Alessandra Sereno

Plasmodium spp. In a captive raptor collection of a safaripark in northwest Italy

Blood parasites infect all vertebrates (Clayton and Moore 1997). Avian malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp., Plasmodiidae) are cosmopolitan in their distribution and are responsible for severe diseases in domestic and wild birds.In September 2009, nine raptorial birds that either arrived recently or were maintained as permanent residents at the Safaripark Pombia (northwest Italy) showed loss of stamina, developing listlessness, anorexia and regurgitation. Within one month three animals died and were necropsied.Following the diagnosis of Plasmodium infection all other raptorial birds were treated: clinical improvement was observed in all birds, and blood smears made after one month resulted negative for parasites.

Regucalcin Expression as a Diagnostic Tool for the Illicit Use of Steroids in Veal Calves.

It has been previously demonstrated that sex steroid hormone treatment down-regulates regucalcin gene expression in the accessory sex glands and testis of prepubertal and adult male bovines. The aim of this study was to investigate whether low doses of sex steroid hormones combined with other drugs significantly affect regucalcin gene expression in the accessory sex glands and testis of veal calves. The regucalcin expression was down-regulated in the bulbo-urethral glands of estrogen-treated calves, whereas it was up-regulated in the prostate of estrogen-treated calves. Only the testis of androgen-treated calves showed a down-regulation of the regucalcin expression. Thus, the administration of sex steroid hormones, even in low doses and combined with other molecules, could affect regucalcin expression in target organs. Particularly, the specific response in the testis suggests regucalcin expression in this organ as a first molecular biomarker of illicit androgen administration in bovine husbandry.

Effects and detection of Nandrosol and ractopamine administration in veal calves

The present study describes different effects of the selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) nandrolone phenylpropionate (Nandrosol) and the β-agonist ractopamine administration in veal calves, and it investigates different strategies applied to trace these molecules. Morphological changes of gonads and accessory glands attributed to androgen effects, such as testicular atrophy, seminiferous tubule diameter reduction and hyperplasia of prostate epithelium, were detected, although SARMs are not described to cause these lesions. The gene expression analysis showed an anabolic activity of Nandrosol in Longissimus dorsi muscle, where myosin heavy chain (MYH) was significantly up-regulated. An IGF1 increase was weakly significant only in Vastus lateralis muscle. In conclusion, the anatomo-histopathological observations and the MYH mRNA up-regulation in Longissimus dorsi muscle confirm the androgenic treatment in experimental animals. The biosensor assay was not enough sensitive to detect residues in urines and only the direct chemical analysis of urine samples confirmed both β-agonist and SARM treatment.

Endogenous lipid (cholesterol) pneumonia in three captive Siberian tigers (Panthera tigris altaica)

During the years 2009–2011, 7 Siberian tigers (Panthera tigris altaica), aged between 2 and 14 years, from the Safaripark of Pombia were referred for necropsy to the Department of Animal Pathology of the University of Turin (Italy). Three tigers, aged 10 (2 animals) and 14 years, had multifocal, irregularly distributed, white, soft, subpleural, 3-mm nodules scattered throughout the lungs. Histologically, there was a marked infiltration of macrophages, with foamy cytoplasm, and multinucleate giant cells interspersed with numerous clusters of cholesterol clefts. A mild lymphocytic infiltration was localized around the lesion. The findings were consistent with endogenous lipid pneumonia, which was considered an incidental finding of no clinical significance.

Development and Application of a Screening Method of Absolute Quantitative PCR To Detect the Abuse of Sex Steroid Hormone Administration in Male Bovines

A methodology for the absolute quantification of regucalcin gene through quantitative PCR was set up to confirm that the decrease of regucalcin gene expression in the testis is an effective biomarker for tracing sex steroid hormone treatment in bovine husbandry. On the basis of TaqMan technology, an external standard curve was generated. Using in vivo experiments, a ROC curve was developed to calculate the criterion value, specificity, and sensitivity for this potential biomarker. Then, regucalcin gene expression was assessed in veal calves and beef intended for human consumption. In 11 of 54 calves and in 5 of 70 beef cattle the regucalcin gene was expressed under their respective cutoff. Additionally, a mild decrease of regucalcin protein expression was revealed by immunohistochemistry in subjects tested positive via qPCR. These preliminary results suggest that this transcriptomics test may be employed as a novel diagnostic screening tool, improving significantly the overall efficacy of food control.

Ameloblastic fibroma in an alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra)

Spontaneous odontogenic tumors are neoplasms characterized by a mixed odontogenic ectomesenchymal and odontogenic epithelial origin; they are rare in both humans and animals. A 3-year-old male Alpine Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) was found dead in north-west Italy, and was referred for the necropsy to the Department of Veterinary Sciences of the University of Turin (Italy). At the external examination a 10 × 8 cm, exophytic, red-pink, smooth, firm and ulcerated mass was observed on the inferior lip. Histologically the tumor was characterized by spindle shaped cells arranged in bundles in an abundant hyaline matrix. Multifocal and rare chords of odontogenic epithelium mixed with rare melanocytes that penetrate the neoplasia were visible. Immunohistochemistry showed a clear cytokeratin positivity of epithelial clusters. Macroscopical, histological and immunohistochemical findings were consistent with a diagnosis of locally infiltrative ameloblastic fibroma. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of this tumor in a wild ungulate and in Alpine Chamois.