Ernesto Andreani

Prevalence of Leptospira and Brucella antibodies in wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Tuscany, Italy

Five hundred sixty-two blood samples were collected from wild boars (Sus scrofa) shot in six districts of Tuscany, central Italy, between 1997 and 2000. Sera were examined for antibodies specific for Leptospira interrogans by microagglutination test and Brucella spp. by the Rose Bengal test and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Thirty-four (6.0%) samples tested positive for anti-Leptospira antibodies, 29 (5.1%) sera were positive for anti-L. interrogans serovar bratislava antibodies (titres ranging from 1:100–1:400), and 5 (0.9%) sera were positive for anti-L. interrogans serovar icterohaemorrhagiae antibodies (titres 1:100). All the examined sera were negative for anti-Brucella antibodies.

Experimental infection of dogs with Borrelia burgdorferi

Four beagle dogs were inoculated subcutaneously with the BITs1 Italian strain of Borrelia burgdorferi. Only one dog became infected and B burgdorferi was isolated from its blood and urine three and four weeks after infection. B burgdorferi antibodies were detected by immunofluorescence from four to 11 weeks after infection. An uninoculated dog kept in the same run as the infected dog, developed a positive serological response, but none of the five dogs showed clinical signs.

Experimental infection in sheep with Leptospira interrogans serotype hardjo.

SUMMARY Twelve ewes (six pregnant) and two lambs were inoculated with Leptospira interrogans serotype hardjo, four lambs and one ram were kept as untreated controls. Pyrexia and antibody titres in all inoculated animals were consistent with infection. Leptospiraemia occurred in nine of the 14 inoculated animals. Clinical signs were so mild as to pass unnoticed under field conditions. No spread of infection to the controls was recorded. Two ewes aborted but no leptospires were demonstrated in organs of the aborted foetuses. Two ewes were found to be excreting leptospires in their urine on the 35th day post inoculation.

Pseudomonas and Aeromonas isolates from domestic reptiles and study of their antimicrobial in vitro sensitivity

Pseudomonas and Aeromonas isolates from domestic reptiles and study of their antimicrobial in vitro sensitivity V. V. Ebani & F. Fratini & M. Ampola & E. Rizzo & D. Cerri & E. Andreani Published online: 6 August 2008 # Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2008

Experimental Brucella ovis infection in mouflon (Ovis musimon).

Brucella ovis was isolated for the first time in Italy in 1994 from the genital organs of two domestic rams. In subsequent years bacteriologic and serologic investigations demonstrated an increasing distribution of this disease in domestic sheep. Mouflon (Ovis musimon) occur in several hilly and mountainous areas of Italy where they can potentially contact domestic sheep. To determine if this species may have a role in the epidemiology of B. ovis, four male and four female mouflon, serologically negative for B. ovis and other Brucella spp., were infected intraconjunctivally with B. ovis strain BG1/94. Physical examinations, including collection of blood samples for serology and bacteriology, were performed weekly. The animals were euthanized 8 mo postinoculation (p.i.). Samples of retropharyngeal, parotid, and iliac lymph nodes; bone marrow; kidneys; spleen; epididymis; testicle; bulbourethral glands; seminal vesicles; uterus; and oviducts were collected from each animal as appropriate for histopathology and bacteriology. At the time of euthanasia none of the animals exhibited obvious clinical signs of brucellosis. The animals seroconverted 2 wk p.i. and became seronegative 24 wk p.i. Bacterial cultures, including hemocultures, were negative. No lesions due to B. ovis infection were revealed by histologic examinations. Brucella ovis probably did not infect mouflon and this wild sheep is not likely to play a role in the epidemiology of contagious epididymitis caused by B. ovis.

Experimental infection of sheep with Chlamydia psittaci.

Abstract Six sheep in the 33rd to 95th day of their first pregnancy were infected experimentally with Chlamyida psittaci isolated from a natural case of ovine abortion in Italy. Four received a single oral dose of 10 10 50% chick embryo lethal doses (CELD 50 ) and two were infected by intramuscular injection of 3×10 9 CELD 50 . Infection caused pyrexia in 5 of the 6 animals, one of which aborted 3 days after infection, when 98 days pregnant, and complement-fixing antibodies were detected in all 6 sheep within 10 days of infection. Chlamydial-associated placentitis caused abortion at 136 days of gestation in one case and was detected in two sheep which produced viable full-term lambs. Insufficient placental material was recovered from the two other animals which lambed at term for examination to be conclusive. The results demonstrate the pathogenic potential for sheep in mid-pregnancy of the Italian isolate of C. psittaci .