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G Ruffo

Publications and source records attributed to G Ruffo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Laparoscopic nerve-sparing complete excision of deep endometriosis: is it feasible?

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the morbidity associated with laparoscopic complete excision of endometriosis in terms of urinary, digestive and sexual function. METHODS: We performed a prospective non-randomized study in 45 patients with laparoscopic complete excision of all detectable foci of endometriosis with segmental bowel resection using a non nerve-sparing technique (control group-group A n=20) and a nerve-sparing technique (case group-group B n=25). At initial gynaecological evaluation, and at follow-up details on dysmenorrhoea, pelvic pain, dyspareunia and dyschezia were evaluated using an interview-based questionnaire (10-point analogue rating scale: 0=absent, 10=unbearable). RESULTS: The mean (+/-SD) follow-up period was 15.3+/-10 months (range, 8.8-23 months) for group A and 3.5+/-2.1 months (range, 0.3-5.2 months) for group B. In the immediate postoperative course, in group A three women required blood transfusion vs seven women in group B (P=0.003). The median time to resume the voiding function was significantly shorter in group B (12.5 vs 3.0 days; P<0.01). At the time of follow-up a higher proportion of patients in group B were 'very satisfied' than those in group A (87.7% vs 59.0%, P=0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic nerve-sparing complete excision of endometriosis seems to be feasible and offers good results in terms of bladder morbidity reduction with apparently higher satisfaction than classical technique. Larger series with longer follow-up are needed to confirm our results.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Risk factors for intramammary infections and relationship with somatic-cell counts in Italian dairy goats.

Routine examination of milk was performed on five herds of lactating goats in northern Italy as part of a milk quality-monitoring program in the year 2000. As part of the study, aseptic samples of foremilk were collected monthly from both half udders during the entire lactation for 305 goats, resulting in a total of 4571 samples. The samples were tested with cytological and bacteriological analyses to evaluate the relationship between mammary infections and somatic-cell count (SCC; Fossomatic (TM) method). Prevalence of intramammary infection (IMI) was 40.2% (n = 1837) of all udder-half samples examined. The most-prevalent mastitis agents were coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CNS), 80% (n = 1474 udder-half samples); within this group, Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most-prevalent species (38%). Other prevalence were Staphylococcus aureus 6% (n = 112 udder-half samples) and environmental pathogens 14% of infected udder-half samples (n = 251) with a diverse mixture of species, none of which had a frequency of > 4%. Enterococcus faecalis was the most-frequently isolated among this group. Neither Salmonella spp. nor Listeria monocytogenes were detected. The risk (sample level) of infection differed across herds, parities, and stage of lactation according to results from logistic multiple regression. Infection was more common among goats in third and fourth parities and during the later stages of lactation. Of the 2734 samples from uninfected udder halves, the mean log2 SCC was 3.9 cell/ml; of the 1837 bacteriological positive samples, the mean log2 SCC was 5.6 cell/ml. According to results from a linear mixed model, concentrations of somatic cells tended to increase with increasing age and days in milk and with the presence of bacteria. Infection with S. aureus was associated with the highest SCS.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Subclinical mastitis and antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus caprae and Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from two Italian goat herds.

A total of 156 goats from 2 commercial dairy goat farms were monitored for intramammary infections during an entire lactation. Most of the infections (80.7%) observed were due to coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) species. In herd 1, nearly all of the infections (96%) were due to CNS species, with Staphylococcus caprae (SCAP) being the most common specific pathogen observed, accounting for about 43% of the infections. In herd 2, the proportion of the infections due to CNS was 67% and Staphylococcus epidermidis (SEPI) was the most common pathogen (48% of infections) and SCAP was not present. Linear somatic cell scores (SCS) were greater in milk from infected udder halves, with an average difference of 0.78 SCS. The SCS for infected udder halves was greater than noninfected for all CNS species, although differences among species were observed. The ranking across CNS species was SCAP > other CNS > SEPI > no infection. However, infections by SEPI tended to be more persistent. Increased SCS was associated with a statistically significant decrease in milk yield, but no effect was observed for intramammary infections (IMI). Ninety-seven isolates of CNS (53 SCAP and 44 SEPI) were investigated for in vitro susceptibility to several antimicrobial agents. Benzylpenicillin was the most effective antimicrobial agent against SCAP and SEPI. A concentration of 0.05 microg/mL was sufficient to inhibit growth of 90% of SCAP colonies, and 0.10 microg/mL yielded a similar effectiveness for SEPI. Amoxicillin and the combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid were only slightly less effective. Tetracycline (62.5 microg/mL) and tilmicosin (500 microg/mL) were the least effective treatments for SEPI and SCAP, respectively.

Amoxicillin↗
PubMed2001

Distribution pattern of bovine viral diarrhoea virus strains in intensive cattle herds in Italy.

The genetic variation of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) was studied by comparative nucleotide sequence analysis of 26 Italian field strains collected during the period 1995-2000 in 18 cattle herds. A fragment within the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) was sequenced directly from gel-purified products obtained by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. BVDV-1b (n=14), -1c (n=1), -1d (n=1) and BVDV-2 (n=2) strains have been isolated. Most herds were infected by BVDV-1b. Pairwise similarity and cluster analysis of the remaining BVDV-1 isolates (n=8) did not provide a clear-cut assignation to defined BVDV-1 groups. This is the first time that a BVDV-2 isolation was reported in Italy. Among BVDV-2 reference strains, Italian BVDV-2 isolates showed the highest sequence similarity with the CD87 strain. Both BVDV-2 strains were isolated in two healthy animals from different herds. The 5'-UTR sequence of one of the two BVDV-2 strains was identical to a German BVDV field strain. Complete nucleotide homology was found only among BVDV strains isolated from the same herd, showing a herd-specific clustering. Moreover, 99.6% homology was observed between strains from herds linked by livestock trade. Despite the small number of BVDV isolates analysed, it revealed a high level of genetic diversity among Italian field BVDV strains.

5' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed1997

Recovery of Staphylococcus aureus from centrifuged quarter milk samples.

The identification of cows that are positive for mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus is difficult under field conditions. The frequency of isolation of S. aureus from quarter milk samples was compared with the frequency of recovery of S. aureus from sediment after centrifugation of those same samples. Overall, 776 quarter milk samples from 194 cows were studied. Cultures that were positive for S. aureus were obtained from 82 samples; 153 sediments from quarter milk samples were also positive for S. aureus. The results of this investigation showed that cultures of the sediment of quarter milk samples increased the number of positive outcomes up to 145.5%, depending on the herd. Using a different group of samples, including samples taken 1 to 5 d or 7 to 10 d after calving and samples taken after intramammary therapy, a 94% increase in cultures that were positive for S. aureus after centrifugation was found compared with cultures of the same quarter milk samples that were not centrifuged. Sedimented cultures may be useful in S. aureus control programs that require the segregation, selective treatment, or culling of cows that are positive for S. aureus.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Field study on the relationship between teat thickness changes and intramammary infections.

The aim of this study was to describe the results of teat thickness measurement applied routinely in three commercial dairy herds and to evaluate the influence of machine-induced teat thickness changes on intramammary infection and the frequency of new infection. A total of 1018 fore milk samples and the same number of teat apex measurements have been evaluated. Overall, relative teat thickness changes were normally distributed (mean -0.16%, SD 10.15%), while a specific pattern could be observed within herds. Increases in teat thickness of > 5% were significantly associated with infection and new infection (odds ratio > 1), but the association was not significant when teat thickness decreased by more than 5%. When results were classified according to aetiology, analysis showed that coagulase-negative staphylococcal infections were significantly associated with both increases and decreases in teat thickness numerically greater than 5%.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Phagocytic activity of bovine polymorphonuclear neutrophil leucocytes.

Two different investigations were conducted on the chemiluminescent activity of bovine milk polymorphonuclear neutrophil leucocytes (PMN) activated by different stimuli: zymosan, derived from the wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Experiment A), and Streptococcus uberis and Escherichia coli (Experiment B). In Experiment A, a quarter with a phagocytic activity of PMN < 20 mV/1000 PMN following stimulation with zymosan was found to be 23 times more likely to be a clinical mastitis case than a quarter with phagocytic activity above this threshold value. In Experiment B, calculation of the odds ratio showed similar results following stimulation with Str. uberis or Esch. coli. These results provide evidence that immunocompromisation of mammary gland defences could predispose to clinical mastitis. They also support the need to challenge phagocytic cells with appropriate stimuli, and the Esch. coli test seems to be the most sensitive.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Machine-induced teat tissue reactions and infection risk in a dairy herd free from contagious mastitis pathogens.

Machine-induced changes in teat thickness were measured in a randomly selected group of 22 cows from a commercial dairy herd consisting of 110 cows during an experiment lasting 1 year. Half the cows used were free from mastitis whereas the remainder had at least one quarter infected by environmental pathogens. Teats were classified according to a threshold change in teat end thickness of 5%. The relationships between quarter infection or teat duct colonization and teat end thickness changes induced by machine milking were investigated. Teats with greater than 5% change in thickness had significantly increased teat duct colonization and a slight, non-significant, increase in quarter infection. We conclude that machine-induced changes in teat end thickness are predisposing factors for teat duct colonization by environmental pathogens. This may provide an increased new infection risk, especially when hygiene is poor.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Experimental results of the use of flavofosfolipol in dairy cattle.

In a field trial carried out on a farm with about 100 dairy cows, half of the animals were treated orally with 45 mg flavofosfolipol per animal daily for 370 days, while the other half were untreated controls. The administration of the flavofosfolipol did not produce any residues in the milk. Body functions and fertility were not affected. Milk production was increased, although not with statistical significance. The qualitative characteristics of the milk and its cheese-making properties were normal. The casein content was increased by 6.58% over that of the controls, and thus was statistically significant. There was a statistically significant decrease in the mean cell content of the milk. The high negative correlation between the casein level and the cell content of the milk suggests that an improvement in the function of the mammary parenchyma could be responsible for the higher casein content. This improvement in function could also be due to a favourable effect of the antibiotic, still to be clarified, on the ruminal microflora. In economic terms the use of flavofosfolipol in dairy cattle seems to be of considerable interest.

Animals↗