B.T. Cenci Goga

Characterization of muscle fibre type and evaluation of the presence of giant fibres in two meat chicken hybrids

Giant fibres are muscle fibres characterized by peculiar traits when observed under a light microscope. They are usually rounded in shape, larger than normal fibres and stain darker when coloured with haematoxylin-eosin. Giant fibres were first studied by Cassens et al. (1969) and since then various authors have taken them into consideration, especially in swine where there seemed to be a connection between their presence and the PSE condition (Fazarinc et al., 2002; Severini and Loschi, 1997). This topic has recently also been considered in turkeys and chicken (Remignon et al., 2000; Mammoli et al., 2004). The aim of this study is to evaluate the muscle fibre distribution and the possible presence of giant fibres in two meat chicken hybrids characterized by different growth speeds.

Prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in Chicken Hybrids with Different Growth Rates, Reared According to Conventional and “Free-Range” Production Methods

Miraglia D., Ranucci D., Branciari R., Cioffi A., Mammoli R., Cenci Goga B.T. and Avellini P., 2007. Prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in chicken hybrids with different growth rates, reared according to conventional and “Free-Range” production methods. Veterinary Research Communications, 31(Suppl. 1), 381–384

Identification with multiplex PCR assay of Enterococcus species isolated from dairy products in Umbria, Italy

Enterococci are enteric organisms which are commonly isolated from ewe and goat’s milk production in Umbria, Italy (Cenci Goga et al., 1995; Cenci Goga e Trevisani, 1996). For years enterococci have been considered as microorganisms only indicative of inadequate hygienic practices or exposure of the food to conditions that would permit multiplication of other undesirable bacteria. However, enterococci largely occur in many cheeses, and are now considered to be usual components of their typical microflora. They play a major role in cheese ripening due to lipolytic, proteolytic and caseinolytic activities (Franz et al., 1999). Enterococci have been shown to be only rarely involved in food poisoning outbreaks and only E. faecalis has been demonstrated to cause changes in dairy products, thus being the only species of concern in dairy production (Franz et al., 1999). The aim of this study was to compare a multiplex PCR with the usual protocol performed in our laboratories, based on physiological and biochemical tests, to differentiate E. faecium from E. faecalis.

Detection of Enterococcus faecalis resistant to tetracycline by a two-step PCR with nested primers

Antibiotic resistance (AR) in bacteria is a concrete threat in human health as a consequence of the large scale use of antibiotics as growth promoters both in human and veterinary medicine (Murray, 1990; Wegener et al., 1999). The transfer of resistance genes towards potential pathogenic or opportunist pathogenic bacteria creates a problem, since infections caused by these bacteria not can be treated successfully with common antibiotics (Murray, 1990; VilleDieu et al., 2003). In the last decade, enterococci have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens in surgical wounds, bacteremia and urinary tract infections (Murray, 1990). Antibiotic-resistant enterococci have been found in many foods; this justifies the need to evaluate their role in antibiotic-resistance transmission (Teuber et al., 1999), especially the case of tetracycline resistance (Ng et al., 2001; VilleDieu et al., 2003). In this study, a modification of the NaI-based method of DNA extraction developed by Ishizawa et al. (1991), followed by a two-step PCR, is proposed as a safer alternative to the traditional phenol solvent extraction method and to a commercial kit, for faster and more sensitive detection of the tet(M) gene from raw milk.

Pseudotuberculosis in sheep as a concern of veterinary public health.

Pseudotuberculosis (caseous lymphadenitis) is an infectious disease characterized by encapsulated abscesses containing caseous or caseopurulent material. Mature lesions show a highly characteristic structure of concentric lamellations. The lesions are usually localized in the lymph nodes, lungs and, less frequently, in other organs (Jubb et al., 1988). Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is the causative agent, which can be transmitted by contamination of skin wounds (Pepin et al., 1999) but can also be acquired by penetration of intact skin (Jubb et al., 1988), ingestion (Jubb et al., 1988) and probably through inhalation (Keslin et al., 1979). The relevance of this disease in the field of veterinary public health is discussed in this paper on the basis of epidemiological data collected in a survey carried out in sheep abattoirs.