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Biomedical subjects

G Castrucci

Publications and source records attributed to G Castrucci.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

The vaccination and challenge with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) of calves previously infected with a non-cytopathic BVDV.

Four calves were infected with noncytopathic (NCP) New York-1 strain of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). During the observation period of one month the calves remained clinically normal but the virus was repeatedly recovered from their pharyngeal swabbings and blood. Thirty days following infection the four calves were vaccinated, together with two uninfected calves, with a modified-live vaccine containing cytopathic (CP) BVDV, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus and parainfluenza-3 virus. No detrimental effects were observed after vaccination. Forty-three days after vaccination the calves were challenged by exposure either with the CP TVM-2 strain or the NCP New York-1 strain of BVDV. The vaccinated calves remained healthy throughout the 60-day observation period.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

A virus-particle vaccine prepared from bovine mammillitis virus against herpes genitalis.

A vaccine against herpes genitalis was prepared from the extracellular virus particles from baby hamster kidney cells infected with bovine mammillitis virus (BMV) strain "Allerton". The virus was inactivated by formaldehyde followed by ultracentrifugation to concentrate the virus particles and eliminate formaldehyde to an acceptable concentration for immunisation of human subjects. The vaccine was cross antigenic and cross immunogenic with herpes simplex virus type 1. Thirty-four consorts at high risk of herpes genitalis were immunised with two or three doses each containing 10(9) virus particles equialent to approx. 150 micrograms protein. There has been no evidence of local or general side effect in a follow-up period of over 100 patient years. The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of this vaccine in human subjects will be investigated in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

A study of some biologic properties of Bovid herpesvirus-4.

This article summarizes the results of a study on several strains of Bovid herpesvirus-4 (BHV-4), isolated from cattle. The study had several objectives, namely, to verify (a) the disease-causing potential of the virus, (b) the possibility by BHV-4 to induce a latent infection in the natural host and (c) the entity of the relationships among strains of the virus isolated from different disease syndromes. The following data were obtained: (1) All strains tested were able to replicate in experimentally infected calves; however, only one strain (85/BH 16TV) caused an overt systemic disease. (2) The nervous system as well as the lymphoid structures appeared to be the target organs for replication of the virus. (3) BHV-4, like other herpesviruses, was able to establish latent infection in cattle. (4) When two strains of the virus, isolated from cattle affected by different disease syndromes, i.e. respiratory disease (strain DN-599) or vulvovaginitis (strain 85/BH 16TV), respectively, they resulted to be closely related to each other. In particular, they revealed a similar DNA pattern and both strains were able to cause respiratory disease in calves. Moreover, the two viral strains were mutually protective in that calves were generally found to be refractory to challenge inoculation with either the homologous or the heterologous virus. (5) All BHV-4 strains tested generally failed to evoke a significant production of neutralizing antibody in the experimental calves.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

A study of some pathogenetic aspects of bovine viral diarrhea virus infection.

The cytopathic (CP) TVM-2 strain of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) induced in calves a severe disease, characterized by the clinical picture which is usually reported for the acute primary infection observed under natural conditions. In contrast, the calves inoculated with a different biotype of BVDV, the non-cytopathic (NCP) New York-1 strain, remained clinically normal with the only evidence of virus replication in these calves being the recovery of the virus from their pharyngeal swabbings and blood and also the detection of specific neutralizing antibody in their serums. When calves were immunosuppressed with dexamethasone (DMS), they underwent an overt systemic disease of such a severity that in most of the cases it ended with the death of the animals. This result was obtained with either the CP and the NCP strain of BVDV. Finally, the mixed infection that was obtained in the calves with the CP and the NCP BVDV did not result in any particular unexpected pathological situation. It was speculated that the immunosuppressive activity of BVDV could be a property peculiar to certain isolates of the virus.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

A serological comparison of some animal herpesviruses.

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) isolates (Cooper-type strain 4975 and Oxford) were compared in neutralization tests with the bovine herpesvirus 4 (BHV-4) isolate (85/16 TV) and the herpesviruses of red deer (D2839/1) and goats (E/CH). Hyperimmune antiserum was prepared in rabbits against the plaque-selected viruses and endpoint and kinetic neutralization test were made. BHV-4 was clearly different from the other four viruses. The closely-related BHV-1 strains were also related in these tests to the red deer herpesvirus. The Oxford strain seemed rather closer antigenically than the Cooper-type strain to the red deer herpesvirus. Antiserum to the caprine herpesvirus failed to neutralize either BHV-1 strain or red deer virus, but antiserum to the Cooper-type and red deer herpesviruses did neutralize caprine virus to a limited extent.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

A further study on relationships between herpes simplex virus and Bovid herpesvirus-2.

Calves exposed by intravenous or intradermal inoculation with Herpes simplex virus (HSV), types 1 and 2, remained clinically normal and HSV was not recovered from nasal secretion nor blood samples. However, the clinical response of calves pre-inoculated with HSV, to Bovid herpesvirus-2 (BH-2) challenge infection was much milder than that in the challenge control calves, and the titer of BHV-2 by skin titration underwent a significant (2-2.5 log units) reduction in the HSV pre-inoculated calves. Inoculation of calves with live HSV provided a much greater protection against BHV-2 challenge infection compared with the results of previous experiments in which a Triton X100-inactivated HSV antigen was used. It was speculated that the possibility of HSV replicating in cattle must still be considered an open question.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[A modified Hill's procedure in the surgical treatment of hiatal hernia].

After an introduction on the problems regarding indications and surgical management of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, the Authors describe the technique they use, which is a modification of Hill's posterior gastropexy, involving the placement of suture through the median arcuate ligament, without exposing the celiac axis. The preliminary results of a prospective randomized clinical trial, conducted at the Surgical Clinic Department of Catholic University, Rome, are described. The trial evaluated early and late results of Hill's modified technique versus a control group, in which a Dor technique has been used. Intraoperative oesophageal manometry has been performed in both groups, to set the cardioplasty more properly. Ninety-one patients out of 132 have been studied; 65 had a good response to medical therapy and 26 have been operated upon. In 9 cases (6 Dor and 3 Hill) intraoperative manometry was performed. All patients have been studied pre-operatively with upper g.i. series, endoscopy with biopsies, oesophageal manometry and 24-h pH monitoring; this protocol has been repeated after 3 to 6 months postoperatively, to evaluate the results more accurately. The preliminary data, although statistically non significant because of the small study group, seem to favour the Hill modified technique, both for complication and reflux control. Further data are needed to confirm them.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Immunization against bovine rotaviral infection.

Calves fed with colostrum from cows vaccinated with an inactivated rotavirus vaccine were refractory to experimental infection with strain 81/36F of bovine rotavirus. In the field study, 458 pregnant cows from 26 herds were involved. In each herd, cows were selected and randomly subdivided in two groups. Cows in one group (248 head in total) were vaccinated, whereas cows in the other group (210 head in total) were left as unvaccinated controls. At calving, colostrum was collected from each cow and stored at -30 degrees C until used for feeding calves. The newborn calves, beginning the second day of life and for the next 7-10 days, were each fed a daily supplement of 400 ml of colostrum from its dam. The diarrhea occurred in 86 (40.9%) calves that had received colostrum from unvaccinated dams (normal colostrum), and in 7 (2.8%) calves which were fed colostrum from vaccinated dams (immune colostrum). The disease was very severe in the normal colostrum-fed calves and 52 of them died. By contrast, the 7 immune colostrum-fed calves displayed a rather mild enteric condition, and all recovered without any sequela being observed.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Further studies on passive immunization of newborn calves against rotaviral infection.

An inactivated rotavirus vaccine was prepared with an adjuvant which gives a water-in-oil emulsion. The vaccine when injected into cows in their last month of pregnancy, proved to be as effective as the traditional vaccine, prepared with the Freud's incomplete adjuvant, in enhancing the lactogenic immunity. Thus, feeding experimentally infected calves with colostrum and first milk from vaccinated cows prevented diarrhea and reduced significantly rotavirus shedding. Because of its low grade viscosity the water-in-oil emulsifier facilitates inoculation of the vaccine and is therefore recommended as an adjuvant in the preparation of inactivated rotavirus vaccine.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1988

Neonatal calf diarrhea induced by rotavirus.

This presentation summarizes the results of a comprehensive study on rotaviruses isolated in Italy from calves and rabbits affected by neonatal diarrhea. The results clearly indicated that rotavirus infection is widespread and supported the evidence for an etiologic role of these viruses in neonatal diarrhea. The evidence of differences in virulence among bovine rotaviruses appeared also to be confirmed. Conventionally reared calves were fully susceptible to the experimental infection induced by three rotaviruses originating from heterologous hosts, i.e. monkeys, pigs and rabbits, respectively. When rotavirus strains of bovine, simian, porcine and rabbit origin were compared by cross neutralization tests, it was found the simian and porcine strains were indistinguishable and both appeared to relate antigenically to the bovine strain. On the other hand, a reciprocal antigenic correlation was found between bovine and rabbit isolates. Finally, it was proven that feeding newborn calves with colostrum of their dams, previously vaccinated with an inactivated rotavirus vaccine, could prevent the neonatal diarrhea from occurring.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Comparative study of two strains of Bovid herpesvirus-4.

Two strains of Bovid herpesvirus-4 (BHV-4), i.e. the prototype strain DN-599, obtained from a steer suffering of a respiratory disease, and the strain 85/BH 16TV, originated from a cow with vulvovaginitis, were compared in studies which included restriction endonuclease analysis, experimental infection and reciprocal cross protection tests. The restriction endonuclease analysis revealed that the resultant DNA patterns of the isolates were generally similar with only a difference in one fragment. The two strains were capable of causing respiratory tract infection in calves, even if they displayed a different level of virulence: the strain 85/BH 16TV being the most virulent while the strain DN-599 the least. The two viral strains were mutually protective in that the calves were generally found to be refractory to challenge inoculation with either the homologous or the heterologous virus. Finally, both viral strains failed to evoke the production of neutralizing antibody in the experimental calves.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The protection of newborn calves against experimental rotavirus infection by feeding mammary secretions from vaccinated cows.

Pregnant cows were given the first injection of an inactivated bovine rotavirus vaccine approximately 4 weeks before calving and a second injection just before calving. This led to the enhancement of rotavirus antibody titers in their colostrum as well as in the milk for at least 5 days after parturition. Thus, when newborn calves were fed with the mammary secretions obtained from the vaccinated cows daily for 5 consecutive days they were fully refractory to experimental infection with 81/36F bovine rotavirus. By contrast, the calves which were given the mammary secretions from unvaccinated cows, had clinical signs consistent with rotavirus infection and viral shedding. Based on these results it is suggested that vaccination of cows according to the scheme followed in this experiment, i.e., two injections within the last month of pregnancy, might be a valid approach which depending on confirmation under field conditions, could help reduce the incidence of rotavirus-induced diarrhea in newborn calves.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Field trial evaluation of an inactivated rotavirus vaccine against neonatal diarrhea of calves.

Field trials were conducted using an inactivated rotavirus vaccine for prevention of calf neonatal diarrhea. For the trials, 458 pregnant cows from 26 herds were involved. In each herd, cows which had been inseminated within a period of two months were selected and randomly subdivided in two groups. Cows in one group (248 head in total) were vaccinated 6 weeks before calving and again 4 weeks later; cows in the other group (210 head in total) were left as unvaccinated controls. At calving, colostrum was collected from each cow and stored at -30 degrees C until used for feeding calves. The newborn calves, beginning the second day of life and for the next 7-10 consecutive days, each was fed a daily supplement of 400 ml of colostrum from its dam. The diarrhea occurred in 86 (40.9%) calves that had received colostrum from unvaccinated dams (normal colostrum), and in 7 (2.8%) calves which were fed colostrum from vaccinated dams (immune colostrum). The disease was very severe in the normal colostrum-fed calves and 52 of them died. Those calves which survived the disease underwent a significant loss of condition. By contrast, the 7 immune colostrum-fed calves displayed a rather mild enteric condition, and all recovered without any sequela being observed.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Experimental infection of calves with strains of Bovid herpesvirus-4.

Fourteen calves were inoculated intranasally (i.n.) with the viral isolates as follows: 5 with 85/BH 16TV, 1 with 85/BH 17TV, 1 with 85/BH 18TV, 2 with 85/BH 231TN and 5 with 85/BH 232TN. Strain 85/BH 16TV was the only one which caused overt respiratory-like disease in all inoculated calves. Onset of the disease was observed after 7-8 days of incubation and was characterized by fever, depression, nasal discharge and coughing. Virus was isolated from the nasal swabbings of calves obtained from post-infection day (PID) 2-10. The other viral strains did not cause any sign of disease although virus was isolated regularly from the nasal swabbings of the inoculated calves. Virus was recovered from central nervous system tissues of calves that were infected with 85/BH 16TV or 85/BH 232TN strains and were killed on PID 4 or 8. Virus was also isolated from other tissues, such as lymph node, nasal mucosa (PID 8), or lung (PID 4). It was speculated that the nervous system could be one of the target areas of the virus of the naturally occurring infection by BHV-4. This might indicate a possible role of the nervous system (site of latency?) in the pathogenesis of BHV-4 as is the case in certain herpesviral infections of man and the lower animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Role of bovine mammillitis virus towards preparation of an alternative vaccine against herpes simplex virus infections of human subjects.

Bovine mammillitis virus (BMV) cross-reacted in neutralization and radioimmune assay with herpes simplex virus (HSV) and pre-immunization with BMV protected against challenge by type 2 HSV. There was no evidence to suggest a pathogenic role for BMV as adjudged by a literature search or field enquiry and BMV specific antibody was not detected in 21 human sera or in four sera from personnel engaged in research with BMV; in addition there was no replication or antigen synthesis by BMV in explants of human tissue or cell lines of human origin. It is proposed that BMV might provide an alternative vaccine against HSV infections of human subjects.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Reactivation in calves of latent infection by Bovid herpesvirus-4.

Nine calves, six of which had been infected with strain 85/BH 16TV and three with strain 85/BH 232TN of Bovid herpesvirus-4 (BHV-4), were treated with dexamethasone (DMS) three months after infection. DMS administration did not induce any clinical signs of disease, but BHV-4 was isolated from the nasal swabbings of all calves for a maximum of 8 days after the start of DMS treatment. The virus was also isolated from the nerve tissues, nasal mucosa, lymph nodes, lung and spleen of 4 calves that were killed at different stages (3, 5, 7 days) of the DMS treatment. Intranuclear inclusions associated with cellular shrinkage were found in the neural tissues of calves killed either 3 or 5 days after the start of DMS treatment. Unexpectedly, a latent infection by infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus was reactivated. The virus was isolated from the nasal swabbings of two calves and also from the brain, cerebellum and nasal mucosa of one calf killed 5 days after the start of DMS treatment.

Animals↗