Besnoitia besnoiti among cattle in insular and northwestern Italy: endemic infection or isolated outbreaks?
Abstract Background Bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the apicomplexan Besnoitia besnoiti, is a chronic and debilitating disease considered as emerging in Europe. In Spain, Portugal and France it is endemic and foci of infection were recorded in Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Greece and Italy. In Italy...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2014-12-01
|
| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-014-0585-4 |
| _version_ | 1797811784249245696 |
|---|---|
| author | Alessia L Gazzonis Gema Alvarez Garcia Sergio A Zanzani Giovanni Garippa Luca Rossi Marco Maggiora Valter Dini Anna Invernizzi Mario Luini Vito M Tranquillo Luis Ortega Mora Maria Teresa Manfredi |
| author_facet | Alessia L Gazzonis Gema Alvarez Garcia Sergio A Zanzani Giovanni Garippa Luca Rossi Marco Maggiora Valter Dini Anna Invernizzi Mario Luini Vito M Tranquillo Luis Ortega Mora Maria Teresa Manfredi |
| author_sort | Alessia L Gazzonis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the apicomplexan Besnoitia besnoiti, is a chronic and debilitating disease considered as emerging in Europe. In Spain, Portugal and France it is endemic and foci of infection were recorded in Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Greece and Italy. In Italy, cases of bovine besnoitiosis were registered both in imported and autochthonous cattle, and mostly in central regions; high seroprevalence was also revealed by an epidemiological survey performed in the southern part of the country. Aiming to update information on the disease in northwestern and insular areas of Italy, where data on bovine besnoitiosis were missing, a serosurvey was designed for the present study. Methods Three thousand one hundred and forty bovine blood samples from both dairy and beef farms (n = 126) were collected in northwestern regions (Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria) and in the island of Sardinia. Samples were analyzed by a standardized in-house ELISA and those resulted positive were re-tested by Western Blot (WB) for confirmation. On results obtained by both ELISA and WB, apparent (AP) and true prevalence (TP) were calculated at individual and herd levels. Further, a panel of sera resulted positive to ELISA was analyzed by IFAT. Results A total of 712 animals (AP = 22.7%; TP = 18.8%) and 109 farms (AP = 86.5%; TP = 88.2%) showed a positive reaction in ELISA. Only ten (AP = 0.3%; TP = 0%) specimens proceeding from five farms (AP = 3.9%; TP = 1.7%) from Lombardy were confirmed positive to the WB, corresponding to two Holstein Friesian cows and eight beef cattle. IFAT showed a low sensitivity (44.4%) scoring positive in only four samples out of 9 positive to WB. Conclusions The survey demonstrated that bovine besnoitiosis cannot still be considered endemic in whole Italy. In fact, independent foci of infection were registered only in Lombardy region. Therefore, a sanitary strategy aimed to increase control measures and to organize monitoring plans, by adequate diagnostic tools is necessary to avoid overestimation of B. besnoiti in Italy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:27:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-db1db84319d64434987eedb45d3c5665 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:27:51Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-db1db84319d64434987eedb45d3c56652023-06-04T11:17:08ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052014-12-01711810.1186/s13071-014-0585-4Besnoitia besnoiti among cattle in insular and northwestern Italy: endemic infection or isolated outbreaks?Alessia L Gazzonis0Gema Alvarez Garcia1Sergio A Zanzani2Giovanni Garippa3Luca Rossi4Marco Maggiora5Valter Dini6Anna Invernizzi7Mario Luini8Vito M Tranquillo9Luis Ortega Mora10Maria Teresa Manfredi11Department of Veterinary Science and Public Health, University of MilanSALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridDepartment of Veterinary Science and Public Health, University of MilanDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of SassariDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, University of TurinDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, University of TurinHealth Veterinary ServiceIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia RomagnaIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia RomagnaIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia RomagnaSALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridDepartment of Veterinary Science and Public Health, University of MilanAbstract Background Bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the apicomplexan Besnoitia besnoiti, is a chronic and debilitating disease considered as emerging in Europe. In Spain, Portugal and France it is endemic and foci of infection were recorded in Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Greece and Italy. In Italy, cases of bovine besnoitiosis were registered both in imported and autochthonous cattle, and mostly in central regions; high seroprevalence was also revealed by an epidemiological survey performed in the southern part of the country. Aiming to update information on the disease in northwestern and insular areas of Italy, where data on bovine besnoitiosis were missing, a serosurvey was designed for the present study. Methods Three thousand one hundred and forty bovine blood samples from both dairy and beef farms (n = 126) were collected in northwestern regions (Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria) and in the island of Sardinia. Samples were analyzed by a standardized in-house ELISA and those resulted positive were re-tested by Western Blot (WB) for confirmation. On results obtained by both ELISA and WB, apparent (AP) and true prevalence (TP) were calculated at individual and herd levels. Further, a panel of sera resulted positive to ELISA was analyzed by IFAT. Results A total of 712 animals (AP = 22.7%; TP = 18.8%) and 109 farms (AP = 86.5%; TP = 88.2%) showed a positive reaction in ELISA. Only ten (AP = 0.3%; TP = 0%) specimens proceeding from five farms (AP = 3.9%; TP = 1.7%) from Lombardy were confirmed positive to the WB, corresponding to two Holstein Friesian cows and eight beef cattle. IFAT showed a low sensitivity (44.4%) scoring positive in only four samples out of 9 positive to WB. Conclusions The survey demonstrated that bovine besnoitiosis cannot still be considered endemic in whole Italy. In fact, independent foci of infection were registered only in Lombardy region. Therefore, a sanitary strategy aimed to increase control measures and to organize monitoring plans, by adequate diagnostic tools is necessary to avoid overestimation of B. besnoiti in Italy.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-014-0585-4Besnoitia besnoitiApicomplexaProtozoaBovine besnoitiosisELISAWestern blot |
| spellingShingle | Alessia L Gazzonis Gema Alvarez Garcia Sergio A Zanzani Giovanni Garippa Luca Rossi Marco Maggiora Valter Dini Anna Invernizzi Mario Luini Vito M Tranquillo Luis Ortega Mora Maria Teresa Manfredi Besnoitia besnoiti among cattle in insular and northwestern Italy: endemic infection or isolated outbreaks? Parasites & Vectors Besnoitia besnoiti Apicomplexa Protozoa Bovine besnoitiosis ELISA Western blot |
| title | Besnoitia besnoiti among cattle in insular and northwestern Italy: endemic infection or isolated outbreaks? |
| title_full | Besnoitia besnoiti among cattle in insular and northwestern Italy: endemic infection or isolated outbreaks? |
| title_fullStr | Besnoitia besnoiti among cattle in insular and northwestern Italy: endemic infection or isolated outbreaks? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Besnoitia besnoiti among cattle in insular and northwestern Italy: endemic infection or isolated outbreaks? |
| title_short | Besnoitia besnoiti among cattle in insular and northwestern Italy: endemic infection or isolated outbreaks? |
| title_sort | besnoitia besnoiti among cattle in insular and northwestern italy endemic infection or isolated outbreaks |
| topic | Besnoitia besnoiti Apicomplexa Protozoa Bovine besnoitiosis ELISA Western blot |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-014-0585-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alessialgazzonis besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks AT gemaalvarezgarcia besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks AT sergioazanzani besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks AT giovannigarippa besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks AT lucarossi besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks AT marcomaggiora besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks AT valterdini besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks AT annainvernizzi besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks AT marioluini besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks AT vitomtranquillo besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks AT luisortegamora besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks AT mariateresamanfredi besnoitiabesnoitiamongcattleininsularandnorthwesternitalyendemicinfectionorisolatedoutbreaks |