Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) is an emerging tick-borne zoonosis worldwide. As is the case for many tick-borne diseases, the epidemiological cycle is associated to the environmental conditions, including the presence of wild vertebrate reservoir hosts, vectors, climate and vegetation. In this study a total number of 87 spleen samples of wild ruminants carcasses from Central Italy, and 77 Ixodes ricinus collected from the same dead animals were screened for Anaplasma phagocytophilum by using Real Time PCR. A. phagocytophilum DNA was detected in 75%, 66.7% and 54.2% of the spleen samples from red deer (Cervus elaphus), Apennine chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) respectively, whereas it was detected in the 31.2% of I. ricinus. A total of 27 positive samples were characterized by sequencing a portion of the groEL gene. Two A. phagocytophilum lineages could clearly be delineated from the phylogenetic tree. Four sequences from red deer, 2 from I. ricinus and 1 from Apennine chamois clustered into lineage I together with those previously described as virulent genotypes related to HGA. The presence of A. phagocytophilum DNA in the Apennine chamois represents the first report for this Italian endemic subspecies.

Within the genus Trichinella, Trichinella pseudospiralis is the only recognized non-encapsulated species known to infect mammals and birds. In October 2020, larvae recovered from muscle tissues of a wolf (Canis lupus italicus) originating from Molise Region, Central Italy, were molecularly confirmed as those of Trichinella britovi and T. pseudospiralis. This is the first detection of T. pseudospiralis from a wolf. In Italy, this zoonotic nematode was detected in a red fox (Vulpes vulpes), three birds (Strix aluco, Athene noctua, Milvus milvus) and five wild boars (Sus scrofa), and was also identified as the etiological agent of a human outbreak of trichinellosis in 2015. Since T. pseudospiralis is rarely reported from carnivore mammals in comparison to the encapsulated species frequently detected in these hosts, this finding opens the question of the role of carnivores as reservoirs for this parasite.

Rickettsiae have worldwide occurrence and rickettsiosis are widely recognized as emerging infections in several parts of the world. For decades, it was thought that a single pathogenic tick-borne spotted fever group (SFG), Rickettsia, occurred in each continent. Nowadays, thanks to molecular biology, new species of Rickettsia responsible for disease in humans are continuously identified worldwide. In a framework of diagnostic activities of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Gaporale” and considering some reports of suspected human clinical cases of rickettsiosis, a survey on ticks collected form animals and humans was carried out with the aim to identify the Rickettsia species circulating in Abruzzi and Molise regions. A total of 603 ticks, previously identified at species level by morphology, pooled into 178 tick samples, were tested by pan-Rickettsia RealTime PCR. DNA from specimens positive for Rickettsia spp. was then sequenced in order to identify the Rickettsia species involved. The highest infection rate was detected in Dermacentor marginatus followed by Ixodes ricinus. The selected targets for this purpose were OmpA and gltA. Rickettsia slovaca, Rickettsia monacensis, Rickettsia massiliae, Rickettsia conorii, Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Rickettsia helvetica, Rickettsia raoultii, and Rickettsia felis – like organisms were identified in this study. These are the first data available in the literature for the circulation of SFG Rickettsia species in the selected geographical area. Results made evidence of high rate of infection in ticks. All Rickettsia species detected have been previously involved in human infection. The diversity of Rickettsia detected, and tick species collected reflects the biodiversity in term of wildlife and environment of the area. An association between Rickettsia species, ticks, and the relationships with vertebrate host species are discussed. Due to the peculiar eco-biology of each Rickettsia species, the use of diagnostic tools able to identify Rickettsia at the species level is thus recommended in order to assess the risk for humans and to elucidate more precise etiological diagnosis in clinical cases.

In Europe wildlife animals such as the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) are considered the main reservoir for Angiostrongylus vasorum as well as a potential threat for domestic dog infection. Though this parasite is endemic in fox populations, data on A. vasorum infection in wolves (Canis lupus italicus) are still scant, having only recently been described in Northwestern Spain, in Italy, in Croatia and in Slovakia.

Pets have a crucial role in cancer research. Specifically, dogs and cats share the same environment as their owners and thus may serve as sentinels of naturally occurring tumors that are linked to the exposure to environmental hazards. Quantitative comparison of tumor types may reveal unusual cancer frequencies, providing directions for research and generation of hypotheses of cancer causation in a specific area and identification of risk factors. The aim of this study was to describe the data collected by the pathology-based animal cancer registry, managed by Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise (IZSAM), during 10 years of activity (2014–2023) and to assess its potential epidemiological relevance. Frequencies of tumor topography and morphology in dogs and cats were described, analyzed and compared. Proportional morbidity ratios (PMRs) were calculated, taking into consideration some potential risk factors such as species, breed, sex, diet and living environment. The database comprises 5311 tumors (n = 4719 in dogs and n = 592 in cats), with a higher prevalence in females (67.3% in dogs and 61.2% in cats). The mean age at the first diagnosis of tumors was similar between sexes and slightly lower in dogs compared to cats. PMRs highlighted certain risk and “protective” factors for the development of tumors in specific topography. The risk of developing tumors of the blood and hematopoietic system (PMR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.21–0.94), skin and subcutaneous tissues (PMR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.61–0.80), oral cavity and pharynx (PMR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.24–0.89), urinary organs (PMR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.11–0.99) and bones, joints and cartilage (PMR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.22–0.98) was lower in non-neutered male dogs than in neutered male dogs. Non-spayed female dogs had a greater risk of developing tumors of the mammary gland (PMR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.57–1.96), female sexual organs (PMR = 2.12; 95% CI: 1.01–4.36) and respiratory system (PMR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.55–6.74) but less risk for cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue tumors (PMR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.38–0.51) and blood/hematopoietic system tumors (PMR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.26–0.85) compared to spayed female dogs. Compared with mixed breed, purebred dogs had a significantly greater risk of developing mammary gland tumors (PMR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.20–1.54) and lower risk for respiratory (PMR = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.07–0.32), gastrointestinal (PMR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.34–0.94) and oral (PMR = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.36–0.96) neoplasia. Non-neutered male cats had a lower risk of developing skin and subcutaneous tumors (PMR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.50–0.92) compared with neutered cats. The risk of developing skin and subcutaneous tissues tumors was higher for dogs and cats that lived mostly outdoor (PMR dogs = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.10–1.33; PMR cats = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.08–1.47), while dogs that live mainly indoor had a greater risk to develop mammary gland tumors (PMR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.68–0.89). Results described herein highlight the fundamental role of animal cancer registration initiatives. These efforts would contribute to the possibility of conducting multicentric collaborative studies to deepen the knowledge of the epidemiology of tumors in dogs and cats from a comparative perspective, thus fulfilling the One Health approach.

Welfare conditions in shelters, where dogs might be housed for a long period of time, may have a possible correlation with the occurrence of bacterial pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In this study, we assessed the occurrence of AMR in 54 strains of Escherichia coli isolated from dogs housed in 15 Italian shelters and we correlated the resistance patterns to animal welfare. We also aimed to evaluate the presence of specific pathogens with zoonotic potential in sheltered dogs. Thus, nasopharyngeal, rectal, and oral swabs were collected from a group of 20 dogs in each shelter and totaled 758 swabs. We identified 9 Staphylococcus pseudointermedius, 1 Pasteurella multocida, 9 Staphylococcus aureus, 12 Campylobacter spp., 54 Escherichia coli, 2 Salmonella enterica, and 246 Capnocytophaga spp. The antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed for the E. coli isolates using a panel of 14 antibiotics. The highest level of relative AMR was recorded for ampicillin and sulfamethoxazole. The association found between AMR and the levels of animal welfare scores in shelters was evident although not statistically significant. These results support the hypothesis that the good management of shelters can increase the level of animal welfare, thus reducing the use of antibiotics and, as a consequence, the AMR occurrence found in dogs that share their domestic environment with humans.