Comparison and validation of different models and variable selection methods for predicting survival after canine parvovirus infection.

BACKGROUND: Canine parvovirus (CPV) represents one of the major infections in dogs. While supportive therapy significantly reduces mortality, other approaches have been reported to provide significant benefits. Unfortunately, the high cost of these treatments is typically a limiting factor. Consequently, a reliable prognostic tool allowing for an informed therapeutic approach would be of great interest. However, current methods are essentially based on 'a priori' selection of predictive variables, which could limit their predictive potential. METHODS: In the present study, the predictive performances in terms of CPV enteritis survival likelihood of an operator-validated logistic regression were compared with those of more flexible methods featured by automatic variable selection. Several anamnestic, clinical, haematological and biochemical parameters were collected from 134 dogs at admission in a veterinary practice. Animal status was monitored until dismissal or death (mortality=21.6%). RESULTS: The best automatic variable selection method (random forest) showed excellent discriminatory capabilities (AUC=0.997, sensitivity=0.941 and specificity=1) compared with the logistic regression model (AUC=0.831, sensitivity=0.882 and specificity=0.652), when evaluated on a fully independent test data set. The implemented approaches allowed to identify antithrombin, serum aspartate aminotransferase, serum lipase, monocyte and lymphocyte count as the clinical parameter combination with the highest predictive capability, thus limiting the panel of required tests. CONCLUSION: The model validated in the present study allows prompt prediction of disease severity at admission and provides objective and reliable criteria to support the clinician in selection of the therapeutic approach.

Fatal parasite-induced enteritis and typhlocolitis in horses in Southern Brazil.

Diseases related to the alimentary system are the main cause of death in horses. This retrospective study aimed to describe the pathological findings of fatal parasite-induced enteritis and typhlocolitis caused by cyathostominae, Eimeria leuckarti, Balantidium coli, and Strongyloides westeri in horses. The records of parasite-induced intestinal lesions in horses necropsied in Southern Brazil between 2005 and 2017 were reviewed. Ten horses had fatal parasitic enteritis and/or typhlocolitis, and the main causes were: cyathostominae typhlocolitis (6/10), E. leuckarti enteritis (1/10), S. westeri enteritis (1/10), B. coli colitis related to cyathostominae (1/10), and infection by multiple agents (1/10). Cyathostominae typhlocolitis showed marked mucosal thickening, with multifocal elevated nodules containing tangled filiform parasites. Microscopic examination revealed that the mucosa and submucosa had encysted parasitic structures surrounded by eosinophilic and granulomatous inflammation. E. leuckarti enteritis was microscopically characterized by macrogamonts, microgamonts, and oocysts inside the host cells. S. westeri enteritis showed microscopic atrophy of the villi with numerous mucosal encysted parasitic structures. B. coli typhlocolitis showed severe diffuse mucosal reddening, with microscopic superficial mucosal necrosis associated with multiple protozoan trophozoites. Fatal parasite-induced enteritis and typhlocolitis are important causes of death in horses in Southern Brazil.

Fatal parasite-induced enteritis and typhlocolitis in horses in Southern Brazil / Enterites e tiflocolites parasitárias fatais em equinos no Sul do Brasil

Abstract Diseases related to the alimentary system are the main cause of death in horses. This retrospective study aimed to describe the pathological findings of fatal parasite-induced enteritis and typhlocolitis caused by cyathostominae, Eimeria leuckarti, Balantidium coli, and Strongyloides westeri in horses. The records of parasite-induced intestinal lesions in horses necropsied in Southern Brazil between 2005 and 2017 were reviewed. Ten horses had fatal parasitic enteritis and/or typhlocolitis, and the main causes were: cyathostominae typhlocolitis (6/10), E. leuckarti enteritis (1/10), S. westeri enteritis (1/10), B. coli colitis related to cyathostominae (1/10), and infection by multiple agents (1/10). Cyathostominae typhlocolitis showed marked mucosal thickening, with multifocal elevated nodules containing tangled filiform parasites. Microscopic examination revealed that the mucosa and submucosa had encysted parasitic structures surrounded by eosinophilic and granulomatous inflammation. E. leuckarti enteritis was microscopically characterized by macrogamonts, microgamonts, and oocysts inside the host cells. S. westeri enteritis showed microscopic atrophy of the villi with numerous mucosal encysted parasitic structures. B. coli typhlocolitis showed severe diffuse mucosal reddening, with microscopic superficial mucosal necrosis associated with multiple protozoan trophozoites. Fatal parasite-induced enteritis and typhlocolitis are important causes of death in horses in Southern Brazil.

Resumo Doenças relacionadas ao sistema alimentar são as principais causas de morte em equinos. Esse estudo teve o objetivo de descrever aspectos patológicos de enterites e tiflocolites parasitárias fatais por ciatostomíneos, Eimeria leuckarti, Balantidium coli e Strongyloides westeri, em equinos. Foi revisado o banco de dados de lesões intestinais parasitárias em equinos necropsiados de 2005 a 2017, no Sul do Brasil. Dez equinos apresentaram enterite e/ou tiflocolite parasitária fatal, e as principais foram: tiflocolite por ciatostomíneos (6/10), enterite por E. leuckarti (1/10), enterite por S. westeri (1/10), colite por B. coli com ciatostomíneos (1/10), e infecção por múltiplos agentes (1/10). A tiflocolite por ciatostomíneos exibia acentuado espessamento da mucosa, com nódulos multifocais elevados contendo parasitas filiformes. Microscopicamente, a mucosa e submucosa apresentavam estruturas parasitárias encistadas envoltas por inflamação eosinofílica e granulomatosa. A enterite por E. leuckarti era caracterizada microscopicamente por macrogamontes, microgamontes e oocistos no interior de células do hospedeiro. Microscopicamente, a enterite por S. westeri apresentava atrofia de vilosidades com numerosas estruturas parasitárias encistadas na mucosa. A tiflocolite por B. coli exibia avermelhamento acentuado difuso da mucosa, e microscopicamente necrose superficial associada a múltiplos trofozoítos protozoáricos. Enterites e tiflocolites fatais parasitárias são importantes causas de morte em equinos no Sul do Brasil.

Sudden Infant Death After Vaccination: Survey of Forensic Autopsy Files.

Sudden infant deaths might be attributable to adverse reaction to vaccination, but separating them from coincidental occurrences is difficult. This study retrospectively investigated vaccination-related details and postmortem findings for 57 cases of sudden death in children 2 years or younger. Data were extracted from autopsy files at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine. Vaccination histories were available in 50 cases based on the maternity passbook. Of the 32 cases in which any vaccines were administered, 7 infants (21.9%) had received immunization within 7 days of death. The most frequent vaccine cited as the last immunization before death was Haemophilus influenzae B. Although a temporal association of vaccines with sudden death was present for two 3-month-old and one 14-month-old infants in whom death occurred within 3 days of receiving the H. influenzae type b and other vaccinations, a definitive relationship between the vaccine and death could not be identified. Histopathological examinations revealed pneumonia and upper respiratory infection as contributing to death in their cases. Moreover, all 3 cases showed hemophagocytosis in the spleen and lymph nodes, which are similar features to hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Judgment of the disorders as truly related to vaccination is difficult, but suspicious cases do exist. Forensic pathologists must devote more attention to vaccination in sudden infant death cases.

Necrotizing Enteritis in Nesting Adult Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) in New York State, USA.

Increased mortalities of adult Eastern Bluebirds, Sialia sialis, breeding in artificial nesting boxes were recorded in New York State, US. A total of 46 dead bluebirds were reported from 23 sites between early April and mid-August 2017. The maximum distance between sites was over 600 km. A total of 27 carcasses were available for postmortem examination. The most common cause of death was necrotizing enteritis, found in 56% (9/16) of birds that could be examined histopathologically. Lesions consisted of foci of hypereosinophilic debris and inflammation rich in Gram-negative bacteria. Aerobic and anaerobic culture of intestines from 4/8 birds with necrotizing enteritis yielded no growth. Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus acanthocephalids were often (6/9, 67%) but not invariably present in affected birds. Occasional incidental lesions included foreign-body microgranulomas in the wall of the ventriculus and intravascular nematodiasis at the base of the heart. The cause of sporadic outbreaks of necrotizing enteritis in breeding bluebirds remains undetermined and warrants further investigation.

Changes in salivary analytes in canine parvovirus: A high-resolution quantitative proteomic study.

The present study evaluated the changes in salivary proteome in parvoviral enteritis (PVE) in dogs through a high-throughput quantitative proteomic analysis. Saliva samples from healthy dogs and dogs with severe parvovirosis that survived or perished due to the disease were analysed and compared by Tandem Mass Tags (TMT) analysis. Proteomic analysis quantified 1516 peptides, and 287 (corresponding to 190 proteins) showed significantly different abundances between studied groups. Ten proteins were observed to change significantly between dogs that survived or perished due to PVE. Bioinformatics' analysis revealed that saliva reflects the involvement of different pathways in PVE such as catalytic activity and binding, and indicates antimicrobial humoral response as a pathway with a major role in the development of the disease. These results indicate that saliva proteins reflect physiopathological changes that occur in PVE and could be a potential source of biomarkers for this disease.

Effects of Thymoquinone on radiation enteritis in mice.

Radiation enteritis is an old but emerging question induced by the application of radiation. However, no effective drugs for radiation enteritis in clinic. In this study, we found that thymoquinone (TQ) could mitigate intestinal damages induced by irradiation. After exposure to irradiation, TQ-treated improved the irradiated mice survival rate, ameliorated intestinal injury and increased the numbers of intestinal crypts. Furthermore, Lgr5+ ISCs and their daughter cells, including Vil1+ enterocytes, Ki67+ cells and lysozyme+ Paneth cells, were all significantly increased with TQ treatment. In addition, P53, γH2AX, caspase8, caspase9 and caspase3 expression were all reduced by TQ. Our data showed that TQ modulated DNA damages and decreased the apoptosis in the small intestine. TQ might be used for radiation enteritis treatment.

RETROSPECTIVE MORTALITY REVIEW OF SIX CALLITRICHID SPECIES HOUSED AT A SINGLE INSTITUTION (1990-2014).

Callitrichids are commonly exhibited species in zoological institutions. Retrospective mortality studies allow institutions to evaluate health trends in captive populations and have the potential to advance zoological medicine and husbandry practices. In this single institution, retrospective study, histopathologic records were reviewed for 166 callitrichids comprising six species. For all species and age-groups combined, trauma was the leading cause of death followed by enteritis and stillbirth. In adults and juveniles, the leading cause of death was enteritis, with neonates dying primarily from trauma. Neonatal mortality was high for most species, ranging from 12.5% to 60%, with most neonatal loss in Geoffroy's and pied tamarins. Twin births were commonly associated with neonatal mortality in most species. Intestinal adenocarcinoma was a common finding for adult Geoffroy's tamarin, and hemosiderosis was also identified in this species. Renal disease was a common finding in adult callitrichids and was the second most common cause of death in this age-group. Mortality in the juvenile period (>30 days-1 yr) was uncommon, comprising only 8.4% of the data set. Although capable of surviving into advanced age (>20 yr for one animal), the average age at death for all age classes was 3.84 yr and 9.31 yr for adults. This study contributes to the current knowledge regarding trends in callitrichid health and husbandry and can be used to investigate health trends in this group.

The impact of malnutrition on childhood infections.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Almost half of all childhood deaths worldwide occur in children with malnutrition, predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This review summarizes the mechanisms by which malnutrition and serious infections interact with each other and with children's environments. RECENT FINDINGS: It has become clear that whilst malnutrition results in increased incidence, severity and case fatality of common infections, risks continue beyond acute episodes resulting in significant postdischarge mortality. A well established concept of a 'vicious-cycle' between nutrition and infection has now evolving to encompass dysbiosis and pathogen colonization as precursors to infection; enteric dysfunction constituting malabsorption, dysregulation of nutrients and metabolism, inflammation and bacterial translocation. All of these interact with a child's diet and environment. Published trials aiming to break this cycle using antimicrobial prophylaxis or water, sanitation and hygiene interventions have not demonstrated public health benefit so far. SUMMARY: As further trials are planned, key gaps in knowledge can be filled by applying new tools to re-examine old questions relating to immune competence during and after infection events and changes in nutritional status; and how to characterize overt and subclinical infection, intestinal permeability to bacteria and the role of antimicrobial resistance using specific biomarkers.

Factors affecting the occurrence of enteritis in 10- to 12-month-old eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus).

Eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) younger than 19 months at Kanazawa Zoological Gardens, Japan, frequently died of enteritis. The main cause of death was coccidiosis. This study aimed to reveal retrospectively the clinical features of enteritis and factors contributing to its high occurrence. In addition, haematological and serum biochemical parameters in kangaroos younger than 24 months were analyzed. The findings suggested that enteritis occurrence was higher in 10- to 12-month-old kangaroos than other ages and during seasons with high temperature and humidity than during seasons with low temperature and humidity. The haematological and serum biochemical analyses showed decreases in glucose, total cholesterol, calcium, and triglyceride levels at approximately 10 months of age. Joeys emerge from their mother's pouch at 8 months of age and permanently leave it at approximately 10 months of age. Subsequently, the joeys are exposed to the external environment and infectious agents. Although the joeys continue suckling until 13-19 months of age, the joeys start to eat the similar feed to the adult and their nutritional status may change at approximately 10 months of age. Seasonal influences, species behavior, and shifts in dietary composition are proposed to be contributory to the increased occurrence of enteritis between 10 and 12 months of age.

Public health regulation and mortality: Evidence from early 20th century milk laws.

In this paper, I estimate the impact of city-level public health regulations in the market for cow's milk on the mortality of infants and young children between 1900 and 1920. I find that the introduction of city-level dairy farm inspections reduced mortality from Diarrhea & Enteritis for one-year-old children by 1.3 annual deaths per thousand, a 14 percent effect relative to the baseline rate for this cause and a 3 percent effect relative to the baseline rate for all causes for this age group. Back-of-the-envelope calculations reveal that the benefits from these regulations exceeded costs by at least a factor of two.

Fatal ulcerative enteritis of the small intestine in a patient with ulcerative colitis treated with vedolizumab.

Vedolizumab (VDZ) inhibits α4ß7 integrins and is used to target intestinal immune responses in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, which is considered to be relatively safe. Here we report on a fatal complication following VDZ administration. A 64-year-old female patient with ulcerative colitis (UC) refractory to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors was treated with VDZ. One week after the second VDZ infusion, she was admitted to hospital with severe diarrhea and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Blood stream infections were ruled out, and endoscopy revealed extensive ulcerations of the small intestine covered with pseudomembranes, reminiscent of invasive candidiasis or mesenteric ischemia. Histology confirmed subtotal destruction of small intestinal epithelia and colonization with Candida. Moreover, small mesenteric vessels were occluded by hyaline thrombi, likely as a result of SIRS, while perfusion of large mesenteric vessels was not compromised. Beta-D-glucan concentrations were highly elevated, and antimycotic therapy was initiated for suspected invasive candidiasis but did not result in any clinical benefit. Given the non-responsiveness to anti-infective therapies, an autoimmune phenomenon was suspected and immunosuppressive therapy was escalated. However, the patient eventually died from multi-organ failure. This case should raise the awareness for rare but severe complications related to immunosuppressive therapy, particularly in high risk patients.

Hookworm Infection in South American Fur Seal ( Arctocephalus australis) Pups.

Tissues of South American fur seal pups naturally infected with hookworms ( Uncinaria sp) were examined. Hookworm infection was found in nearly all pups examined (132/140, 94%), and hookworm enteritis with secondary bacteremia was considered the cause of death in 46 (35%) pups. Common findings in these pups included severe hemorrhagic enteritis and numerous (mean intensity = 761.8) hookworms in the jejunum. Hookworms were recovered from the abdominal cavity in 12 of 55 pups (22%) examined through peritoneal wash; these pups had an average of 1343.3 intestinal hookworms and marked fibrinohemorrhagic peritonitis. In all pups that died as a consequence of hookworm infection, the intestinal villi were short, blunt, and fused, and there were variable numbers of free and intrahistiocytic gram-negative bacteria in submucosal hookworm feeding tracks, mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, blood vessels, and liver sinusoids. Pups that died of causes unrelated to the hookworm infection (trauma) had hookworm feeding tracks confined to the apical portions of the mucosa, and moderate to marked catarrhal eosinophilic enteritis. The number of hookworms was negatively correlated with intestinal villous length and number of leukocytes in the intestine. Pups with hookworm peritoneal penetration had nematodes with little or no blood in the hookworm intestine, suggesting that lack of food for the nematode could be associated with peritoneal penetration. Findings suggest that the initial burden of larval infection, the level of the host tissue response, or a combination determine the number of nematodes in the intestine, the severity of hookworm tissue damage, and pup mortality.

[DIAGNOSTIC AND PROGNOSTIC UTILITY OF ENTERAL FAILURE IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE NECROTIC PANCREATITIS].

Acute necrotic pancreatitis was followed by disorders of intestinal functions in 96.7% of patients and in 68% ­ its failure was occurred what had directly influenced on frequency of purulent­septic complication and mortality rate. It was proved that citrulline plasma level had been objectively reflected the severity of enteral failure and served as independent lethality criteria in patients with acute necrotic pancreatitis.

Efficacy of avilamycin for the prevention of necrotic enteritis caused by a pathogenic strain of Clostridium perfringens in broiler chickens.

The efficacy of avilamycin for the prevention of necrotic enteritis (NE) was investigated in a 35-day floor pen study of 2200 broiler cockerels using a Clostridium perfringens (Cp) feed inoculum challenge model. Treatments consisted of (1) nonmedicated, nonchallenged; (2) nonmedicated, challenged; (3) avilamycin at 15 ppm, challenged; (4) avilamycin at 30 ppm, challenged. Avilamycin was administered in the feed from day 7 to day 30 of the study. Challenge inoculum was administered on day 14 and delivered approximately 10(9) CFU Cp/bird. NE mortality rates from day 14-35 were significantly (P < 0.0001) lower in birds treated with avilamycin at 15 and 30 ppm when compared to nonmedicated, challenged birds. Treatment with avilamycin also resulted in a significant reduction in ileal Cp count on day 21 (P < 0.0001) and NE lesion scores on day 17 (P < 0.006) when compared to nonmedicated, challenged birds. The performance of birds treated with avilamycin was also improved when compared to nonmedicated, challenged birds. Cockerels that received either 15 or 30 ppm avilamycin had a significantly (P < 0.0001) increased body weight on day 35 and average daily gain from days 0-35 than nonmedicated, challenged birds. Furthermore, birds treated with avilamycin had an improved feed conversion rate from days 0-35 compared to both nonmedicated, nonchallenged birds and nonmedicated, challenged birds. This study confirms that avilamycin is effective at controlling mortality related to NE in growing broiler chickens.

A case of pediatric patient with acute enteritis due to CTX-M-1 5 extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Salmonella Blockley.

This clinical case report concerns a pediatric patient with acute enteritis caused by multi-drug resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Blockley (Salmonella Blockley). A 3-year-old boy presented to our emergency room with a 5-day history of fever, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea. Stool culture tested positive for a Salmonella species, while the blood culture was negative. The patient was successfully treated with an oral antibiotic regimen of fosfomycin. The stool isolate was found to be resistant to multiple drugs, including cefpodoxime, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and aztreonam, and was confirmed to be a CTX-M-15 extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strain of Salmonella Blockley. This is the first report of a pediatric patient in Japan with acute enteritis caused by a CTX-M-15 ESBL- producing strain of Salmonella Blockley.

Association of Vitamin D Status and Clinical Outcome in Dogs with a Chronic Enteropathy.

BACKGROUND: Dogs with a chronic enteropathy (CE) have a lower vitamin D status, than do healthy dogs. Vitamin D status has been associated with a negative clinical outcome in humans with inflammatory bowel disease. OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations at diagnosis and clinical outcome in dogs with a CE. ANIMALS: Forty-one dogs diagnosed with CE admitted to the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies, Hospital for Small Animals between 2007 and 2013. METHODS: Retrospective review. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were compared between dogs which were alive at follow up or had died because of non-CE-related reasons (survivors) and dogs which died or were euthanized due to their CE (non-survivors). A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine significant predictors of death in dogs with CE. RESULTS: Serum concentrations of 25(OH)D at the time a CE was diagnosed were significantly lower in nonsurvivors (n = 15) (median nonsurvivors 4.36 ng/mL, interquartile range 1.6-17.0 ng/mL), median survivors (n = 26) (24.9 ng/mL interquartile range 15.63-39.45 ng/mL, P < .001). Serum 25(OH)D concentration was a significant predictor of death in dogs with CE (odds ratio 1.08 [95% CI 1.02-1.18)]). CONCLUSIONS: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations at diagnosis are predictive of outcome in dogs with CE. The role of vitamin D in the initiation and outcome of chronic enteropathies in dogs is deserving of further study.

Bacterial Enteric Infections Among Older Adults in the United States: Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 1996-2012.

BACKGROUND: A growing segment of the population-adults aged ≥65 years-is more susceptible than younger adults to certain enteric (including foodborne) infections and experience more severe disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using data on laboratory-confirmed infections from the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), we describe trends in the incidence of Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes, and nontyphoidal Salmonella infections in adults aged ≥65 years over time and by age group and sex. We used data from FoodNet and other sources to estimate the total number of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States caused by these infections each year using a statistical model to adjust for underdiagnosis (taking into account medical care-seeking, stool sample submission, laboratory practices, and test sensitivity). RESULTS: From 1996 to 2012, 4 pathogens caused 21,405 laboratory-confirmed infections among older adults residing in the FoodNet surveillance area; 49.3% were hospitalized, and 2.6% died. The average annual rate of infection was highest for Salmonella (12.8/100,000) and Campylobacter (12.1/100,000). Salmonella and Listeria led as causes of death. Among older adults, rates of laboratory-confirmed infection and the percentage of patients who were hospitalized and who died generally increased with age. A notable exception was the rate of Campylobacter infections, which decreased with increasing age. Adjusting for underdiagnosis, we estimated that these pathogens caused about 226,000 illnesses (≈600/100,000) annually among U.S. adults aged ≥65 years, resulting in ≈9700 hospitalizations and ≈500 deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Campylobacter, E. coli O157, Listeria, and Salmonella are major contributors to illness in older adults, highlighting the value of effective and targeted intervention.

A multicentre case control study on complicated coeliac disease: two different patterns of natural history, two different prognoses.

BACKGROUND: Coeliac disease is a common enteropathy characterized by an increased mortality mainly due to its complications. The natural history of complicated coeliac disease is characterised by two different types of course: patients with a new diagnosis of coeliac disease that do not improve despite a strict gluten-free diet (type A cases) and previously diagnosed coeliac patients that initially improved on a gluten-free diet but then relapsed despite a strict diet (type B cases). Our aim was to study the prognosis and survival of A and B cases. METHODS: Clinical and laboratory data from coeliac patients who later developed complications (A and B cases) and sex- and age-matched coeliac patients who normally responded to a gluten-free diet (controls) were collected among 11 Italian centres. RESULTS: 87 cases and 136 controls were enrolled. Complications tended to occur rapidly after the diagnosis of coeliac disease and cumulative survival dropped in the first months after diagnosis of complicated coeliac disease. Thirty-seven cases died (30/59 in group A, 7/28 in group B). Type B cases presented an increased survival rate compared to A cases. CONCLUSIONS: Complicated coeliac disease is an extremely serious condition with a high mortality and a short survival. Survival depends on the type of natural history.

Genomic characterization of a circovirus associated with fatal hemorrhagic enteritis in dog, Italy.

Dog circovirus (DogCV) was identified in an outbreak of enteritis in pups in Italy. The disease was observed in 6 young dachshunds pups of a litter from a breeding kennel and caused the death of 2 dogs. Upon full-genome analysis, the virus detected in one of the dead pups (strain Bari/411-13) was closely related to DogCVs that have been recently isolated in the USA. The present study, if corroborated by further reports, could represent a useful contribution to the knowledge of the pathogenic potential of DogCV and its association with enteritis in dogs.