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D Rutili

Publications and source records attributed to D Rutili.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Statistical evaluation of classical swine fever surveillance plans in Italy (1995-2003).

Summary Surveillance plans were carried out in Italy from 1995 to 2003, with the main aim of controlling the possible circulation of low-virulence classical swine fever viral strains. The repetition of a serological monitoring programme over several years, with constantly negative results, can prove the absence of the infection while increasing the degree of confidence. In our case, in 2003, after eight repetitions of the surveillance plan, the probability that there was at least one infected farm reached 0.006%. Therefore, on the basis of the results of the sampling carried out from 1995 to 2003, we may state that there is no endemic infection, even because of a low virulence virus, in continental Italy.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Analysis of possible factors affecting the specificity of the gamma interferon test in tuberculosis-free cattle herds.

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is still a zoonotic problem in the world. Despite the fact that eradication programs for bovine TB are being implemented in many countries, it remains a public health problem. These programs are mainly based on a single intradermal tuberculin test using bovine tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD), isolation, and slaughtering of infected animals. The aim of this study was to assess the specificity of the gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) test in TB-free cattle herds, by using not only Australian tuberculins but also tuberculins produced at our institute, and to correlate the response with the type of production (beef cattle, dairy cattle, and a dual-purpose breed), the housing system, and the age of the animals. We studied 800 animals selected from 20 TB- and paratuberculosis-free herds. The animals were tested in parallel, after stimulation with Australian tuberculins and tuberculins produced at our institute, by using the skin test and two IFN-gamma assays. The results of this trial showed that the specificity of the IFN-gamma test is higher than that of the skin test (96.8%) and ranges from 97.3% (using only Australian tuberculins) to 98.6% (using tuberculins produced at our institute). We found that different categories of cattle could influence the specificity of the skin test but that these differences tended to be reduced in the IFN-gamma assay, especially when Italian PPDs were used.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2003

Classical swine fever in wild boar in the Lombardy region of Italy from 1997 to 2002.

In 1997, outbreaks of classical swine fever occurred in wild boar and domestic pigs in the Italian province of Varese (Lombardy region). Statutory animal health measures were imposed, and a control plan aimed at preventing the virus from spreading outside the infected hunting zone of 108 km2 was implemented. However, in 1998, virologically positive wild boar were found outside this zone, including within Swiss territory. The infected zone was then enlarged to include the three other hunting areas of the northern province of Varese and the neighbouring Swiss territory. Italian and Swiss veterinary services initiated a joint policy to control the disease by hunting young wild boar and conserving older, immune animals. The percentage of virologically positive animals gradually decreased, the last being found in July 2000. The seroprevalence initially increased, but in 2000 and 2001 it decreased from 42.2 per cent to 8.8 per cent, indicating that the wild boar population had had no further contact with the virus.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Classical swine fever (hog cholera) in wild boar in Europe.

Classical swine fever (CSF) is of increasing concern in Europe where wild boar appear to play an important epidemiological role. In most parts of the continent, demographic trends are on the increase, due to improvement in game management. As a result of higher densities, populations become more susceptible to various infectious diseases, among which CSF is cause for particular concern. Wild boar do not appear to be a classic reservoir in most cases, but nevertheless may perpetuate foci of infection over the long term, constituting a real threat for the pig farming industry. Since the infection does not appear to spread easily in natural populations of free-ranging wild boars, control of the disease may be feasible. However, most of the appropriate measures, such as banning hunting, are not considered acceptable. Consequently, the expertise of wildlife disease specialists is required to help solve the problem when it occurs.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Molecular epidemiology of classical swine fever in Italy.

To gain an insight into the molecular epidemiology of classical swine fever (CSF) in Italy, virus isolates originating from outbreaks that occurred between 1985 and 2000 in wild boar or in domestic pigs in mainland Italy and in Sardinia were analysed by genetic typing. For this, a fragment (190 nucleotides) of the E2 glycoprotein gene was sequenced and phylogenetic analyses were performed, including older Italian isolates and isolates from recent outbreaks in Europe for comparison. The results show that in mainland Italy, several independent epidemiological events occurred in the last decade. In the north of the country, viruses of genotype 2.2 have persisted in wild boar, causing sporadic outbreaks in domestic pigs. In contrast, viruses of subgroups 2.1 and 2.3 appeared only intermittently in different regions of the mainland. In 1997, classical swine fever virus (CSFV) isolates belonging to the subgroup 2.1 and genetically and epidemiologically related to the Dutch isolate in Venhorst, affected domestic pigs exclusively. The isolates of subgroup 2.3, derived from wild boar as well as from domestic pigs were closely related to isolates from Germany and Poland. In Sardinia, CSF is an endemic in wild boar and affects domestic pigs also. Genetic typing showed that viruses of subgroups 1.1 and 2.3 have been present, the last ones being unrelated to the mainland viruses of the same subgroup. Due to the large quantities of pig and wild boar meat imported in some parts of Italy, it cannot be established if these viruses were always present in either the mainland or Sardinia, or if they represent recent introductions.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Molecular epidemiology of a large classical swine fever epidemic in the European Union in 1997-1998.

A big epidemic of classical swine fever (CSF) occurred in the European Community in 1997. The first case was reported at the beginning of January 1997 from Germany. The disease presumably spread to the Netherlands, and from there to Italy, Spain and eventually to Belgium. About 30 isolates from these outbreaks were analysed by comparison of the nucleotide sequence data generated from fragments of both the E2 glycoprotein gene (190 nucleotides) and from the 5'-nontranslated region (5'-NTR; 150 nucleotides). By combining epidemiological data with genetic typing, it was found that the outbreaks were related and caused by a virus belonging to the genetic subgroup 2.1. As this type of virus had been reported infrequently in Europe and not at all since 1993, we postulate that it was newly introduced into the European Union (EU).

5' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed1999

Classical swine fever in Sardinia: epidemiology of recent outbreaks.

A variable region of the gene encoding the major glycoprotein (E2) of Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV) was sequenced from 12 Sardinian isolates which had been obtained from three geographically distinct regions of the Island. Phylogenetic analysis of these viruses and others characterized in previous studies [1, 2] indicated that (a) the Sardinian viruses were all members of the common European subgroup 2.3 and were clearly distinct from live vaccines recently used in this area; (b) they could be resolved into four distinct groups in accordance with the region or date of isolation; (c) in at least two regions wild boar/domestic swine contact was implicated in virus spread; (d) the oldest isolate (1983) and some of the recent isolates were possibly introduced from mainland Italy. In addition, this study has wider implications for the interpretation of CSFV variation. We have been able to demonstrate that small variations within this region of the virus genome (possibly less than 2.7% or five nucleotide substitutions) can be used to separate isolates into groups that precisely fit their geographical distribution. This finding is especially important for deducing the epidemiological relationships between multiple outbreaks caused by similar viruses that occur in close proximity.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Classical swine fever: genetic detection and analysis of differences between virus isolates.

Two pairs of oligonucleotide primers were designed that specifically amplified regions of the classical swine fever virus genome. These products, corresponding to a 671 bp portion of the genes encoding the E1 and E2 (gp33 and gp55) proteins and a 1090 bp portion of the putative polymerase gene, were amplified from eight virus isolates which had been responsible for a series of classical swine fever outbreaks in Italy involving both domestic pigs and wild boar. For each virus the fragments were partially sequenced to give 475 bp of the E1/E2 glycoprotein and 212 bp of the putative polymerase gene sequences. The data from each set of fragments were compared with one another and with reference strains. This allowed us confidently to assign most of the viruses to one of three subgroups. An analysis of the same viruses with a panel of monoclonal antibodies was much less informative. The subgrouping of the isolates suggested that, in this region of Italy, there had been at least two separate introductions of classical swine fever over a 7 year period and that virus had been transmitted between domestic pigs and wild boar. A consensus nucleotide sequence derived from the glycoprotein fragments of all the viruses examined revealed conservation at the wobble position of some codons.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Isolation of visna-maedi virus from the choroid plexus of an apparently healthy sheep in Italy.

In this paper, the presence of visna-maedi in Italy, reported to exist since 1982 on clinical grounds, and the presence of anti-visna-maedi antibody is confirmed by the isolation of the viral agent from choroid plexus cells of an apparently healthy sheep. Gel diffusion test antigen, prepared from the explanted choroid plexus cells and from normal choroid plexus cells infected with the isolated agent, gave a positive reaction with one or two identity lines with reference antigens. The isolated agent gave both a characteristic cytopathic effect and a cytoplasmic fluorescence starting 24 hours after infection in normal choroid plexus cell cultures. Fluorescence was observed neither in control normal choroid plexus cells nor in infected normal choroid plexus cells incubated with a visna-maedi negative serum. By electron microscopy, budding forms arising from the cell membrane and extracellular particles of two distinct types were observed. One type was characterized by an electron-dense central core and a single membrane, and ranged from 80 to 110 nm, while the other had elongated bar-like cores and a double wall, and ranged from 100 to 140 nm. The characteristics observed for the isolated agent are identical to those reported by various authors for visna-maedi virus.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Intracytoplasmic lysozyme in malignant hematologic disorders: an immunoperoxidase study.

Intracytoplasmic lysozyme was studied by the peroxidase antiperoxidase (PAP) and protein A-peroxidase methods in 130 cases of various myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative disorders and 21 lymph nodes and bone marrow metastases from solid primary tumors. This marker, which can be identified in formalin or Zenker-fixed tissues, as well as in peripheral blood and bone marrow smears, proved useful to distinguish malignant myeloid and histiocytic tumors from malignant lymphoid and undifferentiated epithelial metastases. The diagnostic application of these findings are discussed.

Cytoplasm↗
PubMed1978

Epidemiologic study on enzootic bovine leukemia in Italy.

The results obtained from serologic and hematologic investigations conducted on 1.124 cattle belonging to 14 herds located in Central Italy are reported. The results demonstrate a considerable number of animals with antibodies to Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) and/or lymphocytosis, coming from Friesian herds with or without history of leucosis. Furthermore it is demonstrated the absence of animals with circulating antibodies to BLV in herds made up of the Chianina breed even with a herd history of leucosis.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Bovine enzootic leukemia and study of c-type particles in a cow with acute lymphatic leukemia and in cattle of the same herd with persistent lymphocytosis].

A case of acute lymphatic leukemia in a 7-month-pregnant Italian Friesian cow, aged about 6 years and belonging to a small dairy herd of 11 cows is described. Hematologic, histopatologic and ultrastructural examinations were performed, the ultrastructural studies were confined to the lymphnodes, thymus and buffy-coat cultures from peripheral blood. The remaining animals were subjected to hematologic examination and electron microscopy examination of buffy-coat cultures from peripheral blood. C-type particles were found in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-treated and untreated buffy-coat cultures from the leukemic cow and from the animals with persistent lymphocytosis. C-type particles were also found in milk samples from 3 cows with persistent lymphocytosis.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Epidemiologic study on enzootic bovine leukemia using serologic tests and hematologic examinations.

In order to find suitable diagnostic procedures to use in an epidemiologic survey for the detection of animals infected with the bovine leukemia virus (BLV), the authors conducted an investigation on 262 Friesian dairy cattle. The results of hematologic, serologic, and electron microscopic examinations are reported. Evaluation of the results demonstrated the validity of the immunodiffusion and immunofluorescence tests and the opportunity for their use in conjunction with examination of the blood picture. From the data reported it would appear useful to extend the investigation to the herds without history of lymphosarcoma.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ultrastructural studies of some organs from pigs with swine fever.

Six pigs were experimentally infected with swine fever (SF) virus and their organs (tonsils, spleen, pancreas, kidneys and popliteal lymph nodes) were examined by electron microscopy. The study was designed to detect the presence of SF virus in the tissues examined. Particles that were probably SF virus were demonstrated. Paracrystalline aggregates and microtubular structures were also found.

Animals↗