A potential risk assessment tool to monitor pathogens circulation in coastal waters.

The present study reports data on a 20 months campaign monitoring enteric viruses (hepatitis A, norovirus, rotavirus, astrovirus, sapovirus, and aichivirus) and bacteria (Salmonella spp.) in seawater. The aim of this work was to assess the potential correlation among the presence of viruses/bacteria and different environmental factors like seasonality, water discharge sources (treated and untreated wastewater, mixed waters and raw water) as well as influence of the Italian lockdown measure against COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed different prevalence of the investigated viruses with values equal to 16 % for norovirus GI, 15.1 % for norovirus GII, followed by 13.8 % for astrovirus, and 13.3 % for sapovirus. Rotavirus was detected in the 8.4 % of samples and aichivirus was detected with the lowest prevalence of 3.5 %. Hepatitis A virus was never identified in the monitoring campaign. Salmonella spp. was detected with a prevalence of 36.6 %. Statistical analysis displayed a high correlation for the two noroviruses simultaneous detection (NGI and NGII) while a lower correlation was found for co-presence of noroviruses with astrovirus, sapovirus or Salmonella spp. A significant decrease of enteric pathogens in seawater was observed during the restrictions period. Results on seasonality highlighted a higher viral prevalence correlated to the wet season for all the pathogens but rotavirus and aichivirus, which instead showed an opposite trend and a higher incidence in the dry season. With respect to discharge typology, some viruses displayed a higher prevalence in treated waters (astrovirus, rotavirus, sapovirus and aichivirus) while the other investigated pathogens (noroviruses and Salmonella spp.) showed a higher prevalence in mixed waters. The main observations of this work were used to define a potential monitoring strategy that could be useful for sanitary Authorities to implement surveillance plans aimed at preventing possible sanitary outbreaks and/or environmental quality deterioration.

Group A rotavirus genotypes in hospital-acquired gastroenteritis in Italy, 2012-14.

BACKGROUND: Group A rotaviruses (RVA) are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in young (aged <5 years) children, causing ∼250,000 deaths worldwide, mostly in developing countries. Differences on nucleotide sequences of VP7 (G-type) and VP4 (P-type) genes are the basis for the binary RVA nomenclature. Although at least 32 G-types and 47 P-types of rotavirus are presently known, most RVA infections in humans worldwide are related to five major G/P combinations: G1P[8], G2P[4], G3P[8], G4P[8], and G9P[8]. AIM: To provide the hospitals of the Italian surveillance network with update information on RVA AGE. METHODS: During RVA gastroenteritis surveillance in Italy in 2012-14, a total of 2341 RVA-positive faecal samples were collected from children hospitalized with AGE, and RVA strains were genotyped following standard EuroRotaNet protocols. FINDINGS: Most strains analysed belonged to the five major human genotypes and 118 out of 2341 (5.0%) were reported to be hospital-acquired. Comparison of the distributions of the RVA genotypes circulating in the community or associated with nosocomial infections showed a different distribution of genotypes circulating inside the hospital wards, with respect to those observed in the community. G1P[8] and G9P[8] RVA strains were detected frequently, whereas G12P[8] caused a single large nosocomial outbreak. CONCLUSION: The information from this study will be useful to implement guidelines for preventing RVA AGE and optimizing the management of patients in hospital wards.

Pathogenic Escherichia coli and enteric viruses in biosolids and related top soil improvers in Italy.

AIMS: To investigate the presence of genomic traits associated with a set of enteric viruses as well as pathogenic Escherichia coli in top soil improvers (TSI) from Italy. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-four TSI samples originating from municipal sewage sludges, pig manure, green and household wastes were analysed by real time PCR for the presence of hepatitis E virus (HEV), porcine and human adenovirus (HuAdV), norovirus, rotavirus and diarrhoeagenic E. coli. None of the samples was found positive for HEV or rotavirus. Four samples were positive for the presence of nucleic acids from human norovirus, two of them being also positive for HuAdV. Real time PCR screening gave positive results for many of the virulence genes characteristic of diarrhoeagenic E. coli in 21 samples. These included the verocytotoxin-coding genes, in some cases associated with intimin-coding gene, and markers of enteroaggregative, enterotoxigenic and enteroinvasive E. coli. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide evidence that enteric viruses and pathogenic E. coli may be released into the environment through the use of sludge-derived TSI. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results highlight that the TSI-related environmental risk for the food chain should be more deeply assessed.

Serological survey of hepatitis E virus infection in farmed and pet rabbits in Italy.

The recent identification in rabbits of hepatitis E viruses (HEV) related to viruses infecting humans raises the question of the role of this species as possible HEV reservoir. A serological survey on rabbit HEV infection was conducted in Italy during 2013-2014, including both farmed and pet rabbits. We found an anti-HEV antibody seroprevalence of 3.40 % in 206 farmed rabbits (collected on 7 farms) and 6.56 % in 122 pets. RNA was extracted from IgG-positive sera and analyzed by HEV-specific real-time RT-PCR. None of the samples were positive, confirming that no viremia was present in the presence of IgG. Only one serum sample from a farmed rabbit was positive for IgM, but no HEV RNA was detected in it. Pet rabbit feces were also tested for HEV RNA, with negative results. This finding suggests that HEV is circulating in rabbits in Italy.

Recurrent rotavirus diarrhoea outbreaks in a stud farm, in Italy.

A total of 47 stool samples were collected at the same stud farm from young foals with rotavirus diarrhoea and from their stud mares. Illness involved foals during three consecutive winter seasons. Infection in the farm appeared firstly in January-February 2008. After vanishing in the warm seasons, cases reappeared in March 2009 and 2010. Determination of the rotavirus G- and P-types was carried out using nested RT-PCR in samples collected in 2009 and 2010. A total of 19 of 47 samples resulted positive for rotavirus. The G type was determined in 19/47 samples, whereas the P genotype was determined in 17/47 samples. All equine strains presented a G14 VP7 in combination with a P[12] VP4, suggesting persistence of the same viral strain in the stud farm, during at least two consecutive winter periods. Sequence analysis of the genes encoding the outer capsid rotavirus proteins VP7 and VP4 revealed that the virus had a close relationship between strains recently isolated in the rest of Europe.

Molecular characterization of bovine rotavirus strains circulating in northern Italy, 2003-2005.

A total of 232 stools collected from calves with rotavirus infection in herds located in northern Italy from 2003 to 2005 was investigated. Determination of the rotavirus G and P types was carried out using nested RT-PCR. G6 was the most prevalent genotype, accounting for 78.5% of samples, G10 accounted for 9.9% of samples and viruses of G8 type were found in 4.7% of samples. In 3% of samples, viruses were not classified due to concomitant infection with more G type strains, whereas viruses in 3.9% of samples could not be characterized with any of the G-specific primers used in this study. Most common P types were P[11] and P[5], accounting for 65.1% and 25%, respectively. In 2.6% of cases, samples reacted with multiple P-specific primers; no P[1] serotype was identified. The G6P[11] combination was predominant throughout the study period, i.e. 52.5% in 2003, 50% in 2004 and 40% in 2005. The incidence of G6P[5] increased from 13.1% in 2003 to 27% in 2004 and 25.5% in 2005. The G10P[11] combination decreased markedly from 18% in 2003 to 2.6% in 2004, rising again to 7.3% in 2005. G8P[11] viruses were similarly present in 2003 (5%) and 2004 (4.3%), declining slightly in 2005 (1.8%).

[Diabetic disease and periodontal disease. Diabetes and periodontopathy]. / Malattia diabetica e malattia parodontale. Diabete e parodontopatia.

Diabetic patients have been reported to be more susceptible to gingivitis and periodontitis than healthy subjects, and these diseases are commonly considered to be oral complications of diabetes. The influence of diabetes on the onset and development of periodontal disease has been studied for many years but clear agreement is still lacking on the nature of the relationship between diabetes and these oral disorders. In fact recent observational epidemiological studies suggest that diabetes should not be considered as the direct cause of periodontal disease but rather as a systemic promoting factor, able to produce conditions suitable for local agents producing gingivitis and periodontitis. The overriding oral problem in diabetes is infection, like with any of the dermal lesions in the diabetic. In fact periodontal disease is caused by specific bacteria (Bacteroides Gingivalis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans) growing in the periodontal pocket so that the bacterial products such as histolytic enzymes, endotoxins or exotoxins may exert a direct effect. Particular attention has been directed to the neutrophils and to their role in antibacterial defense. In fact a reduced phagocytosis, leukotaxis and leucocyte index have been reported in neutrophils from diabetics. The careful metabolic control was reported by most of the Authors to lower the incidence and to reduce the severity of periodontal disease. This may be related both to the improvement in leukocyte function and to a change in gingival fluid rendering it less suitable for bacterial growth. In diabetics also local factors, such as decreased pH of salivary fluid and a reduced salivary flow, seem to play an important role.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)