A Retrospective Study (2015-2020) on the Risk Factors Associated with the Persistence and Spread of Brucellosis in Buffalo Farms in Caserta Province, Italy.

Bovine and bubaline brucellosis is still present in some regions of Italy. Although control and eradication measures have been implemented for several years, the brucellosis situation remains problematic in the Campania region. The infection is present in the provinces of Salerno and Caserta, with the latter experiencing a drastic increase in the prevalence and incidence of infection in buffalo species (Bubalus bubalis) in recent years. The brucellosis eradication plan in Italy is subject to the European co-financing system, and failure to achieve the objectives of the plan has resulted in economic cuts for the Campania Region for years. This study aimed to evaluate the possible risk factors associated with the spread and persistence of brucellosis infection on buffalo farms in the Province of Caserta. The results of official controls carried out from 2015 to 2020 on the buffalo farms of the Province were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed by means of the R software (version 4.1.0) on a final dataset consisting of 4583 observations. The possible association between covariates and outcome (presence/absence of infection) was evaluated (T-Fisher and Wilcoxon). A logistic regression model with mixed effects was carried out. The study shows that the risk of infection is statistically associated with the density of farms per square km and previous notifications of abortions on the same farms. Furthermore, animal movements constitute a risk factor for the permanence of infection over time (OR > 1), and herds already infected prior to 2015 were seen to have an almost three-fold higher risk of developing the disease (OR = 3.35).

Epidemiological Significance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA Dynamic in Naso-Pharyngeal Swabs.

From 16 March to 15 December 2020, 132,357 naso-pharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs were collected in the province of Teramo, Abruzzo Region, Italy, and tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA by a commercially available molecular assay. A total of 12,880 swabs resulted positive. For 8212 positive patients (4.150 women and 4.062 men) the median age was statistically different between women (median: 49.55 ± 23.9 of SD) and men (median: 48.35 ± 23.5 of SD) while no differences were found in the comparison between the cycle threshold for the N protein-encoding gene (CT N) median values and gender. Differences were observed in the CT N gene median values of swabs collected from March to September as well as in the pairwise comparison between September and October and between November and December. The CT N gene median values observed in specific periods characterizing the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in 2020 were also compared with the incidence of COVID-19 cases; a strong inverse correlation was highlighted (Pearson correlation coefficient = -0.978). Our findings confirm the usefulness of the CT N values as an indirect detection parameter to monitor viral loads in the population.

Infection sustained by lineage B.1.1.7 of SARS-CoV-2 is characterised by longer persistence and higher viral RNA loads in nasopharyngeal swabs.

Following the announcement on December 2020 about the emergence of a new variant (VOC 202012/ 01, B.1.1.7 lineage) in the United Kingdom, a targeted surveillance was put in place in the Abruzzo region (Italy), which allowed detection of 313 persons affected by lineage B.1.1.7, up to the 20th of February 2021. We investigated the results of RT-PCR on nasopharyngeal swabs tested from December 2020 to February 2021 to verify any difference on the viral load and persistence between people infected by lineage B.1.1.7 and others. Statistically significant lower values of CT associated with the detection of the N protein encoding gene (CT N) were observed in persons with lineage B.1.1.7 infection (median CT N = 15.8)in comparison to those infected by other lineages (median CT N = 16.9). A significantly longer duration of the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in nasopharyngeal swabs was observed in persons with lineage B.1.1.7 infection (16 days) in comparison to those infected by other lineages (14 days).

A COVID-19 Hotspot Area: Activities and Epidemiological Findings.

By late March 2020, Villa Caldari, a small village of the municipality of Ortona (Abruzzo region), was registering an incidence rate of COVID-19 cases ten times greater than the overall municipality and was declared a hotspot area. Twenty-two days later, epidemiological investigation and sampling were performed, to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 circulation and the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Overall, 681 nasopharyngeal swabs and 667 blood samples were collected. Only one resident of the village resulted in being positive for RNA viral shedding, while 73 were positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The overall seroprevalence was 10.9%. The difference between the seroprevalence of infection in asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals was significant (χ2 = 14.50 p-value = 0.0001). Amongst the residents positive for antibodies, fatigue and/or muscle pain, fever and anosmia were the most experienced symptoms, whose most frequent onset was observed during the first two weeks of March. Familial and habit-related clusters were highlighted. Nevertheless, the investigations showed a low SARS-CoV-2 circulation in the village at the time of the sampling, demonstrating virus transmission could be limited when strict emergency measures are followed. Given the favorable results, the emergency measures were then lifted.

SARS-CoV-2 RNA Persistence in Naso-Pharyngeal Swabs.

Since February 2020, Italy has been seriously affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. To support the National Health Care system, naso-pharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs collected from suspected cases of Teramo province, Abruzzo region, are tested at Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale, for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Out of 12,446 tested individuals, 605 returned positive results at least once, with prevalence significantly higher in men. A reduction of the level of viral RNA in the first swab per each positive patient collected over time was also observed. Moreover, 81 patients had at least one positive sample and two final negative tests: positivity in swabs lasted from 14 to 63 days, with a median value of 30 days. This shows the potential for the virus to coexist with patients for a long time, although we highlighted intermittent positivity in several cases. The evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemiological situation and knowledge on viral shedding should be closely monitored, to interpret the findings correctly and adjust accordingly the surveillance activities.