Mapping the occurrence of Eustrongylides spp. in fish species caught from six lakes in Central Italy (Tuscany and Latium regions): Implications for local fishery supply chains.

In the present study, in order to expand the knowledge on the distribution of parasites of the genus Eustrongylides in never investigated Italian lacustrine areas of Tuscany and Latium, fish specimens from four Tuscan lakes (Bilancino, Chiusi, Montedoglio and San Cipriano) and two Latium lakes (Bolsena and Bracciano) were collected and analyzed. The parasitological analysis, consisting of a visual inspection followed by a chloro-peptic digestion, was performed on 1650 specimens belonging to 17 species: European perch (Perca fluviatilis), Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), Pike-perch (Sander lucioperca), Largemouth black bass (Micropterus salmoides), Pike (Esox lucius), Big-scale sand smelt (Atherina boyeri), Tench (Tinca), European Whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus), Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), Chub (Squalius cephalus), Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus), Common bleak (Alburnus alborella), South European roach (Sarmarutilus rubilio), South European nase (Protochondrostoma genei), Italian riffle dace (Telestes muticellus), Goldfish (Carassius auratus), and Freshwater bream (Abramis brama). Eustrongylides spp. larvae were only found in one specimen of European perch caught in Bracciano Lake and purchased from a local fishmonger (P = 3.3%; MI = 1; MA = 0.03). The only isolated Eustrongylides spp. larva was submitted to molecular analysis of the ITS gene region and identified as E. excisus. This finding adds Bracciano Lake to the list of the several Italian lakes in which nematodes belonging to this genus have been reported. Even if the observed prevalence is currently low, the presence of the parasite in this local freshwater fish supply chain requires FBOs to adopt risk management measures to prevent contaminated products from reaching final consumer. Moreover, future investigations will show if the parasite expands in these areas.

Serological Evidence for Circulation of Influenza D Virus in the Ovine Population in Italy.

Influenza D virus (IDV) is a novel orthomyxovirus initially isolated from pigs exhibiting influenza-like disease in the USA. Since then, IDV has been detected worldwide in several host species, including livestock animals, whilst specific antibodies have been identified in humans, raising concerns about interspecies transmission and zoonotic risks. Few data regarding the seroprevalence of IDV in small ruminants have been available to date. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of antibodies against IDV in ovine serum samples in Sicily, Southern Italy. Six hundred serum samples, collected from dairy sheep herds located in Sicily in 2022, were tested by haemagglutination inhibition (HI) and virus neutralization (VN) assays using reference strains, D/660 and D/OK, representative of two distinct IDV lineages circulating in Italy. Out of 600 tested samples, 168 (28.0%) tested positive to either IDV strain D/660 or D/OK or to both by HI whilst 378 (63.0%) tested positive to either IDV strain D/660 or D/OK or to both by VN. Overall, our findings demonstrate that IDV circulates in ovine dairy herds in Sicily. Since IDV seems to have a broad host range and it has zoonotic potential, it is important to collect epidemiological information on susceptible species.

Investigation of an Autochthonous Outbreak of Bovine Besnoitiosis in Northwestern Sicily.

Bovine besnoitiosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Besnoitia besnoiti, leading to infertility in bulls and abortions in cows. In Italy, it is considered an emerging disease, recently introduced by the importation of animals from Spain and France. In the last decade, many outbreaks have been reported and confirmed in native cattle, mostly in northern and central Italy. This study reports on an autochthonous outbreak of bovine besnoitiosis in two nearby farms located in northwestern Sicily. A 15-month-old Limousine bull born on the farm showed typical clinical signs of the chronic disease phase, such as edema of the scrotum with subsequent hyperkeratosis associated with eschars and thickening of the skin. A histopathological examination revealed the presence of Besnoitia tissue cysts containing bradyzoites in the eyes, tendons, testicles, dermis, and nictitating membrane. A serological investigation using a commercial ELISA kit revealed a high seroprevalence of the antibody anti-B. besnoiti (79.2% for the farms in this study). Clinical disease showed low prevalence (1.5%) despite the high seroprevalence of specific antibodies in the herd, confirming that bovine besnoitiosis is an emergent endemic pathogen in Sicily, but its clinical behavior still remains sporadic.

First Molecular Survey to Detect Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae in Poultry Farms in a Strategic Production District of Sicily (South-Italy).

Mycoplasmas are recognized as avian pathogens, which may cause both respiratory disease and synovial infections in poultry, resulting in severe economic losses. Our study aims to determine the occurrence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) among commercial and rural laying hens located in Ragusa province (South Italy), using a duplex real time PCR. Four hundred tracheal swabs were collected from seven commercial (200 swabs) and 25 rural (200 swabs) farms without any clinical disease history. Out of 400 swabs collected, 50 (12.5%) and 93 (23.25%) were positive for MG and MS, respectively. In particular, 9 (18%) and 22 (23.65%) positive swabs for MG and MS, respectively, originated from commercial farms, compared to 41 (82%) and 71 (76.34%) obtained from rural farms. Data obtained show a lower prevalence of MG than MS in the studied farms. Moreover, both pathogens were spread in rural and commercial farms. PCR could be concluded as a rapid and sensitive method for the identification of MG and MS in areas where commercial farms that are declared Mycoplasma-free and rural flocks coexist. These data highlight the importance of surveillance also in rural poultry to monitoring the occurrence of mycoplasmas strains in strategic productive districts.