from one of the bovine and the wildebeest samples was successfully sequenced as well as the full genome for the second bovine sample. Phylogenetic analysis of the HEF gene positioned the African virus variants within the D/OK lineage but with a long branch. The African variant had an amino acid diversity of 2.41% and most likely represents a distinct genotype within the lineage. Notably, the polymerase acidic protein gene (PA) was more closely related to a different lineage (D/660), indicative of potential reassortment. This is the first genetic characterization of IDV in Africa and it adds important data to our understanding of the global IDV distribution.
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8
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Ndiana LA, Lanave G, Vasinioti V, Desario C, Martino C, Colaianni ML, Pellegrini F, Camarda A, Berjaoui S, Sgroi G, Elia G, Pratelli A, Buono F, Martella V, Buonavoglia C, Decaro N. Detection and Genetic Characterization of Canine Adenoviruses, Circoviruses, and Novel Cycloviruses From Wild Carnivores in Italy. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:851987. [PMID: 35433913 PMCID: PMC9010027 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.851987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wild carnivores are known to play a role in the epidemiology of several canine viruses, including canine adenoviruses types 1 (CAdV-1) and 2 (CAdV-2), canine circovirus (CanineCV) and canine distemper virus (CDV). In the present study, we report an epidemiological survey for these viruses in free ranging carnivores from Italy. A total of 262 wild carnivores, including red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), wolves (Canis lupus) and Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) were sampled. Viral nucleic acid was extracted and screened by real-time PCR assays (qPCR) for the presence of CAdVs and CanineCV DNA, as well as for CDV RNA. CAdV-1 DNA was detected only in red foxes (4/232, 1.7%) whilst the wolves (0/8, 0%) and Eurasian badgers (0/22, 0%) tested negative. CanineCV DNA was detected in 4 (18%) Eurasian badgers, 4 (50%) wolves and 0 (0%) red foxes. None of the animals tested positive for CDV or CAdV-2. By sequence and phylogenetic analyses, CAdV-1 and CanineCV sequences from wild carnivores were closely related to reference sequences from domestic dogs and wild carnivores. Surprisingly, two sequences from wolf intestines were identified as cycloviruses with one sequence (145.20-5432) displaying 68.6% nucleotide identity to a cyclovirus detected in a domestic cat, while the other (145.201329) was more closely related (79.4% nucleotide identity) to a cyclovirus sequence from bats. A continuous surveillance in wild carnivores should be carried out in order to monitor the circulation in wildlife of viruses pathogenic for domestic carnivores and endangered wild species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A. Ndiana
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Gianvito Lanave
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | | | | | - Camillo Martino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise 'G. Caporale', Teramo, Italy
| | | | | | - Antonio Camarda
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise 'G. Caporale', Teramo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Sgroi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Gabriella Elia
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Buono
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Vito Martella
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Decaro
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
- *Correspondence: Nicola Decaro
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Mencattelli G, Iapaolo F, Monaco F, Fusco G, de Martinis C, Portanti O, Di Gennaro A, Curini V, Polci A, Berjaoui S, Di Felice E, Rosà R, Rizzoli A, Savini G. West Nile Virus Lineage 1 in Italy: Newly Introduced or a Re-Occurrence of a Previously Circulating Strain? Viruses 2021; 14:v14010064. [PMID: 35062268 PMCID: PMC8780300 DOI: 10.3390/v14010064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In Italy, West Nile virus (WNV) appeared for the first time in the Tuscany region in 1998. After 10 years of absence, it re-appeared in the areas surrounding the Po River delta, affecting eight provinces in three regions. Thereafter, WNV epidemics caused by genetically divergent isolates have been documented every year in the country. Since 2018, only WNV Lineage 2 has been reported in the Italian territory. In October 2020, WNV Lineage 1 (WNV-L1) re-emerged in Italy, in the Campania region. This is the first occurrence of WNV-L1 detection in the Italian territory since 2017. WNV was detected in the internal organs of a goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) and a kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). The RNA extracted in the goshawk tissue samples was sequenced, and a Bayesian phylogenetic analysis was performed by a maximum-likelihood tree. Genome analysis, conducted on the goshawk WNV complete genome sequence, indicates that the strain belongs to the WNV-L1 Western-Mediterranean (WMed) cluster. Moreover, a close phylogenetic similarity is observed between the goshawk strain, the 2008-2011 group of Italian sequences, and European strains belonging to the Wmed cluster. Our results evidence the possibility of both a new re-introduction or unnoticed silent circulation in Italy, and the strong importance of keeping the WNV surveillance system in the Italian territory active.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Mencattelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.I.); (F.M.); (O.P.); (A.D.G.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (S.B.); (E.D.F.); (G.S.)
- Center Agriculture Food Environment, University of Trento, 38098 Trento, Italy;
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all’Adige, 38098 Trento, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | - Federica Iapaolo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.I.); (F.M.); (O.P.); (A.D.G.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (S.B.); (E.D.F.); (G.S.)
| | - Federica Monaco
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.I.); (F.M.); (O.P.); (A.D.G.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (S.B.); (E.D.F.); (G.S.)
| | - Giovanna Fusco
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, 80055 Napoli, Italy; (G.F.); (C.d.M.)
| | - Claudio de Martinis
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, 80055 Napoli, Italy; (G.F.); (C.d.M.)
| | - Ottavio Portanti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.I.); (F.M.); (O.P.); (A.D.G.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (S.B.); (E.D.F.); (G.S.)
| | - Annapia Di Gennaro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.I.); (F.M.); (O.P.); (A.D.G.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (S.B.); (E.D.F.); (G.S.)
| | - Valentina Curini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.I.); (F.M.); (O.P.); (A.D.G.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (S.B.); (E.D.F.); (G.S.)
| | - Andrea Polci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.I.); (F.M.); (O.P.); (A.D.G.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (S.B.); (E.D.F.); (G.S.)
| | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.I.); (F.M.); (O.P.); (A.D.G.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (S.B.); (E.D.F.); (G.S.)
| | - Elisabetta Di Felice
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.I.); (F.M.); (O.P.); (A.D.G.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (S.B.); (E.D.F.); (G.S.)
| | - Roberto Rosà
- Center Agriculture Food Environment, University of Trento, 38098 Trento, Italy;
| | | | - Giovanni Savini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.I.); (F.M.); (O.P.); (A.D.G.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (S.B.); (E.D.F.); (G.S.)
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10
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Donato G, Masucci M, De Luca E, Alibrandi A, De Majo M, Berjaoui S, Martino C, Mangano C, Lorusso A, Pennisi MG. Feline Morbillivirus in Southern Italy: Epidemiology, Clinico-Pathological Features and Phylogenetic Analysis in Cats. Viruses 2021; 13:v13081449. [PMID: 34452315 PMCID: PMC8402783 DOI: 10.3390/v13081449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Feline morbillivirus (FeMV) was isolated for the first time in 2012 with an association with chronic kidney disease (CKD) suggested. This study aimed at investigating in cats from southern Italy FeMV prevalence and risk factors for exposure to FeMV, including the relationship with CKD; sequencing amplicons and analyzing phylogeny of PCR positive samples. Blood serum, K3EDTA blood and urine samples from 223 cats were investigated. Ten carcasses were also evaluated. FeMV RNA was detected in 2.4% (5/211) blood and 16.1% (36/223) urine samples. One carcass tested positive by qPCRFeMV from kidney, urinary bladder, and submandibular lymph nodes. Antibodies against FeMV were detected in 14.5% (28/193) cats. We followed up 27 cats (13 FeMV positive cats) and documented in some cases urine shedding after up to 360 days. Older and foundling cats and cats living in rescue catteries, were more frequently infected with FeMV. A significant correlation between FeMV and higher serum creatinine values or low urine specific gravity was found. FeMV positivity was significantly associated with retroviral infection, and the presence of some clinical signs apart from CKD clinicopathological markers. Our study highlights the possibility of a link between FeMV exposure and CKD and a general impairment of feline health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Donato
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy; (M.M.); (M.D.M.); (C.M.); (M.G.P.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Marisa Masucci
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy; (M.M.); (M.D.M.); (C.M.); (M.G.P.)
| | - Eliana De Luca
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), 64100 Teramo, Italy; (E.D.L.); (S.B.); (C.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Angela Alibrandi
- Department of Economy, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy;
| | - Massimo De Majo
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy; (M.M.); (M.D.M.); (C.M.); (M.G.P.)
| | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), 64100 Teramo, Italy; (E.D.L.); (S.B.); (C.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Camillo Martino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), 64100 Teramo, Italy; (E.D.L.); (S.B.); (C.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Cyndi Mangano
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy; (M.M.); (M.D.M.); (C.M.); (M.G.P.)
| | - Alessio Lorusso
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), 64100 Teramo, Italy; (E.D.L.); (S.B.); (C.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Maria Grazia Pennisi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy; (M.M.); (M.D.M.); (C.M.); (M.G.P.)
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11
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Delli Compagni E, Jurisic L, Caporale M, Bacà F, Scialabba S, Fanì S, Perullo A, Toro M, Marchegiano A, Martino M, Di Giacomo D, Romualdi T, Verzulli S, Ciarrocchi E, Secondini B, Di Giuseppe M, Irelli R, Di Lorenzo A, Valleriani F, Berjaoui S, Puglia I, Curini V, Mangone I, Lorusso A. Genome Sequences of Three SARS-CoV-2 P.1 Strains Identified from Patients Returning from Brazil to Italy. Microbiol Resour Announc 2021; 10:e00177-21. [PMID: 33766902 PMCID: PMC7996461 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00177-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We report the complete sequences of three SARS-CoV-2 P.1 strains obtained from nasopharyngeal swab specimens from three patients returning from Brazil to Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucija Jurisic
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Federico Bacà
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Silvia Scialabba
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Sara Fanì
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Alessia Perullo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Michela Toro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Alice Marchegiano
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Michele Martino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Daniela Di Giacomo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Teresa Romualdi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Serena Verzulli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Eugenia Ciarrocchi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Barbara Secondini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Marta Di Giuseppe
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Roberta Irelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Alessio Di Lorenzo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Ilaria Puglia
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Valentina Curini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Iolanda Mangone
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
| | - Alessio Lorusso
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy
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12
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Ndiana LA, Lanave G, Desario C, Berjaoui S, Alfano F, Puglia I, Fusco G, Colaianni ML, Vincifori G, Camarda A, Parisi A, Sgroi G, Elia G, Veneziano V, Buonavoglia C, Decaro N. Circulation of diverse protoparvoviruses in wild carnivores, Italy. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:2489-2502. [PMID: 33176056 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Protoparvovirus is a monophyletic viral genus that includes the species Carnivore protoparvovirus-1 infecting domestic and wild carnivores. In this paper, the results of an epidemiological survey for Carnivore protoparvovirus-1 in wild carnivores in Italy are reported. Overall, 34 (11.4%) out of 297 tested animals were positive for Carnivore protoparvovirus-1, but the frequency of detection was much higher in intestine (54%) than in spleen samples (2.8%), thus suggesting that the intestine is the best sample to collect from wild animals for parvovirus detection. Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) was detected in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) (2.8%, 7/252) and Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) (10%, 1/10), whilst canine parvovirus (CPV) was found in wolves (54.3%, 19/35), Eurasian badgers (60%, 6/10) and one beech marten (Martes foina) (100%, 1/1), with more than one parvovirus type detected in some animals. Protoparvoviral DNA sequences from this study were found to be related to CPV/FPV strains detected in Asia and Europe, displaying some amino acid changes in the main capsid protein VP2 in comparison with other parvovirus strains from wildlife. In particular, the two most common mutations were Ile418Thr and Ala371Gly, which were observed in 6/12 (50%) and 5/12 (41.7%) of the CPV sequences from this study. Continuous surveillance for parvoviruses in wild carnivores and genetic analysis of the detected strains may help obtain new insight into the role of these animals in the evolution and epidemiology of carnivore parvoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A Ndiana
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Gianvito Lanave
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Costantina Desario
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise 'G. Caporale', Teramo, Italy
| | - Flora Alfano
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | - Ilaria Puglia
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise 'G. Caporale', Teramo, Italy
| | - Giovanna Fusco
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | | | - Giacomo Vincifori
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise 'G. Caporale', Teramo, Italy
| | - Antonio Camarda
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio Parisi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Puglia e Basilicata, Foggia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Sgroi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Gabriella Elia
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Veneziano
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Canio Buonavoglia
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Nicola Decaro
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
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13
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De Luca E, Crisi PE, Marcacci M, Malatesta D, Di Sabatino D, Cito F, D'Alterio N, Puglia I, Berjaoui S, Colaianni ML, Tinelli A, Ripà P, Vincifori G, Di Teodoro G, Dondi F, Savini G, Boari A, Lorusso A. Epidemiology, pathological aspects and genome heterogeneity of feline morbillivirus in Italy. Vet Microbiol 2019; 240:108484. [PMID: 31902482 PMCID: PMC7127367 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2019.108484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Prevalence of FeMV in feline colonies was higher with respect household cats. FeMVs of this study belong to the genotype 1 and segregate into two clusters. Isolation has been confirmed to be difficult and time consuming. No statistically significant correlation was found between FeMV infection and TIN. Virus histochemistry revealed immunoreactivity in lungs, kidneys and brain sections.
Feline morbillivirus (FeMV) is an emerging morbillivirus first described in cats less than a decade ago. FeMV has been associated with chronic kidney disease of cats characterized by tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN), although this aspect is still controversial and not demonstrated with certainty. To investigate FeMV prevalence and genomic characteristics, an epidemiological survey was conducted in a total number of 127 household cats originating from two Italian regions, Abruzzi and Emilia-Romagna. A total number of 69 cats originating from three feline colonies were also enrolled for the study. Correlation with TIN was investigated by employing a total number of 35 carcasses. Prevalence of FeMV RNA was higher in urine samples collected from cats of colonies (P = 31.8%, CI 95% 22.1–43.6) compared to household cats (P = 8.66%, CI 95% 4.9–14.9) and in young and middle-aged cats while prevalence of FeMV Abs was higher in old cats. Sequences obtained straight from infected biological samples, either partial or complete, cluster into two clades within FeMV genotype 1, distantly related to FeMV genotype 2. Immunohistochemistry analysis of kidney sections of FeMV RNA positive cats revealed immunoreactivity within epithelial cells of renal tubuli and inflammatory cells. However, statistically significant association between FeMV and renal damages, including TIN, was not demonstrated (p= 0.0695, Fisher exact test). By virus histochemistry performed with FeMV-negative feline tissues and a FeMV isolate, tropism for different cellular types such as inflammatory cells residing in blood vessels of kidney and brain, airway epithelial cells, alveolar macrophages and to a lesser extent, the central nervous system, was demonstrated. Additional studies are warranted in order to establish viral tropism and immune response during the early phases of infection and to disentangle the role of FeMV in co-infection processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana De Luca
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Maurilia Marcacci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy
| | - Daniela Malatesta
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy
| | - Daria Di Sabatino
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy
| | - Francesca Cito
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy
| | - Nicola D'Alterio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy
| | - Ilaria Puglia
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy
| | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Antonella Tinelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Paola Ripà
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy
| | - Giacomo Vincifori
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Di Teodoro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy
| | - Francesco Dondi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Savini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy
| | - Andrea Boari
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Alessio Lorusso
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo, Italy.
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