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Biomedical subjects

G Battelli

Publications and source records attributed to G Battelli.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[An insight into the epidemiology and economic impact of gastro-intestinal nematodes in small ruminants].

Milk production has been a distinguishing characteristic of sheep breeding since antiquity in the Mediterranean area, including Italy, where prehistoric findings confirm this particular husbandry activity. In Homer's Odyssey, the description of Polifemo's sheep flock organization is remarkably similar to current production systems. The ancient roots of this tradition have grown into an important economic reality, with excellent levels of milk production and apporoximately 65 typical cheeses. It is interesting to note that the Italian word "pecora" (sheep) is believed to have originated from the Latin "pecunia" (money). Although heavy production losses are due to parasitic infections, only 250 papers have been published in the last 50 years in Italy on sheep parasites. Differences in climate, environmental factors and production tecniques may influence infection prevalence, load and pathogenesis. For this reason, prevention must be aimed at the particular epidemiological situation and not simply adapted from current schemes used abroad. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the epidemiology of ovine gastrointestinal nematodes in Italy and to evaluate the economic importance of their control.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed2004

[Animal echinococcosis in Italy: epidemiological update].

Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is one of the most widespread parasitoses in the Mediterranean Region (MR). This is due to various factors, the most important being the close association between man, sheep and dogs in areas where open farming is practised. Although this disease has been known for several years and many studies have been carried out, nowadays in Italy there are no complete epidemiological data on its diffusion and distribution. The available data show that CE is mainly diffused in those districts where the sheep-dog cycle can be perpetuated, such as central and southern Italy, and the islands. Furthermore, no data are available on biomolecular characterisation of the strains of Echinococcus granulosus in Italy, apart form those in Sardinia, where the G1 (sheep-dog) and G7 (pig-dog) strains were recently isolated. One of the reasons why CE is a problem with no easy solution is undoubtedly the difficulty of making a certain diagnosis in the dog, the principal definitive host of E. granulosus.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Socio-economic impact of cystic echinococcosis and of its control: some data and considerations.

The socio-economic impact of cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by Echinococcus granulosus, is reviewed with special reference to the following topics: consequences in man and livestock, costs and benefits of control programmes and economic procedures for evaluating control programmes. Examples of some important costs and benefits are given. Many consequences in man and livestock are difficult to evaluate from an economic point of view, because some basic data are difficult to obtain in many countries. However, the socio-economic evaluation of the consequences of CE and of the present and future control actions proves indispensable to best use available resources and possibly tailor control stategies.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed2004

Echinococcus granulosus in the wolf in Italy.

During the period 1987-1999, 119 wolf cadavers were examined and checked for the presence of Echinococcus granulosus. All the animals were retrieved along the whole Apennines range of distribution of the species in Italy and most of them were illegally killed. Eighteen wolves resulted positive (15%). The mean intensity was 697.5. The force of infection for prevalence was 8.2 year(-1). The prevalence of the parasite was significantly and positively influenced by the local prevalence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in sheep. Mean intensity was significantly and positively influenced by both the age of the wolf and the prevalence of CE in sheep. A deterministic model was used in order to simulate a purely theoretical sylvatic cycle of the parasites having the wolf as the only definitive host with 15% of prevalence. The expected prevalence of CE in wild intermediate species ranges between 10% and 25%. This prevalence overlaps the one observed in sheep. Even if both the wolf and the wild ungulate populations are increasing, the wolf still acts as a part of the main dog-sheep cycle of the parasite.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2003

A stable focus of canine leishmaniosis in the Bologna Province, Italy.

During an epidemiological survey carried out for two consecutive years (2001-2002), autochthonous cases of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) were reported in Communes of the Bologna Province (Emilia-Romagna Region, northern Italy), involved in the past (1971-1972) in a severe outbreak of human visceral leishmaniosis (VL). Serological controls, carried out by immunofluorescence antibody test on a sample of owned dogs, detected a mean prevalence of 2.5% in the first year in 4 Communes, and of 11.2% in the second year in only one Commune, where an incidence value of 9.3% was assessed. The autochthonous origin of the infection was confirmed in 11 out of 13 positive animals in the first year and in 5 out of 6 new cases in the second year. In one case the parasitological examinations led to the isolation of leishmaniae characterized as Leishmania infantum zymodeme MON 1. Entomological surveys carried out during two sandfly seasons in one of the areas concerned by the VL outbreak showed the presence of Phlebotomus perfiliewi and, to a lesser extent, of P perniciosus, both proven vectors of L. infantum in Italy. The results obtained seem to suggest the presence of a stable focus of CanL in the territory involved in the previous VL outbreak of 1971-1972, within which the infection in the canine population had been assessed only serologically. Such an epidemiological situation may be seen either as the persistence of an old focus or as a new imported one.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Cystic echinococcosis and the Mediterranean Region: a long-lasting association.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is an important zoonosis in Italy and in the whole Mediterranean Region, as confirmed by the work by Ettore Biocca, whose contributions to the subject are reported in a summarised annex to the bibliography. The contribution to the understanding and control of CE are presented, with special emphasis on the socio-economic impact, on factors affecting the maintenance of CE in the Mediterranean Region, on the epidemiological situation and control measures, on the present status of epidemiological surveillance, on the control problems in normal and emergency situations, on health education and training. Also, the justifications of combined control programmes are discussed, which may be applied only in situations of peace and well-being.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed2001

Gastro-intestinal nematode infections in four Alpine chamois herds: influence of host density on helminth egg output.

A three years survey on gastro-intestinal nematode egg output was carried out in four Alpine chamois herds (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra) from Belluno province (Italy). Data were analysed in order to detect the influence of cattle presence and chamois density on egg output, and to evaluate the stability of host-parasite relationship. As expected, variations related to the season were present, with the major peak of egg output observed in the summer. Results highlighted an unexpected inverse influence of host density on egg counts. The results are in relation to host-parasite relationship stability. Parasites seem to be able to self-regulate in the absence of parasite-induced host mortality. No effect due to cattle presence was detected.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

A new stable focus of canine leishmaniasis in northern Italy.

A new stable focus of canine leishmaniasis (CanL) was identified in a coastal Adriatic area of the Emilia-Romagna Region in Northern Italy. Following the first clinical cases observed starting from 1998, a seroepidemiological survey was carried out on owned dogs from two communes and on animals housed in dog pounds of the Rimini province. Sixteen out of 612 dogs (2.6%) resulted positive to the IFA test. The 16 positive dogs all came from the two communes, with seroprevalences of 3 and 6%, respectively. The autochthonous origin of the infection was confirmed in all the cases. The parasitological investigation led to the isolation and identification of the parasite as Leishmania infantum Zymodeme MON 1. An entomological survey showed that Phlebotomus perniciosus and P. perfiliewi are present in this area and that P. perfiliewi was very abundant in one collection site. The risk of the establishment of a permanent transmission of the infection in the area, previously considered CanL-free, must be analysed in view of further investigations to be extended also to neighbouring areas.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Eimeria leuckarti (Flesh, 1883) Reichenow, 1940 from Equus caballus in Italy.

Fecal examinations of horses (Equus caballus) from studs in the province of Udine (Friuli Venezia Giulia region, east-northern Italy), carried out during two periods of the year 1993, revealed coccidian oocysts in six foals, two stallions and one mare. The species was identified as Eimeria leuckarti. This species was reported only once in Italy, more than 20 years ago (1972). For this reason, the prevalence of the parasite and the description of immature and sporulated oocysts are given.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Multimodal evoked potentials in multiple sclerosis: a contribution to diagnosis and classification.

The adoption of multimodal evoked potential procedures for the diagnosis and classification of multiple sclerosis is recommended as capable of revealing subclinical lesions of the central nervous system. The CSF test is also helpful, though in a different way. We present the results obtained by VEP, BAEP, SEP-median and SEP-tibial examinations and by CSF analysis (OB+) in a group of 189 MS patients, of whom 103 were diagnosed as definite. 58 as probable and 28 as suspected MS cases according to McDonald and Halliday, criteria. EPs frequently displayed clinically silent lesions, enabling us to reclassify 14 of the 37 potentially reclassifiable subjects (37.8%). The CSF test (OB+) allowed the reclassification of 31 out of the 58 reclassifiable cases (53.4%). In the present report we discuss the usefulness of the two methods.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Vaccination of cattle with live and inactivated rabies vaccines: a study of antibody response.

The authors vaccinated 152 cattle divided into three groups against rabies. The first group received the ERA strain and the second group an inactivated vaccine. The third group received the inactivated vaccine on two occasions with an interval of 60 days between the two doses. Their antibody response was surveyed with the fluorescent foci-inhibition test carried out on blood samples collected during a 10-month period. All animals developed an almost identical antibody response. However, at the sixth and tenth months, there was a higher number of seropositive animals in the groups vaccinated with the killed vaccine.

Animals↗