Mammalian orthoreoviruses (MRVs) are emerging infectious agents that may affect wild animals. MRVs are usually associated with asymptomatic or mild respiratory and enteric infections. However, severe clinical manifestations have been occasionally reported in human and animal hosts. An insight into their circulation is essential to minimize the risk of diffusion to farmed animals and possibly to humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of likely zoonotic MRVs in wild ungulates. Liver samples were collected from wild boar, red deer, roe deer, and chamois. Samples originated from two areas (Sondrio and Parma provinces) in Northern Italy with different environmental characteristics. MRV detection was carried out by PCR; confirmation by sequencing and typing for MRV type 3, which has been frequently associated with disease in pigs, were carried out for positive samples. MRV prevalence was as high as 45.3% in wild boars and 40.6% in red deer in the Sondrio area, with lower prevalence in the Parma area (15.4% in wild boars). Our findings shed light on MRV occurrence and distribution in some wild species and posed the issue of their possible role as reservoir.

Torque teno sus virus (TTSuV) is a non-enveloped circular ssDNA virus which frequently infects swine and has been associated with hepatic, respiratory, and autoimmune disorders. TTSuV’s pathogenic role is still uncertain, and clear data in the literature on virus reservoirs are lacking. The aims of this study were to investigate the presence of potentially zoonotic TTSuV in wild animals in Northern Italy and to evaluate their role as reservoirs. Liver samples were collected between 2016 and 2020 during four hunting seasons from wild boars (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra). Samples originated from areas in Northern Italy characterized by different traits, i.e., mountains and flatland with, respectively low and high farm density and anthropization. Viral identification was carried out by end-point PCR with specific primers for TTSuV1a and TTSuVk2a species. TTSuV prevalence in wild boars was higher in the mountains than in the flatland (prevalence of 6.2% and 2.3%, respectively). In wild ruminants only TTSuVk2a was detected (with a prevalence of 9.4%). Our findings shed light on the occurrence and distribution of TTSuV in some wild animal species, investigating their possible role as reservoirs.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a significant public health issue, especially among adolescents and young adults. Despite improvements in diagnostic tools and treatments, over 1 million new STIs occur daily worldwide, many of which are asymptomatic. These infections can severely affect quality of life and reproductive health, particularly when contracted at a young age. This review provides an overview of STIs’ recent epidemiology data, clinical trends, and diagnostic challenges in Italian adolescents and young adults, focusing on the Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, Thricomonas vaginalis, and Mycoplasma/Ureaplasma species. Worrying new evidence indicates that young women are at a higher risk of contracting STIs than men and multidrug-resistant strains have increased in young heterosexuals. This evidence shows a general change in lifestyle, where a lack of awareness about the risks of STI reflects a significant educational gap. To address the rising STI rates, targeted school educational interventions and innovative multidisciplinary healthcare models, such as the hub-and-spoke approach, are needed.

Norovirus (NoV) is an enteric virus with foodborne transmission. Bivalve shellfish are a main source of infections and outbreaks. In Italy a voluntary based monitoring plan to check the safety of bivalve shellfish was set up at provincial level. This study describes the occurrence and distribution of NoV in the Northern Adriatic Sea and in the Ligurian Sea. From October 2018 to September 2020, 807 bivalve shellfish samples (n = 205 oysters, n = 182 mussels, n = 348 clams, n = 72 other bivalve shellfish) were tested by One-Step Retrotranscription Real-time polymerase chain reaction for NoV GI and GII and quantified according to the ISO 15216-2:2013 and ISO 15216-1:2017. Positive samples were further analyzed to determine genotype by sequencing of the ORF1/ORF2 junction of the viral genome. A total of 126 samples were positive for NoV, mussels, and oysters had the highest probability of being positive and positive samples were found mainly in the colder season. Of these samples, 46% were NoV GII, 13% NoV GI, and 40% carried both genogroups. Thirty-seven samples were typeable (GI n = 12 and GII n = 25) with GI samples belonging to four genotypes and GII samples belonging to five genotypes. GII.3 genotype was the most prevalent, followed by GII.4, particularly Sydney 2012 subtype, a leading cause of infections worldwide, was found in three oysters' and three clams' samples. The phylogenetic analysis revealed a high heterogeneity among the species that are scattered in several clusters. Considering the low infectious dose the overall presence of NoV in edible shellfish, particular those to be eaten raw or undercooked, is moderately high. The presence of genotypes frequently involved in human infections strengthens the need for ongoing monitoring, which should be extended at national level.

Wastewater-based environmental surveillance enables the monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 dynamics within populations, offering critical epidemiological insights. Numerous workflows for tracking SARS-CoV-2 have been developed globally, underscoring the need for interlaboratory comparisons to ensure data consistency and comparability. An inter-calibration test was conducted among laboratories within the network monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples across the Lombardy region (Italy). The test aimed to evaluate data reliability and identify potential sources of variability using robust statistical approaches. Three wastewater samples were analyzed in parallel by four laboratories using identical pre-analytical (PEG-8000-based centrifugation) and analytical processes (qPCR targeting N1/N3 and Orf-1ab). A two-way ANOVA framework within Generalized Linear Models was applied, and multiple pairwise comparisons among laboratories were performed using the Bonferroni post hoc test. The statistical analysis revealed that the primary source of variability in the results was associated with the analytical phase. This variability was likely influenced by differences in the standard curves used by the laboratories to quantify SARS-CoV-2 concentrations, as well as the size of the wastewater treatment plants. The findings of this study highlight the importance of interlaboratory testing in verifying the consistency of analytical determinations and in identifying the key sources of variation.