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Ferrara G, Wernike K, Iovane G, Pagnini U, Montagnaro S. First evidence of schmallenberg virus infection in southern Italy. BMC Vet Res 2023; 19:95. [PMID: 37507724 PMCID: PMC10386761 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03666-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schmallenberg virus (SBV) is a vector-borne pathogen that mainly affects ruminants. Schmallenberg disease has never been described in southern Italy, although this geographic area displays climatic features suitable for Culicoides biting midges, which transmit the pathogen. An observational study was carried out in the Campania region in 2020 to evaluate the seroprevalence in cattle and water buffalo as well as to identify the risk factors involved in the distribution of SBV. RESULTS Relatively high seroprevalences of 38.2% (cattle) and 43% (water buffalo) were found by using a commercial SBV ELISA, which is comparable to the prevalence obtained in other countries under post-epidemic conditions. A virus neutralization assay performed on positive samples showed high titers in a large percentage of animals which is assumed to indicate recent exposure. Bivariate analysis of several variables revealed some environmental factors associated with higher seroprevalence, such as mean annual temperature, distance from the coast, and altitude. Multivariate logistic regression confirmed the statistical association only for mean annual temperature, that was found to be the main factor responsible for the distribution of the virus in southern Italy. In addition, molecular diagnosis attempts were performed on serum samples and resulted in the detection of SBV RNA in two herds and six animals. CONCLUSIONS In this work we have demonstrated the circulation of SBV in southern Italy using both molecular and serological assays. This study emphasized the essential role of monitoring in preventing the re-emergence of vector-borne diseases in ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianmarco Ferrara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Federico Delpino n.1, Naples, 80137, Italy.
| | - Kerstin Wernike
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Giuseppe Iovane
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Federico Delpino n.1, Naples, 80137, Italy
| | - Ugo Pagnini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Federico Delpino n.1, Naples, 80137, Italy
| | - Serena Montagnaro
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Federico Delpino n.1, Naples, 80137, Italy
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Occurrence and Distribution of Fasciolosis in a Cohort of Ovine Livestock Restricted to a Mountain Plateau in Central Portugal. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11123344. [PMID: 34944123 PMCID: PMC8697867 DOI: 10.3390/ani11123344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Fasciola hepatica is a parasite that affects ruminants. This study evaluated the occurrence of fasciolosis in ovine livestock from central Portugal during a 2-year period. Positive animals were found in most locations and in both years (19.6% and 18.5% seropositive in the first year and second year, respectively). Correct anthelmintic treatment could further reduce egg elimination and pasture contamination. Abstract Fasciola hepatica is a parasite that is widespread in Europe, having been reported in ruminants of several European countries and causing an important economic impact. This study ascertained the occurrence and distribution of fasciolosis in Portuguese ovine livestock by assessing F. hepatica IgG antibodies in a cohort of confined sheep from a high-altitude region of central Portugal in a 2-year period. Positive animals were found in most locations and in both years, with 18 of the 92 animals (19.6% [95% confidence interval CI: 12.03–19.15]) and 17 of the same 92 animals (18.5% [95% CI: 11.15–27.93]) showing to be seropositive in the first year and second year, respectively (p = 0.85). Pasture contamination by F. hepatica eggs could be reduced by thorough anthelmintic treatments.
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A 2-Year Longitudinal Seroepidemiological Evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in a Cohort of Autochthonous Sheep from Central Portugal. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10010040. [PMID: 33419095 PMCID: PMC7825394 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Toxoplasma gondii is an important zoonosis and one of the major causes of abortion in sheep worldwide. (2) Methods: We performed a 2-year longitudinal serological anti-T. gondii IgG screening on a cohort of a spatially confined population of a Portuguese autochthonous sheep breed in central Portugal. (3) Results: From the screening of the 2015 and 2016 sera, an increase of seroprevalence was observed (57.7% (95% CI: 49.9-65.3%) versus 69.1% (95% CI: 61.5-75.9), from 2015 and 2016, respectively) (p = 0.031). (4) Conclusions The present study is the first to provide prospective data on the anti-T. gondii serological status of a sheep cohort in Portugal, showing an increase in the occurrence of T. gondii. There is a need to provide a clearer understanding of T. gondii epidemiology in Portugal, ideally by implementing monitoring programs on sentinel herds, not only due to the high impact of T. gondii on animal health but also for it being a zoonosis.
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Kęsik-Maliszewska J, Collins ÁB, Rola J, Blanco-Penedo I, Larska M. Schmallenberg virus in Poland endemic or re-emerging? A six-year serosurvey. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:2188-2198. [PMID: 33012078 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A novel arbovirus, called Schmallenberg virus (SBV), emerged in Europe in 2011 infecting domestic as well as wild ruminants. The virus was first detected in Poland during the 2012 vector season. In order to study the SBV post-epidemic period in Poland, over twenty-one thousand domestic ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats) were tested for SBV infection between 2013 and 2018. Samples were collected as part of the national Bluetongue virus (BTV) surveillance programme. Thirteen per cent of all samples were collected from animals between 6 months and one year of age. Overall, 37.5% of ruminants tested seropositive. The seroprevalence fluctuated yearly and was highest in 2014 and 2017; however, seroconversion was detected in younger animals throughout the study indicating continuous virus circulation during the 6-year study period. A significantly higher proportion of seropositive animals were detected among cattle and older animals. Uneven distribution of seropositive animals between provinces was identified and may be a result of different housing and breeding practices and/or meteorological conditions influencing local and regional vector abundances, rather than farm stocking densities. A small number of animals were identified as being exposed to both SBV and BTV; this is likely due to the fact that the same Culicoides species transmit these two viruses thus increasing the risk of co-exposure. Considering these results, in addition to virological and entomological studies carried out in Poland previously, it can be concluded that SBV is endemic in Poland with cyclical waves of virus circulation happening every 3-4 years.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Áine B Collins
- Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis, UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Jerzy Rola
- Department of Virology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Puławy, Poland
| | - Isabel Blanco-Penedo
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Magdalena Larska
- Department of Virology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Puławy, Poland
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Jiménez-Martín D, Cano-Terriza D, Díaz-Cao JM, Pujols J, Fernández-Morente M, García-Bocanegra I. Epidemiological surveillance of Schmallenberg virus in small ruminants in southern Spain. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:2219-2228. [PMID: 33034150 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Schmallenberg virus (SBV) is an emerging Culicoides-borne Orthobunyavirus that affects ruminant species. Between 2011 and 2013, it was responsible for a large-scale epidemic in Europe. In the present study, we aimed to determine the seroprevalence, spatial distribution and risk factors associated with SBV exposure in sheep and goats in the region where the first Schmallenberg disease outbreak in Spain was reported. Blood samples from 1,796 small ruminants from 120 farms were collected in Andalusia (southern Spain) between 2015 and 2017. Antibodies against SBV were detected in 536 of 1,796 animals (29.8%; 95%CI: 27.7-32.0) using a commercial blocking ELISA. The individual seroprevalence according to species was 31.1% (280/900; 95%CI: 28.1-34.1) in sheep and 28.6% (256/896; 95%CI: 25.6-31.5) in goats. The farm prevalence was 76.7% (95%CI: 69.1-84.2). Seropositivity to SBV was confirmed in both sheep and goats in all provinces by virus neutralization test. Two significant (p < .001) spatial clusters of high seroprevalence were identified. The generalized estimating equation analysis showed that management system (extensive), temperature (>14ºC) and altitude (<400 metres above sea level) were risk factors associated with SBV exposure in small ruminants. Our results highlight widespread but not homogeneous circulation of SBV in small ruminant populations in Spain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Jiménez-Martín
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - David Cano-Terriza
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - José M Díaz-Cao
- Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Joan Pujols
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | | | - Ignacio García-Bocanegra
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
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Esteves F, Cruz R, Vasconcelos-Nóbrega C, Santos C, Ferreira AS, Petrovic T, Cardoso L, Coelho AC, Vala H, Nascimento MSJ, Mesquita JR. Bulk-Tank Milk Longitudinal Serosurvey Reveals Decreasing Schmallenberg Virus Circulation in a Confined Population of Portuguese Sheep. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019; 19:708-710. [PMID: 30990772 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: In 2011, Schmallenberg virus (SBV) was first detected in dairy cattle herds in The Netherlands and Germany having since then spread across Europe. Today studies are starting to show a decrease in new SBV infections, a circumstance that raises alerts for possible re-emergence if ideal conditions for vector development occur. To assess the potential decrease in SBV circulation, we performed a 2-year longitudinal serological investigation for SBV infection at the herd level by using bulk-tank milk of a specific sheep breed from central Portugal. Materials and Methods: Bulk-tank milk samples from 68 flocks were collected in both 2015 and 2016, and lactosera were tested for IgG anti-SBV by EIA. Results and Discussion: Results show that in 2015, 92.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 83.9-96.8) of the bulk-tank milk samples were positive, whereas in 2016 only 77.9% (95% CI: 66.7-86.1 of the samples from the same flocks were positive. Differences in the 2015/2016 seroprevalences showed to be statistically significant (p = 0.027). This significant decrease at the herd level seems to be in agreement with reported data from other European countries and raise alerts, since increasingly favorable conditions (higher number of susceptible animals) are now present, potentially favoring SBV epidemics if improved conditions for midge replication occur in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Esteves
- Centre for Studies in Education and Health Technologies (CI&DETS), Agrarian School of Viseu, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal
| | - Rita Cruz
- Centre for Studies in Education and Health Technologies (CI&DETS), Agrarian School of Viseu, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal
| | - Cármen Vasconcelos-Nóbrega
- Centre for Studies in Education and Health Technologies (CI&DETS), Agrarian School of Viseu, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal.,Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Carla Santos
- Centre for Studies in Education and Health Technologies (CI&DETS), Agrarian School of Viseu, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal
| | - Ana S Ferreira
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Oporto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Tamas Petrovic
- Scientific Veterinary Institute "Novi Sad," Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana C Coelho
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Helena Vala
- Centre for Studies in Education and Health Technologies (CI&DETS), Agrarian School of Viseu, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal.,Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Maria S J Nascimento
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Oporto, Porto, Portugal.,Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Institute of Public Health, University of Oporto, Porto, Portugal
| | - João R Mesquita
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Institute of Public Health, University of Oporto, Porto, Portugal
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