Molecular identification of cryptic cysticercosis: Taenia ovis krabbei in wild intermediate and domestic definitive hosts.

The complex life cycle of taeniids represents an ideal model of a multi-host system. The complexity of these parasites can therefore cover the epidemiological issues of the interface between wild and domestic animals, especially once spatial overlap between wild and domestic definitive and intermediate hosts occurs. Here we use the occurrence of Taenia ovis krabbei in two model areas as an example of this epidemiological complexity. In two contiguous areas in the Italian northern Apennines, two hunted roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) showed numerous cysticerci in the muscles of their whole body and an adult tapeworm was recorded in a semi-stray dog (Canis lupus familiaris). Through molecular typing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (cox1) gene, cysticerci and the adult tapeworm of T. krabbei were identified. Taenia krabbei cysticercosis was recorded for the first time in Italy. Although the role of dogs in the parasite's life cycle emerges, the overlap between wild and domestic definitive hosts and the increase of wild population densities raise concerns about the temporal (old or new) introduction and the spread of this parasite by one of these canid species (wolf (Canis lupus) or dog). Although T. krabbei is not a public health issue, economic concerns emerged for hunters and meat producers, related to the damage of carcasses by cysticerci. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate the spread of T. krabbei in the intermediate and definitive host populations, and to ensure the relevant sanitary education for hunters in order to avoid practices that could favour the spread and maintenance of its life cycle.

Spillover Events of Infection of Brown Hares (Lepus europaeus) with Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Type 2 Virus (RHDV2) Caused Sporadic Cases of an European Brown Hare Syndrome-Like Disease in Italy and Spain.

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) is a lagovirus that can cause fatal hepatitis (rabbit haemorrhagic disease, RHD) with mortality of 80-90% in farmed and wild rabbits. Since 1986, RHDV has caused outbreaks in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Europe, but never in European brown hares (Lepus europaeus, EBH). In 2010, a new RHDV-related virus, called RHDV2, emerged in Europe, causing extended epidemics because it largely overcame the immunity to RHDV present in most rabbit populations. RHDV2 also was identified in Cape hare (Lepus capensis subsp. mediterraneus) and in Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus). Here, we describe two distinct incidents of RHDV2 infection in EBH that occurred in Italy (2012) and Spain (2014). The two RHDV2 strains caused macroscopic and microscopic lesions similar to European brown hare syndrome (EBHS) in hares, and they were genetically related to other RHDV2 strains in Europe. EBHs are common in Europe, often sharing habitat with rabbits. They likely have been exposed to high levels of RHDV2 during outbreaks in rabbits in recent years, yet only two incidents of RHDV2 in EBHs have been found in Italy and Spain, suggesting that EBHs are not a primary host. Instead, they may act as spillover hosts in situations when infection pressure is high and barriers between rabbits and hares are limited, resulting in occasional infections causing EBHS-like lesions. The serological survey of stocked hare sera taken from Italian and Spanish hare populations provided an understanding of naturally occurring RHDV2 infection in the field confirming its sporadic occurrence in EBH. Our findings increase the knowledge on distribution, host range and epidemiology of RHDV2.

Isolation of Mycobacterium caprae (Lechtal genotype) from red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Italy.

During tuberculosis (TB) surveillance, 53 hunted red deer (Cervus elaphus) were collected to determine whether TB was present in free-ranging animals from an Italian alpine area. Samples (lungs, liver, intestine, and lymph nodes) were cultured and analyzed by real-time PCR assay carried out directly on tissue. Mycobacterium caprae was isolated from small granulomatous, tuberculosis-like lesions in the liver of a 12-yr-old female. Identification of suspect colonies was done by PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the gyrb gene, and genotyping was performed by spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit variable number tandem repeat analysis. The isolated strain was genetically identical to strains isolated in the study area in 2001 from dairy cows imported from Austria and in 2010 from an indigenous cow. The genotype, called "Lechtal," is the most frequently detected in the TB outbreaks in Austria and Germany. The possibility that red deer act as a maintenance host of M. caprae between TB outbreaks could be not excluded. Despite the high red deer population density, the detection of only one infected red deer could suggest that the wildlife management measures applied in the study area (prohibition of artificial feeding and secure removal of offal from hunted animals) may reduce the risk of TB spreading.

Normative EMG activation patterns of school-age children during gait.

Gait analysis is widely used in clinics to study walking abnormalities for surgery planning, definition of rehabilitation protocols, and objective evaluation of clinical outcomes. Surface electromyography allows the study of muscle activity non-invasively and the evaluation of the timing of muscle activation during movement. The aim of this study was to present a normative dataset of muscle activation patterns obtained from a large number of strides in a population of 100 healthy children aged 6-11 years. The activity of Tibialis Anterior, Lateral head of Gastrocnemius, Vastus Medialis, Rectus Femoris and Lateral Hamstrings on both lower limbs was analyzed during a 2.5-min walk at free speed. More than 120 consecutive strides were analyzed for each child, resulting in approximately 28,000 strides. Onset and offset instants were reported for each observed muscle. The analysis of a high number of strides for each participant allowed us to obtain the most recurrent patterns of activation during gait, demonstrating that a subject uses a specific muscle with different activation modalities even in the same walk. The knowledge of the various activation patterns and of their statistics will be of help in clinical gait analysis and will serve as reference in the design of future gait studies.

Prognostic value of motor evoked potentials in stroke motor outcome.

Functional study technologies of the central nervous system (CNS) are fast developing, yielding further objective data for evidence based neurological rehabilitation. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a safe and non invasive technique of functional investigation of several aspects of the CNS. During the past few years many studies have focused on motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in the investigation of central nervous system and particularly of central motor pathways. Among the various issues of rehabilitative concern in this context, the prognostic value of MEPs of motor outcome after stroke is the most interesting one. The aim of this review, conducted on Medline database, is to find out the current agreement in the literature about this topic and to outline clinical criteria of use of the test. Many of the retrieved papers suggest an added value of MEPs on motor prognosis after first ischemic sylvian stroke, highlighting higher specificity in clinical cases with paralysis or severe paresis in the acute stage. A clinical use of MEPs in specific stroke subgroups might help to plan a more individual rehabilitative project through realistic motor recovery goals and selected techniques of treatment; a more reliable motor prognosis may also be useful for rehabilitation effectiveness research and for a more aimed use of resources.

Serological study of a population of alpine chamois (Rupicapra r rupicapra) affected by an outbreak of respiratory disease.

A serological survey of respiratory virus infections was carried out from 1998 to 2001 in Lecco province, Italy, as part of a health monitoring programme in a population of alpine chamois, many of which died of pneumonia in autumn and winter 2000 to 2001; 194 carcases of all age classes were found over a short period and in a small area. Eighteen of them, which were examined postmortem, consistently showed signs of severe fibrinous lobar pneumonia or catarrhal bronchopneumonia. Samples of serum from 145 chamois collected from hunted animals and carcases were tested by a virus neutralisation test against bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine viral diarrhoea virus, bovine herpesvirus type 1 and parainfluenzavirus type 3. Positive results were detected only for BRSV. The area was divided into two subunits on the basis of the distribution of deaths; in the areas where fatalities were observed there was a significant increase of BRSV titres at the beginning of the outbreak. Furthermore, during the 2000 and 2001 hunting seasons antibody titres to BRSV were significantly higher in the areas where mortality occurred. The roe deer living in the same area were not affected by pneumonia and had a low prevalence of titres to BRSV which did not vary during the period of the study.