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Background: This article presents the results of a pilot study investigating patients' satisfaction thresholds for pharmacological outcomes versus surgical outcomes. Materials and methods.: A total of 150 participants were presented with two hypothetical scenarios depicting either pharmacological therapy or surgical interventions. Each scenario described a potential outcome, from a 10% clinical improvement (value 10) to a 100% clinical improvement (value 100) and asked participants to indicate the satisfactory level they would find acceptable. Conclusions: The results revealed distinct patterns in satisfaction thresholds between the two treatment modalities. Between the 150 participants, 52,7% were male and 47,3% female. We also identified a total of 28,8% whom were healthcare workers. Overall, the results for the pharmacological therapy outcomes observed a mean of 60,88 with a standard deviation of 22,77, a median of 60 and a mode of 70; while for the surgical outcomes the mean was 67,81 with a standard deviation of 23,03, the median 85 and the mode 80. We also observed that for the pharmacological therapy outcomes healthcare workers had a lower satisfactory cut off compared to non-healthcare workers. Another interesting finding was that for pharmacological therapy outcomes individuals under 50 y/o had a higher satisfactory cut off compared to individuals over 50 y/o, while for the surgical outcomes we got opposite results. Overall, the findings of this pilot study, even if limited, demonstrated higher minimum satisfaction expectations for surgical outcomes compared to pharmacological therapy outcomes. Specifically, participants tended to require more favorable results and outcomes from surgical interventions to meet their minimum satisfaction criteria.
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Satisfacción del Paciente , Adulto , Anciano , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto Joven , Proyectos Piloto , Procedimientos Quirúrgicos Operativos , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
Background: In Italy, the law n. 219/2017 regarding informed consent states that "Communication time between doctor and patient constitutes treatment time". Legal guardian is designated as a proxy to consent on the child's behalf. The issue of proxy informed consent should be approached with a model for parent-child decision-making that is participatory, collaborative, respects and supports the autonomy of child by recognizing their evolving capacities. We aim to assess the informed consent related to healthcare decisions for medically fragile child, using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T). Materials and Methods: An observational study has been conducted at a Child Neuropsychiatry Service, administering a semi-structured interview with customized questionnaire to examine their capacities in four areas of the MacCAT-T. Results were evaluated with the Pearson correlation coefficient for the cognitive and adaptive levels of the Wechsler-Intelligence-Scale-for-Children (WISC-IV) and the Vineland-Adaptive-Behavior-Scales-II (VABS-II). Conclusions: The MacCAT-T domains Understanding, Appreciation, Reasoning, Expressing a Choice were correlated with the cognitive and adaptive levels of the WISC-IV and the VABS-II. Understanding, Appreciation and Expressing a choice have positive correlation with the Communication and Socialization scores of VABS-II; Reasoning has positive correlation with the Working-Memory-Index scores of the WISC-IV. The study enabled to assess the informed consent processes in vulnerable children and although demonstrating how they participate in their care process in a mostly unconscious way, making the frail children more involved in their own care process was possible. Future studies should assess the impact of incorporating MacCAT-T into standard informed consent in other settings.
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Consentimiento Informado , Humanos , Italia , Proyectos Piloto , Niño , Femenino , Masculino , Consentimiento Informado/legislación & jurisprudencia , Toma de Decisiones , Preescolar , Competencia Mental/legislación & jurisprudencia , AdolescenteRESUMEN
Background: Ultrashort perfluoroalkyl substances (UsPFAS), characterized by carbon chain lengths of 2 to 4 atoms, represent a distinct subgroup within the broader PFAS class of chemicals. Despite their lower molecular weight, ultrashort PFAS have gained significant attention due to their widespread presence. This article provides a comprehensive review of the topic. Methods: We analyzed 33 articles published between 2017 and 2024 found on Pubmed using "ultrashort PFAS" as keyword. We compared: 1- environmental matrices in which ultrashort PFAS were found, 2- different distribution patterns, 3- degradation pathways, to better understand whether they may resemble longer-chain PFAS, which are known for their bioaccumulation and persistence as "forever chemicals". Conclusions: The occurrence of ultrashort PFAS has been documented in different environmental matrices (including surface waters, waste waters, precipitations, sediments, soils, and also human serum and urine) indicating widespread environmental exposure. Advanced analytical techniques, such as liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), have enabled the sensitive detection and quantification of these compounds at trace levels. Studies keep finding new ultrashort PFAS and have focused on elucidating their sources and fate pathways to better understand their behavior in natural systems. The toxicity of ultrashort PFAS remains an area of active in-vestigation. While less is known about their health effects, studies suggest potential adverse impacts on organisms and ecosystems. This underscores the importance of continued research to assess the eco-logical consequences of ultrashort PFAS exposure and bring up risk management strategies.
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Fluorocarburos , Fluorocarburos/análisis , Fluorocarburos/efectos adversos , Humanos , Contaminantes Ambientales/análisis , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/análisis , Monitoreo del Ambiente/métodos , Cromatografía de Gases y Espectrometría de MasasRESUMEN
This report describes the draft genomes of two Klebsiella pneumoniae strains that were isolated from two wild boars collected during epidemiological surveillance and monitoring of wild fauna in the Abruzzo and Molise regions. The strains belonged to sequence type 23 (ST23) and ST35, which are frequently reported in clinical cases.
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Antibiotics are routinely used in commercial poultry farms for the treatment of economically important bacterial diseases. Repeated use of antibiotics, usually administered in the feed or drinking water, may also result in the selection of resistant bacteria in animal feces, able to transfer their antimicrobial-resistance genes (ARG), residing on mobile elements, to other microorganisms, including human pathogens. In this study, single and multiplex PCR protocols were performed to detect tetracycline-, lincomycin-, chloramphenicol-, aminoglycoside-, colistin-, vancomycin-, and carbapenem-resistance genes, starting from 38 litter samples collected from 6 poultry and 2 turkey Italian flocks. The ARG were confirmed for all investigated classes of antimicrobials, except for colistin (mcr-1, mcr-2, mcr-3,mcr-4 mcr-5) and carbapenem (IMP, OXA-48, NDM, KPC), while the vanB gene was only detected for vancomycin. The highest positivity was obtained for tetracycline (tet[L], tet[M], tet[K], tetA[P]] and aminoglycoside (aadA2) ARG, confirming the predominant use of these antimicrobials in the veterinary practice and their potential to enhance the resistance patterns also in humans as a consequence of environmental contamination. On the contrary, the dissemination by poultry of ARG for critically important antimicrobials seems to be of minor concern, suggesting a negligible environmental dissemination by these genes in the Italian poultry industry. Finally, the molecular screening performed in this study using a noninvasive sampling method represents a simple and rapid tool for monitoring the ARG patterns at the farm level.
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Antibacterianos , Aves de Corral , Animales , Antibacterianos/farmacología , Pollos , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana/genética , Italia , Tetraciclina/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Morbilliviruses, such as Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) or Phocine distemper virus (PDV), represent a growing threat for marine mammals on both hemispheres. Because free-ranging animal populations strongly rely on natural resistance mechanisms, innate immunity-related genes and virus cell entry receptor genes may represent key factors involved in susceptibility to CeMV in Cetaceans. Using the next generation sequencing technology, we have sequenced 11 candidate genes in two model species, Stenella coeruleoalba and Phocoena phocoena. Suitable single nucleotide polymorphism markers of potential functional importance, located in genes coding for basigin (BSG, CD147), the signaling lymphocyte activating molecule (SLAMF1), the poliovirus-related receptor-4 (NECTIN4, PVRL4), toll-like receptors 3, 7, 8 (TLR3, TLR7, TLR8), natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (SLC11A1) and natural cytotoxicity triggering receptor 1 (NCR1), were identified in each model species, along with MHC-DQB haplotypes unique for each species. This set of molecular markers represents a potentially useful tool for studying host genetic variation and susceptibility to morbillivirus infection in Cetaceans as well as for studying functionally important genetic diversity of selected Cetacean populations.
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Predisposición Genética a la Enfermedad , Infecciones por Morbillivirus/genética , Morbillivirus/inmunología , Phocoena/genética , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Stenella/genética , Animales , Basigina/genética , Basigina/inmunología , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Proteínas de Transporte de Catión/genética , Proteínas de Transporte de Catión/inmunología , Moléculas de Adhesión Celular/genética , Moléculas de Adhesión Celular/inmunología , Expresión Génica , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidad Clase II/genética , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidad Clase II/inmunología , Morbillivirus/patogenicidad , Infecciones por Morbillivirus/inmunología , Infecciones por Morbillivirus/virología , Receptor 1 Gatillante de la Citotoxidad Natural/genética , Receptor 1 Gatillante de la Citotoxidad Natural/inmunología , Phocoena/inmunología , Phocoena/virología , Miembro 1 de la Familia de Moléculas Señalizadoras de la Activación Linfocitaria/genética , Miembro 1 de la Familia de Moléculas Señalizadoras de la Activación Linfocitaria/inmunología , Stenella/inmunología , Stenella/virología , Receptor Toll-Like 3/genética , Receptor Toll-Like 3/inmunología , Receptor Toll-Like 7/genética , Receptor Toll-Like 7/inmunología , Receptor Toll-Like 8/genética , Receptor Toll-Like 8/inmunologíaRESUMEN
Dolphin Morbillivirus (DMV), Toxoplasma gondii and Brucella ceti are pathogens of major concern for wild cetaceans. Although a more or less severe encephalitis/meningo-encephalitis may occur in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) infected by the aforementioned agents, almost no information is available on the neuropathogenesis of brain lesions, including the neuronal and non-neuronal cells targeted during infection, along with the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. We analyzed 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) expression in the brain of 11 striped dolphins and 5 bottlenose dolphins, affected or not by encephalitic lesions of various degrees associated with DMV, T. gondii and B. ceti. All the 8 striped dolphins with encephalitis showed a more consistent 5-LOX expression than that observed in the 3 striped dolphins showing no morphologic evidence of brain lesions, with the most prominent band intensity being detected in a B. ceti-infected animal. Similar results were not obtained in T. gondii-infected vs T. gondii-uninfected bottlenose dolphins. Overall, the higher 5-LOX expression found in the brain of the 8 striped dolphins with infectious neuroinflammation is of interest, given that 5-LOX is a putative marker for neurodegeneration in human patients and in experimental animal models. Therefore, further investigation on this challenging issue is also needed in stranded cetaceans affected by central neuropathies.
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Araquidonato 5-Lipooxigenasa/análisis , Delfín Mular , Encéfalo/enzimología , Encéfalo/patología , Encefalitis/veterinaria , Stenella , Animales , Western Blotting , Encéfalo/microbiología , Encéfalo/virología , Brucella/patogenicidad , Brucelosis/microbiología , Brucelosis/patología , Brucelosis/veterinaria , Encefalitis/enzimología , Encefalitis/virología , Meningoencefalitis/enzimología , Meningoencefalitis/patología , Meningoencefalitis/veterinaria , Morbillivirus/patogenicidad , Infecciones por Morbillivirus/veterinaria , Infecciones por Morbillivirus/virología , Toxoplasma/patogenicidad , Toxoplasmosis Animal/enzimología , Toxoplasmosis Animal/patologíaRESUMEN
The recent description of a prion disease (PD) case in a free-ranging bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) prompted us to carry out an extensive search for the disease-associated isoform (PrPSc) of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) in the brain and in a range of lymphoid tissues from 23 striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), 5 bottlenose dolphins and 2 Risso s dolphins (Grampus griseus) found stranded between 2007 and 2012 along the Italian coastline. Three striped dolphins and one bottlenose dolphin showed microscopic lesions of encephalitis, with no evidence of spongiform brain lesions being detected in any of the 30 free-ranging cetaceans investigated herein. Nevertheless, we could still observe a prominent PrPC immunoreactivity in the brain as well as in lymphoid tissues from these dolphins. Although immunohistochemical and Western blot investigations yielded negative results for PrPSc deposition in all tissues from the dolphins under study, the reported occurrence of a spontaneous PD case in a wild dolphin is an intriguing issue and a matter of concern for both prion biology and intra/inter-species transmissibility, as well as for cetacean conservation medicine.
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Delfines/metabolismo , Proteínas PrPSc/metabolismo , Enfermedades por Prión/metabolismo , Enfermedades por Prión/patología , Enfermedades por Prión/transmisión , Animales , ItaliaRESUMEN
The Ca(2+)/calmodulin stimulated adenylyl cylcase 8 (AC8) is a pure Ca(2+) sensor, catalyzing the conversion of ATP to cAMP, with a critical role in neuronal plasticity. A role for AC8 in modulating complex behavioral outcomes has been demonstrated in AC8 knock out (KO) mouse models in which anxiety-like responses were differentially modulated following repeated stress experiences, suggesting an involvement of AC8 in stress adaptation and mood disorders. To further investigate the role of this enzyme in phenotypes relevant for psychiatric conditions, AC8 KO mice were assessed for baseline behavioral and hormonal parameters, responses to repeated restraint stress experience, and long-term effects of chronic social defeat stress. The lack of AC8 conferred a hyperactive-phenotype both in home-cage behaviors and the forced swim test response as well as lower leptin plasma levels and adrenal hypertrophy. AC8 KO mice showed baseline "anxiety" levels similar to wild type littermates in a variety of procedures, but displayed decreased anxiety-like responses following repeated restraint stress. This increased stress resilience was not seen during the chronic social defeat procedure. AC8 KO did not differ from wild type mice in response to social stress; similar alterations in body weight, food intake and increased social avoidance were found in all defeated subjects. Altogether these results support a complex role of cAMP signaling pathways confirming the involvement of AC8 in the modulation of stress responses. Furthermore, the hyperactivity and the increased risk taking behavior observed in AC8 KO mice could be related to a manic-like behavioral phenotype that warrants further investigation.
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Adenilil Ciclasas/fisiología , Glándulas Suprarrenales/patología , Trastornos del Humor/fisiopatología , Estrés Psicológico/fisiopatología , Adenilil Ciclasas/genética , Animales , Conducta Animal/fisiología , Biomarcadores/sangre , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Hipertrofia , Leptina/sangre , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Noqueados , Trastornos del Humor/sangre , Trastornos del Humor/patología , Estrés Psicológico/sangre , Estrés Psicológico/genéticaRESUMEN
This article reports the results of necropsy, parasitologic, microbiologic, histopathologic, immunohistochemical, indirect immunofluorescence, biomolecular, and serologic investigations on 8 striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) found stranded from August to December 2007 on the Ligurian Sea coast of Italy. Severe, nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis was found in 4 animals, as characterized by prominent perivascular mononuclear cell cuffing and macrophage accumulations in neuropil. These lesions were associated with mild lymphocytic-plasmacytic infiltration of choroid plexuses in 1 dolphin. Toxoplasma gondii cysts and zoites, confirmed by immunohistochemical labeling, were scattered throughout the brain parenchyma of 2 of the 4 dolphins. No viral inclusions were seen in the brain of any animal. Other findings included severe bronchointerstitial pneumonia and pulmonary atelectasis, consolidation, and emphysema. Parasites were identified in a variety of organs, including lung (Halocerchus lagenorhynchi). Microbiologic and serologic examinations for Brucella spp were negative on all 8 dolphins. The 4 animals with meningoencephalitis had serum antibodies against T gondii (titers ranging from 1:80 to 1:320) but not against morbillivirus. In contrast, the other 4 dolphins were seropositive for morbillivirus (with titers ranging from 1:10 to 1:40) but seronegative for T gondii. No morbillivirus antigen or nucleic acid was detected in the tissues of any dolphin. It is concluded that the severe lung and brain lesions were the cause of death and that T gondii was the likely etiologic agent of the cerebral lesions. Morbillivirus infection was not considered to have contributed to death of these animals.
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Infecciones Protozoarias del Sistema Nervioso Central/veterinaria , Delfines/parasitología , Toxoplasma/aislamiento & purificación , Toxoplasmosis Animal/parasitología , Toxoplasmosis Cerebral/veterinaria , Animales , Encéfalo/parasitología , Infecciones Protozoarias del Sistema Nervioso Central/epidemiología , Infecciones Protozoarias del Sistema Nervioso Central/parasitología , Femenino , Técnica del Anticuerpo Fluorescente Indirecta/veterinaria , Inmunohistoquímica , Italia/epidemiología , Pulmón/parasitología , Masculino , Pruebas de Neutralización/veterinaria , ARN Protozoario/química , ARN Protozoario/genética , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa de Transcriptasa Inversa/veterinaria , Estudios Seroepidemiológicos , Toxoplasma/genética , Toxoplasmosis Animal/epidemiología , Toxoplasmosis Cerebral/epidemiología , Toxoplasmosis Cerebral/parasitologíaRESUMEN
In order to evaluate the relevance of multiple infections in domestic cats with Upper Respiratory Tract Disease (URTD) one hundred animals with clinical signs were investigated for detection of Feline Herpesvirus type-1 (FHV-1), Chlamydophila felis, Feline Calicivirus (FCV) and Bordetella bronchiseptica from mucosal swabs. Forty-seven cats were positive for FCV, 42 cats for FHV-1, 26 for B. bronchiseptica and 8 for C. felis. Dual or multiple infections were found in 33 of examined animals. Our results document that FCV and FHV-1 are the major recognized cause of URTD, although infections associated with other pathogens such as B. bronchiseptica or C. felis are also common in cats.
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Infecciones por Bordetella/veterinaria , Infecciones por Caliciviridae/veterinaria , Enfermedades de los Gatos/prevención & control , Infecciones por Chlamydophila/veterinaria , Infecciones por Herpesviridae/veterinaria , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/veterinaria , Animales , Infecciones por Bordetella/microbiología , Infecciones por Bordetella/prevención & control , Bordetella bronchiseptica/genética , Bordetella bronchiseptica/aislamiento & purificación , Infecciones por Caliciviridae/prevención & control , Infecciones por Caliciviridae/virología , Calicivirus Felino/genética , Calicivirus Felino/aislamiento & purificación , Enfermedades de los Gatos/microbiología , Gatos , Chlamydophila/genética , Chlamydophila/aislamiento & purificación , Infecciones por Chlamydophila/prevención & control , Infecciones por Chlamydophila/virología , Comorbilidad , Conjuntiva/microbiología , Cartilla de ADN , ADN Bacteriano/genética , ADN Viral/genética , Herpesviridae/genética , Herpesviridae/aislamiento & purificación , Infecciones por Herpesviridae/prevención & control , Infecciones por Herpesviridae/virología , Italia/epidemiología , Faringe/microbiología , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa , Polimorfismo de Longitud del Fragmento de Restricción , ARN Viral/genética , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/microbiología , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/prevención & controlRESUMEN
Ovine enzootic abortion is an infectious and contagious disease clinically characterized by abortion and weak neonates, affecting sheep and goats. The etiological agent is Chlamydophila (C.) abortus, which is considered one of the most common animal pathogens of small ruminants; it has important economic implications and represents a significant zoonotic risk. Clinical diagnosis is often difficult because the clinical signs and the pathological lesions are not specific for C. abortus infection, in fact they can also be observed as a result of infections with other abortifacient agents. Moreover, the involvement of the laboratory is necessary to perform the definitive diagnosis. One hundred and seventeen vaginal swabs from sheep with clinical signs related to chlamydial infection were examined by a PCR-RFLP assay that demonstrated high specifity and sensitivity. Six samples were positive for C. abortus. Vaginal swabs are easy to handle and allow to deal with biohazardous material in safety conditions.
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Aborto Veterinario/microbiología , Infecciones por Chlamydophila/veterinaria , Chlamydophila/aislamiento & purificación , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa/veterinaria , Polimorfismo de Longitud del Fragmento de Restricción , Enfermedades de las Ovejas/microbiología , Animales , Chlamydophila/genética , Infecciones por Chlamydophila/diagnóstico , Chlamydophila psittaci/aislamiento & purificación , Femenino , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa/métodos , Ovinos , Enfermedades de las Ovejas/diagnóstico , Vagina/microbiologíaRESUMEN
Cell-mediated immunity in cattle infected with bluetongue virus serotype 2 was examined using the 3-(4,5, dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) lymphocyte proliferation assay and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for gamma-interferon quantification in serum. Although infection induced the production of neutralising antibodies, no significant statistical differences were observed between the infected and the control animals when tested with the MTT assay. Constant levels of gamma-interferon were detected in the serum infected animals during the trial but again no significant statistical differences were recorded. The results of the study are discussed.
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Fifty-four ocular and forty-six pharyngeal swabs, collected from 54 cats with respiratory syndrome, were analyzed by duplex-PCR to evaluate the presence of Feline Herpesvirus type 1 and Chlamydophila spp. Both pathogens are in the population of cats and as four cats were positive only in ocular swabs and three only in pharyngeal ones, it is deduced that a correct diagnostic approach has to foresee the dispatch to the laboratory of both swabs. Furthermore, all chlamydophila strains analysed by endonuclease restriction were classified as Chlamydophila felis.
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Enfermedades de los Gatos/diagnóstico , Infecciones por Chlamydophila/veterinaria , Chlamydophila/aislamiento & purificación , Infecciones por Herpesviridae/veterinaria , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa/métodos , Varicellovirus/aislamiento & purificación , Animales , Gatos , Chlamydophila/clasificación , Infecciones por Chlamydophila/diagnóstico , Ojo/microbiología , Ojo/virología , Infecciones por Herpesviridae/diagnóstico , Faringe/microbiología , Faringe/virología , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , Varicellovirus/clasificaciónRESUMEN
Between August 2000 and 14 May 2001 (defined as the 2000-2001 epidemic) bluetongue (BT) was reported in three regions of Italy: Sardinia, Sicily and Calabria. During the 2001-2002 epidemic (between 15 May and 14 April 2002), the disease spread to five additional regions (Puglia, Basilicata, Campania, Latium and Tuscany). In May 2001 the Italian Ministry of Health decided to restrict animal movements and to vaccinate all susceptible domestic ruminant populations in infected and in neighbouring regions. This action was taken to reduce virus circulation with the aim of decreasing direct losses in sheep and goats due to the disease, and indirect losses in cattle populations due to movement restrictions. Furthermore, the Italian authorities implemented an epidemiological surveillance system to monitor the spread of the virus and to provide more effective movement controls. In 2002, the vaccination campaign reached the set goal of vaccinating more than 80% of susceptible domestic ruminants in Abruzzo, Sardinia and Tuscany. The vaccination campaign successfully reduced clinical disease in Sardinia and Tuscany. Before the advent of BT, cattle had always been moved from Sardinia, Sicily and the southern regions for fattening and slaughter in northern Italy. During the tracing of animals that had left infected areas in 2000 it was found that 10 957 cattle had been exported from Sardinia between June and August 2000 and were scattered throughout continental Italy. In addition, most cows selected for culling from the southern regions and the islands were sent to northern Italy for slaughter. However, since August 2000 the animal trade between infected and free areas has come to a complete standstill. Sardinia, in particular, due to the climatic and epidemiological conditions (vectors survive almost throughout the year), was no longer able to export any ruminants to the mainland. Long-term standstill therefore led to heavy economic losses and had even greater social consequences. As farmers are not compensated, it is impossible to enforce these restrictions indefinitely. The Italian authorities and the European Commission thus decided to adopt a policy of risk management allowing some animal movement. This paper presents an analysis that assesses the risk associated with animal movement from restricted areas, according to the level of immunity of susceptible animal populations due to vaccination in the same areas. Results of the analysis indicate that when more than 80% of the susceptible population in the territory of origin is vaccinated, the risk associated with the movement of vaccinated animals to free areas appears acceptable and can be mitigated further by adopting ancillary control measures.
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Traceability of animals and animal products has become a priority for governments of the developed countries, due to consumer demand for comprehensive and integrated food safety policies. In addition to analysing the differences between traceback and traceability systems, the authors describe some applications of animal traceback systems and the principal characteristics of an animal identification and registration system. The importance of a traceability system for food-borne risk assessment and management, and the most recent approaches towards a comprehensive and integrated animal health and food safety policy are reported.
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Enfermedades de los Animales/epidemiología , Crianza de Animales Domésticos/métodos , Sistemas de Identificación Animal/veterinaria , Contaminación de Alimentos/prevención & control , Enfermedades Transmitidas por los Alimentos/prevención & control , Animales , Seguridad de Productos para el Consumidor , Microbiología de Alimentos , Enfermedades Transmitidas por los Alimentos/epidemiología , Humanos , Carne/normas , Productos de la Carne/normas , Control de Calidad , Medición de Riesgo , Administración de la Seguridad , Zoonosis/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
A telematic system to support decisions and operations in case of animal health emergencies has been designed and implemented in the Abruzzo region of Italy. The system aims to improve decision-making by Veterinary Services in the event of an outbreak of exotic disease. The system has been tested, first by a simulated outbreak of foot and mouth disease, and then during an outbreak of swine vesicular disease. Critical problems were detected and corrected in both cases.
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Bases de Datos Factuales , Brotes de Enfermedades/veterinaria , Fiebre Aftosa/epidemiología , Medicina Veterinaria/métodos , Enfermedad Equina Africana/epidemiología , Enfermedad Equina Africana/prevención & control , Animales , Bovinos , Peste Porcina Clásica/epidemiología , Peste Porcina Clásica/prevención & control , Brotes de Enfermedades/prevención & control , Brotes de Enfermedades/estadística & datos numéricos , Urgencias Médicas/veterinaria , Fiebre Aftosa/prevención & control , Caballos , Italia , Pleuroneumonía Contagiosa/epidemiología , Pleuroneumonía Contagiosa/prevención & control , Sistema de Registros , Porcinos , Enfermedad Vesicular Porcina/epidemiología , Enfermedad Vesicular Porcina/prevención & controlRESUMEN
In 1990 an outbreak of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) occurred in Italy. Subsequent surveillance for CBPP was based on random sampling in bovine herds, serological controls on all animals moved from the herd of origin and controls on slaughtered animals. Official tests employed were the complement fixation test (CFT) and bacteriological isolation and typing. A total of 33,856 serum samples collected from herds in CBPP-free regions were used to define CFT specificity, while samples from 595 animals from infected herds were employed to define the sensitivity. Ninety-nine animals from three infected herds were used to estimate the sensitivity of the isolation technique. Results showed the specificity of CFT (threshold +1:10) to be 98% and sensitivity to be 63.79%. The sensitivity of the test did not change significantly, regardless of whether the lesions were caused by acute or chronic infection. The sensitivity of the isolation technique was 54.1%.
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Anticuerpos Antibacterianos/sangre , Enfermedades de los Bovinos/diagnóstico , Pruebas de Fijación del Complemento/veterinaria , Mycoplasma mycoides/aislamiento & purificación , Pleuroneumonía Contagiosa/diagnóstico , Animales , Bovinos , Mycoplasma mycoides/inmunología , Sensibilidad y EspecificidadRESUMEN
Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene (HSVtk) transfer together with treatment with the prodrug ganciclovir (GCV) represents the most commonly used suicide gene approach for the gene therapy of human central nervous system malignancies. Despite encouraging results reported in clinical trials conducted in adults, very little is known about the feasibility of this approach for the treatment of CNS tumors of childhood. We studied the effects of the HSVtk/GCV system on human medulloblastoma cells in vitro and in vivo. The transfer of tk gene to medulloblastoma cells was capable of mediating cell suicide in vitro and in vivo upon treatment with GCV, but the overall effect in vivo appeared to be suboptimal. The relatively low sensitivity of the medulloblastoma cells to viral infection and a limited bystander effect, coupled with a low expression of connexin-43 protein, might partially explain these results. Whether this is a peculiarity of the cell line studied or a general characteristic of medulloblastoma remains to be determined. These findings should be taken into account for the future planning of gene therapy trials for human medulloblastoma.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias Cerebelosas/terapia , Técnicas de Transferencia de Gen , Terapia Genética/métodos , Herpes Simple/enzimología , Meduloblastoma/terapia , Timidina Quinasa/genética , Terapia Combinada , Conexina 43/genética , Ganciclovir/uso terapéutico , Expresión Génica , Vectores Genéticos , Humanos , Profármacos/uso terapéutico , Retroviridae , Células Tumorales CultivadasRESUMEN
Hunter syndrome is a lethal lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficiency of iduronate-2-sulfatase and characterized by severe skeletal and neurological symptoms. Only symptomatic treatments are available and, although bone marrow transplantation has been suggested, no encouraging results have been obtained so far. Therefore, gene therapy might be a route to be pursued for treatment of the disease. In this respect, one major goal to achieve is the generation of an overexpressing vector able to correct, in particular, central nervous system (CNS) cells. Adenoviruses have been shown to infect CNS cells efficiently with minor or even absent immunological response. We describe the generation of a replication-defective adenoviral vector, AdRSVIDS, which is able to express in vitro high levels of iduronate-2-sulfatase. After infection, accumulation of mucopolysaccharides in treated Hunter cells was normalized. Furthermore, endocytosis of the transduced IDS did occur via the mannose-6-phosphate (M6P) receptor. Since no animal model for the disease is available, we developed a system based on the generation of derma-equivalents which enabled us to verify the expression of high levels of sulfatase up to 30 days after infection.