Federico Morandi

National Park of Monti Sibillini, Italy · Ufficio sviluppo sostenibile

Abstract: The livestock sector is facing serious challenges in combatting the increasing predation of domestic livestock. In this scenario, wild carnivores, especially wolves, represent key predators. To allow the coexistence of wild and domestic animals, defense methodologies consisting of multiple integrated antipredator strategies must be tested...

Tapeworms are trophically-transmitted and multi-host parasites with a complex indirect life cycle, strictly depending on predator-prey interactions. Their presence in a free-living population, mainly definitive hosts, is arduous to study due to the complexity of collecting fecal samples. However, epidemiological studies on their frequency are cruci...

This work describes the monitoring and conservation activities of the Amphibians in the Sibillini National Park carried out in the two-year period 2018-2019 are described. These activities allowed to increase the knowledge on the distribution of Amphibians in the Park and to update the related checklist with the inclusion of the Italian newt (Lisso...

High-elevation ephemeral waters are sentinels of climate change, as they quickly respond to decreasing precipitation levels and increasing air temperatures. Fairy shrimps are among the most threatened invertebrates in ephemeral waters, as they are extremely vulnerable to habitat loss. Chirocephalus sibyllae is a fairy shrimp endemic to the Palazzo...

Taeniids are multi-host parasites with an indirect life cycle that strictly depends on a predator-prey relationship. Parasites with a complex life cycle may exhibit different degrees of host-specificity at each life stage. Knowing the host breadth is a fundamental concept of the biology and epidemiology of these multi-host parasites. Morphological...

Taeniids are multi-host parasites with an indirect life cycle that strictly depends on a predator-prey relationship. Parasites with a complex life cycle may exhibit different degrees of host-specificity at each life stage. Knowing the host breadth is a fundamental concept of the biology and epidemiology of these multi-host parasites. Morphological...

Vengono illustrate le attività di monitoraggio e conservazione degli Anfibi svolte nel Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini durante il biennio 2018-2019. Le attività condotte hanno permesso di incrementare le conoscenze sulla distribuzione degli Anfibi nel Parco e aggiornare la relativa checklist con l'inserimento del tritone italiano (Lissotriton i...

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of Chlamydia suis and tetracycline resistance determinants in conjunctival swabs of Italian wild boars, by PCR. Extracted DNA collected from 50 wild boars from Northern and Central Italy was examined by molecular methods. One sample (2%) from the Central Italy was positive for C. suis. Fragmen...

Chirocephalus marchesonii is a fairy shrimp endemic to the Pilato Lake, a small temporary high-elevation lake (1948 m a.s.l.) located in the Central Apennines (Italy). The species is of particular conservation interest, since it has limited thermal tolerance, low dispersal capacity and is represented by a single population with a very restricted ra...

Neoplastic diseases are rarely described in wild carnivores; only a few reports have been published on this topic. Here, we describe the histological and immunohistochemical features of a haemangioma in the spleen of a grey wolf (Canis lupus lupus) and we compare the results with the dog (Canis lupus familiaris). Additionally, we list the different...

The Apennine chamois (Rupicapra cf pyrenaica) is a very endangered mountain mammal surviving in small and scattered populations in central Italy. Despite its recent reintroduction in different Apennine massifs and a census size of ca. 1000 individuals, genetic variability is the lowest among bottlenecked mammals. The analysis of ancient DNA sequenc...

Tuberculosis in wild boar is caused by several species of Micobacteria. Within this Genera the infection caused by Mycobacterium bovis is mostly considerable because relevant for zoonosis and animal health. In Marche Region (IT), tuberculosis is documented since year 2002; a single genotype (SB0120; VNTR 33533) is shared by cattle and wild boar, in...

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is one of the most commonly virus implicated in outbreaks in wild and domestic carnivores. CDV causes severe systemic diseases which normally involves the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. To our knowledge the literature about the real incidence of such disease is scarce, particularly in wild animals po...

The aims of the present study were to assess the prevalence of Chlamydia suis in an Italian pig herd, determine the tetracycline susceptibility of C. suis isolates, and evaluate tet(C) and tetR(C) gene expression. Conjunctival swabs from 20 pigs were tested for C. suis by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and 55% (11) were positive. C. suis was...

Hepatitis E is an acute human disease caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV). In addition to humans, HEV has been detected in several animal species and is recognized as a zoonotic pathogen. Pigs, wild boar and deer can be reservoir. In this study, we evaluated HEV prevalence in a free-living red deer (Cervus elaphus) population in central Italy by...

Nell’uomo, l’epatite E è una malattia con caratteristiche tipicamente di epatite acuta con scarse probabilità di cronicizzazione. L’agente eziologico (HEV) è un virus a RNA, classificato nel genere Hepevirus. Nei mammiferi si distinguono almeno 4 diversi genotipi di HEV: 1 e 2 infettano solo l’uomo, 3 e 4 hanno caratteristiche zoonotiche e infettan...

Spirocerca lupi is a nematode that localises in the oesophageal and gastric wall of Canidae and other carnivores. It is found worldwide, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. The lifecycle of S lupi involves intermediate (coprophagous beetles) and paratenic hosts (poultry, wild birds, lizards, rodents, hedgehogs and rabbits), infected wit...

L’esemplare di Volpe rossa, maschio giovane adulto, in buono stato di nutrizione, è stato ritrovato morto in un’area isolata del Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini a ca. 1200m slm (N 47°56’32’’-E13°11’54’’). La causa della morte è stata attribuita all’emorragia acuta causata dalla rottura di un aneurisma aortico di origine parassitaria. L’animale...

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a common pathogen of cats that is particularly widespread in multi-cat environments such as shelters and catteries. FCV infections are usually associated with acute, mild and self-limiting upper respiratory tract disease characterized by oral vesicles/ulcers. Recently, virulent systemic disease (VSD) associated with FCV...

Trichinellosis is one of the most studied zoonosis and its causative agent Trichinella spp. is world wide distributed. Many reservoirs are reported for each species in different countries. In the studied Area, T.britovi and T.pseudospiralis are described, but only T.britovi in carnivores. we present the Dataset of Trichinella Surveillance in wildli...

Background Since 1999, field evidence of transplacental infection by porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and reproductive failure has been reported in pigs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical and pathological consequences of PCV2 infection in conventional PCV2-seropositive gilts by insemination with PCV2b-spiked semen. Results S...

Histological and morphometric techniques were employed in juvenile Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) livers to evaluate diet‐related adaptive changes and to establish how an integrated morphofunctional approach could improve the understanding of rearing strategies. Four isoenergetic diets with variable protein/lipid content (44/22, 49/20, 54/18...

Chlamydiae are obligate, intracellular, gram-negative bacteria that are responsible for important diseases in humans, other mammals, and birds. Studies have shown that chlamydiae could be present in wild ruminants, but the serodiagnostic method most commonly used did not allow identification of chlamydial species. We determined the prevalence of an...

Adiaspiromycosis is primarily a necrotizing granulomatous pneumonia caused by a dimorphic fungus of the genus Emmonsia. A young crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) found dead showed multiple fractures, chronic pleuritis, and granulomatous pneumonia. Microscopically, cystic structures were consistent with adiaspiromycosis by Emmonsia crescens. The...

Cu is a transition metal essential for every organism, but an excess can lead to toxicity caused by oxidative stress, which can disturb the natural antioxidant defence systems. Since catalase (CAT) is a major enzyme involved in the decomposition of oxygen peroxide, the main goal of this study was to evaluate changes in the concentration and activit...

Superficial inguinal lymph nodes from 72 wild boars examined in a previous immunohistochemical (IHC) study on porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) were selected for a PCV2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Four of these lymph nodes were PCV2-IHC strongly positive with PMWS histological lesions (outcome 1), 6 weak to mild PCV2-IHC positive witho...

Onchocercosis is a vector-transmitted parasitic disease involving wild and domestic ungulates, humans, and dogs. Red deer (Cervus elaphus) host numerous Onchocerca spp. which have precise anatomic sites in the host and two species, Onchocerca flexuosa Wedl, 1856 and Onchocerca jakutensis Guba-now, 1964, are found inside subcutaneous nodules. Betwee...

http://www.cabi.org/cabdirect/FullTextPDF/2011/20113292214.pdf A 13-month-old male Yorkshire terrier from Modena (Northern Italy) was submitted to physical examination because of coughing, diarrhea and progressive weight loss, which worsened in the last week of life. Depression and dyspnea were noted on clinical examination. Radiography of the tho...

We used serology to estimate the prevalence of exposure to chlamydiae in Italian populations of wild boars (Sus scrofa). Sera from 173 hunter-killed wild boars harvested during the 2006-2009 hunting seasons in three Italian regions were tested for antibodies to Chlamydia suis, Chlamydophila pecorum, Chlamydophila abortus, and Chlamydophila psittaci...

Bovine Besnoitiosis, a parasitic disease endemic in many in African countries, is caused by the protozoan Besnoitia besnoiti (Apicomplexa, Sarcocystidae). The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA, 2010) considers Besnoitiosis an emerging disease. First Italian cases were diagnosed in 1993 in imported animals, but in 2009-2010 the disease was descri...

Bovine Besnoitiosis, a parasitic disease endemic in many in African countries, is caused by the protozoan Besnoitia besnoiti (Apicomplexa, Sarcocystidae). The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA, 2010) considers Besnoitiosis an emerging disease. First Italian cases were diagnosed in 1993 in imported animals, but in 2009-2010 the disease was descri...

Wild boar (Sus scrofa ssp scrofa) is a host of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2), and infection in this species has been reported in many countries. This study sampled tissues from 348 wild boars in Italy in the provinces of Bologna, Padua and Pisa. No clinical signs or macroscopic lesions were recorded in the sampled animals. Immunolocalisation for PCV...

Wild boar (Sus scrofa ssp scrofa) is a host of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2), and infection in this species has been reported in many countries. Three hundreds fourty-eight wild boar were sampled in the provinces of Bologna, Padua and Pisa (Italy). Viral PCV2 antigen was disclosed in 38 animals, 11 immunohistochemistry (IHC) positive out of 148 (7.4...

Twenty-two free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus), 9 males and 13 females (7 months to 13 years old), were captured in October-November 2006 and December 2007, along the Apenninic ridge (44°06’N, 11°00’E) between the Pistoia (Tuscany) and Bologna (Emilia-Romagna) provinces, as part of a reintroduction project in Gran Sasso and Laga’s Mountains Nati...

Proliferative and necrotizing pneumonia (PNP) is a form of interstitial pneumonia that occurs in weaning and post-weaning pigs. PNP is characterized by hypertrophy and hyperplasia of type II pneumocytes and coagulative necrosis and granular debris within alveolar spaces. Canadian and European studies suggest that the porcine reproductive and respir...

Samples of superficial inguinal and bronchial lymph nodes, ileum, tonsil and lung were taken from three to five pigs on each of 61 farms with a clinical history of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). The samples were examined histologically and by immunohistochemistry for porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2). PMWS was diagnosed in two s...

Squamous cell carcinoma of the mammary gland is rare in both veterinary and human medicine. Whereas human metaplastic and squamous variants are known, the objectives of the current study were to ascertain the presence of such entities in canine mammary tumors and to distinguish them from other (epidermal, sweat gland) squamous tumors that may devel...

Haemangiopericytoma is a soft tissue sarcoma believed to originate from pericytes. These tumours are commonly located on the skin and subcutaneous tissue of dogs and are most commonly found on the limbs. To the authors' knowledge, primary lung haemangiopericytomas have not been previously described in dogs. This case report describes the diagnostic...

Proliferative enteropathy (PE) is a common intestinal disease of pigs caused by Lawsonia intracellularis, an obligate intracellular bacterium. The disease includes a group of acute and chronic conditions with a common pathological change characterized by a thickening of the mucosa in the small intestine and colon. Histologically the affected tissue...

From the beginning of October 2006 to January 31st 2008, in the context of a work sponsored by Merial Italia, a diagnostic pathway has been developed for the study of post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) of pigs. Superficial inguinal and bronchial lymph nodes, ileum, tonsil and lung from 3 to 5 subjects (229 pigs belonging to 64 farms...

Aortic occlusion is a rare vascular disorder in the dog. This report describes the clinical feature of an aged Boxer with complete occlusion of the abdominal aorta caused by an intraluminal thrombus. Angiography evidenced a collateral circulation, represented by the internal thoracic artery, the cranial epigastric artery and the caudal epigastric a...

Hunter-killed red deer (n = 68; Cervus elaphus) harvested from the Italian provinces of Bologna (Emilia Romagna) and Pistoia (Tuscany) (44 degrees 00'N 11 degrees 00'E) from October 2001 to January 2002 were examined for protostrongylid larvae. Twenty-eight animals (41%) had protostrongylid larvae in feces, lungs, and inguinal and iliac lymph nodes...

In the cat only 10 cases of mesothelioma, mainly of the peritoneum, have been previously reported. This paper describes a further 10 cases, eight pleural and two peritoneal, in males and females aged 1-17 years. Histologically, five tumours were epithelial, three fibrosarcomatous and two biphasic. Immunohistochemical markers used in human pathology...

Deciduoid mesothelioma is a rare variant of epithelial mesothelioma, up to now only described in human pathology, which bears remarkable cytomorphologic resemblance to the endometrium of pregnancy, termed decidua. A case of peritoneal mesothelioma with deciduoid features in a 10-year-old, female dog is reported. Multiple whitish-gray nodules (1-5 m...

A free-living mouflon (Ovis musimon) was presented with a mass on the left shoulder. At necropsy, multifocal, slightly protruding whitish spots were noted on the kidneys, and several lymph nodes were abnormal. Histologically, the mass was composed of epithelial cells arranged in tubular and tubulopapillary structures. The cytoplasm of the epithelia...

Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) and immunohistochemistry were used to detect Mycobacteria in histological sections of internal organs from sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) intraperitoneally inoculated with Mycobacterium fortuitum. Both methods allowed for detection of advanced lesions caused by Mycobacteria, but immunohistochemistry allowed for their detection i...

Introduction PCV2 plays a key role in the pathogenesis of a series of swine diseases grouped as PCV2-diseases (PCVD) (1). In 1998 (2), PCV2 was initially detected in Canada in aborted and stillborn foetuses. Subsequent investigations in other countries exploring natural and experimental disease have tried to define the role of PCV2 in reproductive...