Publications (14)35.77 Total impact
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Dataset: MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE OF WEST NILE AND USUTU VIRUSES IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA REGION, ITALY, 2008-2012
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Article: Usutu virus persistence and west nile virus inactivity in the emilia-romagna region (Italy) in 2011.
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ABSTRACT: The circulation of West Nile virus and Usutu virus was detected in the Emilia-Romagna region in 2008 and 2009. To evaluate the extent of circulation of both viruses, environmental surveillance, based on bird and mosquito testing, was conducted in 2008 and gradually improved over the years. In February-March 2009-2011, 5,993 hibernating mosquitoes were manually sampled, out of which 80.1% were Culex pipiens; none tested positive for the viruses. From 2008 to 2011, 946,213 mosquitoes, sampled between May and October, were tested; 86.5% were Cx. pipiens. West Nile virus was detected in 32 Cx. pipiens pools, and Usutu virus was detected in 229 mosquito pools (217 Cx. pipiens, 10 Aedes albopictus, one Anopheles maculipennis s.l., and one Aedes caspius). From 2009 to 2011, of 4,546 birds collected, 42 tested positive for West Nile virus and 48 for Usutu virus. West Nile virus and Usutu virus showed different patterns of activity during the 2008-2011 surveillance period. West Nile virus was detected in 2008, 2009, and 2010, but not in 2011. Usutu virus, however, was continuously active throughout 2009, 2010, and 2011. The data strongly suggest that both viruses overwinter in the surveyed area rather than being continually reintroduced every season. The lack of hibernating mosquitoes testing positive for the viruses and the presence of positive birds sampled early in the season support the hypothesis that the viruses overwinter in birds rather than in mosquitoes. Herd immunity in key bird species could explain the decline of West Nile virus observed in 2011, while the persistence of Usutu virus may be explained by not yet identified reservoirs. Reported results are comparable with a peri-Mediterranean circulation of the West Nile virus lineage 1 related strain, which became undetectable in the environment after two to three years of obvious circulation.PLoS ONE 01/2013; 8(5):e63978. · 4.09 Impact Factor -
Article: Erratum to: Etiological agents of rickettsiosis and anaplasmosis in ticks collected in Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) during 2008 and 2009.
Experimental and Applied Acarology 04/2012; · 1.39 Impact Factor -
Article: Etiological [corrected] agents of rickettsiosis and anaplasmosis in ticks collected in Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) during 2008 and 2009.
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ABSTRACT: Ticks are the main vectors of rickettsiae of the spotted fever group, as well as of a variety of other Rickettsiales, including bacteria of the genus Anaplasma, that might cause diseases in humans and animals. Here we present the result of a survey for ticks and for tick-associated Rickettsiales in the Emilia Romagna region (Northern Italy). The study was focused on ticks collected from wild-hunted animals. Out of 392 ticks collected from these animals, 282 (72%) were identified as Ixodes ricinus, 110 (28%) as Dermacentor marginatus. The former was found on four vertebrate species, whereas the latter appeared more specific for wild boar. The presence of rickettsiae was demonstrated in 22.5% of I. ricinus (57/253) and in 29% of D. marginatus (32/110). Five ticks of the species I. ricinus were also positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (2%). In addition, we collected ticks by dragging in a natural park of the same region. All of the ticks captured by dragging were identified as I. ricinus. Thirty-six out of 200 analyzed ticks proved positive for Rickettsia monacensis and R. helvetica (16.5 and 1.5%, respectively). Our results highlight that that ticks present in wild areas, widely exploited for recreation and hunting in Emilia-Romagna, represent a risk for the transmission of spotted fevers and anaplasmosis to humans.Experimental and Applied Acarology 03/2012; 57(2):199-208. · 1.39 Impact Factor -
Article: Detection of mosquito-only flaviviruses in Europe.
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ABSTRACT: The genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae, includes a number of important arthropod-transmitted human pathogens such as dengue viruses, West Nile virus, Japanese encephalitis virus and yellow fever virus. In addition, the genus includes flaviviruses without a known vertebrate reservoir, which have been detected only in insects, particularly in mosquitoes, such as cell fusing agent virus, Kamiti River virus, Culex flavivirus, Aedes flavivirus, Quang Binh virus, Nakiwogo virus and Calbertado virus. Reports of the detection of these viruses with no recognized pathogenic role in humans are increasing in mosquitoes collected around the world, particularly in those sampled in entomological surveys targeting pathogenic flaviviruses. The presence of six potential flaviviruses, detected from independent European arbovirus surveys undertaken in the Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the UK between 2007 and 2010, is reported in this work. Whilst the Aedes flaviviruses, detected in Italy from Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, had already been isolated in Japan, the remaining five viruses have not been reported previously: one was detected in Italy, Portugal and Spain from Aedes mosquitoes (particularly from Aedes caspius), one in Portugal and Spain from Culex theileri mosquitoes, one in the Czech Republic and Italy from Aedes vexans, one in the Czech Republic from Aedes vexans and the last in the UK from Aedes cinereus. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the close relationship of these putative viruses to other insect-only flaviviruses.Journal of General Virology 02/2012; 93(Pt 6):1215-25. · 3.36 Impact Factor -
Article: Mosquito, bird and human surveillance of West Nile and Usutu viruses in Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy) in 2010.
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ABSTRACT: In 2008, after the first West Nile virus (WNV) detection in the Emilia-Romagna region, a surveillance system, including mosquito- and bird-based surveillance, was established to evaluate the virus presence. Surveillance was improved in following years by extending the monitoring to larger areas and increasing the numbers of mosquitoes and birds tested. A network of mosquito traps, evenly distributed and regularly activated, was set up within the surveyed area. A total of 438,558 mosquitoes, grouped in 3,111 pools and 1,276 birds (1,130 actively sampled and 146 from passive surveillance), were tested by biomolecular analysis. The survey detected WNV in 3 Culex pipiens pools while Usutu virus (USUV) was found in 89 Cx. pipiens pools and in 2 Aedes albopictus pools. Two birds were WNV-positive and 12 were USUV-positive. Furthermore, 30 human cases of acute meningoencephalitis, possibly caused by WNV or USUV, were evaluated for both viruses and 1,053 blood bags were tested for WNV, without any positive result. Despite not finding symptomatic human WNV infections during 2010, the persistence of the virus, probably due to overwintering, was confirmed through viral circulation in mosquitoes and birds, as well as for USUV. In 2010, circulation of the two viruses was lower and more delayed than in 2009, but this decrease was not explained by the relative abundance of Cx. pipiens mosquito, which was greater in 2010. The USUV detection in mosquito species confirms the role of Cx. pipiens as the main vector and the possible involvement of Ae. albopictus in the virus cycle. The effects of meteorological conditions on the presence of USUV-positive mosquito pools were considered finding an association with drought conditions and a wide temperature range. The output produced by the surveillance system demonstrated its usefulness and reliability in terms of planning public health policies.PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(5):e38058. · 4.09 Impact Factor -
Article: Impact of Chikungunya virus on Aedes albopictus females and possibility of vertical transmission using the actors of the 2007 outbreak in Italy.
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ABSTRACT: We investigated the impact of CHIKV strains on some Aedes albopictus (Skuse) reproductive parameters and the possibility of vertical transmission. Two strains were collected in the area where the epidemic occurred in 2007, one isolated from mosquitoes, the other one isolated from a viraemic patient. Different types of blood meals, either infected or non-infected, were offered to Ae. albopictus females, that were then analyzed at increasing time post infection. The virus titre, measured by two RT-PCR methods in the blood meals, influenced the rate of infection and the rate of dissemination of CHIKV in Ae. albopictus body. We found individual variability with respect to the infection/dissemination rates and their latency both considering the female's body and appendages. The hatching rate was significantly lower for the eggs laid by the infected females than for the control eggs, while the mortality during the larval development (from first instar larva to adult emergence) was similar among the progeny of infected and non-infected female groups. Our findings seem to support the hypothesis that the vertical transmission is a rare event under our conditions, and that a certain time period is required in order to get the ovarioles infected. Field observations conducted during the Spring 2008 showed no evidence of the presence of infected overwintering progeny produced by Ae. albopictus females infected during the 2007 outbreak.PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(2):e28360. · 4.09 Impact Factor -
Thesis: Systematic literature review on the occurrence of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in the EU and Mediterranean Basin -External Scientific Report -EFSA
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ABSTRACT: A systematic literature review (SR) was carried out to review the occurrence of tick-borne pathogens and tick species with proven involvement in the transmission of pathogens in Europe and the Mediterranean basin. The SR was carried out between 22/06/2011 and 23/02/2012. The report describes all the steps carried out in the SR, namely, the method proposed for searching research studies and data sources used for this purpose; the criteria chosen for selecting relevant and eligible studies and the obtained results from the data extraction of the eligible papers. Furthermore, an evaluation of the methodological quality of the eligible studies was performed. A total of 2246 publications were submitted to a first screening for their relevance on title and abstract. The used relevance criteria for the first relevance screening were the questions if the papers concerned the occurrence of tick species or a tick-borne pathogen in the considered area; the role as vector of a tick species; geographic information on distribution of the tick species or the tick-borne pathogen and if the paper concerned the article a primary study. Subsequently, a total of 1166 papers that were considered relevant, were subject to a second screening eligibility on the full text, using the following criteria: the article specify a specific geographic location (e.g. geographic coordinates, name of municipality or nuts 1, 2 or 3 levels). The second screening of relevance was made on 940 papers using the following criteria: the paper does not refer to an imported tick or pathogen; the paper report data on residence of human patient; the tick or pathogen identification is unequivocal and appropriate. Consequently, data were extracted from a total of 530 publications. The review describes a total of 108 host species, including mammals, birds and reptiles in which tick borne pathogens were detected. The geographic occurrence in 43 countries of 82 different tick borne pathogens was reported, as well as the occurrence of 46 different tick species in the EU and Mediterranean basin. In addition, information on geographic distribution of tick and pathogen is given. -
Article: Detection of Usutu virus within a West Nile virus surveillance program in Northern Italy.
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ABSTRACT: Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis serocomplex, recently related to neurological disease in immunosuppressed patients. In the same area of Northern Italy where USUV human cases occurred in 2009, a regional West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance program based on mosquito monitoring and wild birds screening has been implemented since 2008. Mosquito pools and wild birds were tested using three different polymerase chain reactions (Flavivirus, WNV, and USUV). During summer 2009, 56 pools (54 consisting of Culex pipiens and 2 of Aedes albopictus) and 27 pools (Cx. pipiens) out of 1789 mosquito pools were, respectively, USUV and WNV positive. Moreover, out of 1218 wild birds tested, 44 were WNV positive, whereas only 11 birds were USUV positive by polymerase chain reaction. Data collected during 2009 prove a cocirculation of USUV and WNV in Northern Italy, but these two viruses show different incidence values in both mosquitoes and birds, suggesting involvement of different animals (other bird species or mammals) in their natural cycles. The cocirculation of WNV and USUV poses a new potential threat to human health in this area. The extent of WNV surveillance to other Flaviviruses will require new diagnostic procedures able to process a large number of samples in a limited period of time and highlights the importance of developing more specific serological tests that could be used in field.Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.) 05/2011; 11(5):551-7. · 2.61 Impact Factor -
Article: Arboviral survey of mosquitoes in two northern Italian regions in 2007 and 2008.
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ABSTRACT: Recently, Italy-particularly the Emilia-Romagna region-was the location of consecutive outbreaks of human diseases caused by the arboviruses chikungunya virus and West Nile virus. The two outbreaks, spread by different species of mosquitoes, were not related, but pointed out the lack of an arboviral surveillance program in this region. Beginning in 2007 entomological surveillance was initiated in the Emilia-Romagna region, and in 2008 the program was improved and extended at Lombardia region. Using CO(2)-baited traps, 65,292 mosquitoes were collected; pooled by date of collection, location, and species; macerated manually; and tested by reverse transcription (RT)-polymerase chain reaction for the presence of alphaviruses, orthobunyaviruses, and flaviviruses. Amplicons were sequenced and employed for identification of viral RNA by basic local alignment search tool search in GenBank. Results of these assays showed (1) the presence of West Nile virus in two pools of Culex pipiens mosquitoes, (2) the presence of RNA of two orthobunyaviruses, Tahyna virus in a pool of Ochlerotatus caspius mosquitoes and Batai virus in a pool of Anopheles maculipennis mosquitoes, and (3) the presence of flavivirus RNAs in pools of Oc. caspius, Aedes albopictus, and Aedes vexans mosquitoes; the sequences of these amplicons were most closely related to flaviviruses that have been detected only in mosquitoes and had no recognized vertebrate host (Aedes flavivirus, Culex flavivirus, and Kamiti River virus).Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.) 04/2010; 10(9):875-84. · 2.61 Impact Factor -
Article: Evidence of simultaneous circulation of West Nile and Usutu viruses in mosquitoes sampled in Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) in 2009.
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ABSTRACT: In recent years human diseases due to mosquito-borne viruses were increasingly reported in Emilia-Romagna region (Italy), from the chikungunya virus in 2007 to the West Nile virus (WNV) in 2008. An extensive entomological survey was performed in 2009 to establish the presence and distribution of mosquito arboviruses in this region, with particular reference to flaviviruses. From May 6 to October 31, a total of 190,516 mosquitoes were sampled in georeferenced stations, grouped in 1,789 pools according date of collection, location, and species, and analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect the presence of RNA belong to Flavivirus genus. WNV was detected in 27 mosquito pools, producing sequences similar to those of birds and human strains obtained in 2008 outbreak, pointed out the probable virus overwintering. Isolation of WNV was achieved from one of these pools. Moreover 56 pools of mosquitoes tested positive for Usutu virus (USUV). Most PCR positive pools consisted of Culex pipiens, which also was the most analyzed mosquito species (81.4% of specimens); interestingly, USUV RNA was also found in two Aedes albopictus mosquito pools. Simultaneous circulation of WNV and USUV in the survey area was highlighted by occurrence of 8 mosquito WNV- and USUV-positive pools and by the overlaying of the viruses "hot spots", obtained by kernel density estimation (KDE) analysis. Land use of sampled stations pointed out a higher proportion of WNV-positive Cx. pipiens pool in rural environments respect the provenience of total sampled pool, while the USUV-positive pools were uniformly captured in the different environments. Obtained data highlighting the possible role of Cx. pipiens mosquito as the main vector for WNV and USUV in Northern Italy, and the possible involvement of Ae. albopictus mosquito in USUV cycle. The described mosquito-based surveillance could constitute the foundation for a public health alert system targeting mosquito borne arboviruses.PLoS ONE 01/2010; 5(12):e14324. · 4.09 Impact Factor -
Conference Proceeding: Testing the vertical transmission of chikungunya virus in Aedes albopictus using the actors of the 2007 outbreak in Italy
6th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health, Verona, Italy; 09/2009 -
Article: Chikungunya virus in Aedes albopictus, Italy.
Emerging Infectious Diseases 06/2008; 14(5):852-4. · 6.79 Impact Factor -
Article: Presence of PRRSV in wild boar in Italy.
The Veterinary record 02/2006; 158(3):107-8. · 1.25 Impact Factor
Top co-authors
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Institutions
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2010–2013
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Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna
Brescia, Lombardy, Italy
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2012
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Centro Agricoltura Ambiente “Giorgio Nicoli”
Crevalcore, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
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