Systematic wildlife surveillance is important to aid the prevention of zoonotic infections that jeopardize human health and undermine biodiversity. Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic zoonotic protozoan that can infect all endothermic vertebrates, causing severe disease in immunocompromised humans and cases of congenital transmission. Humans can be infected by ingestion of raw meat containing bradyzoites or water contaminated by oocysts. In our study, we assessed the potential circulation of Toxoplasma gondii in wild mammals by performing surveillance in the Campania region (southern Italy) and surveyed its presence from 2020 to 2022 within the framework of the Regional Plans for Wildlife Surveillance. In detail, 211 individuals belonging to five wild mammals (wolf, fox, wild boar, badger, and roe deer) underwent necropsy and the organs were analyzed by real-time PCR for the detection of the parasite. Toxoplasma gondii was found in 21.8% (46/211) of the subjects examined. No statistically significant differences were noticed between the prevalence and the host’s trophic level or age, rejecting the hypotheses that Toxoplasma gondii will have a higher prevalence in top predators and adult individuals, respectively. Our work emphasized the high circulation of Toxoplasma gondii in wildlife and remarked on the critical role of anthropized areas where domestic cats and wildlife may come into contact, urging a systematic surveillance.

Indirect transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been investigated but it is still not completely understood. The present study aimed to compare the persistence and viability of the lineage B.1 and omicron BA.1 subvariant in five daily-use materials to evaluate the role of fomites as a possible source of infection. Artificial contamination was performed in the first set of materials, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), cardboard, polystyrene, aluminium, and plastic. Further surfaces using BA.1 (glass, plexiglass, cotton, polyester, and tetrapak) were conducted. The persistence, viability of Vero E6 cell cultures and the residual infectivity of the two lineages were evaluated over 5 days. The results showed different stabilities between the tested matrices. In cotton and polyester, the RNA was undetectable in 24 and 48h post-contamination (p.c.), respectively, and the virus was not viable within 30 min, while in the other surfaces, both lineages, RNA was detectable until 120h p.c. A rapid decay of the viral load was revealed on cardboard, mostly for the omicron variant. Furthermore, on all the materials, longer stability of BA.1 was demonstrated, but showing a less intense CPE than the wild-type. EVA was the material that was able to better sustain virus stability as the virus developed CPE up to 72h p.c. In conclusion, the potential spread of SARS-CoV-2 through fomites is conceivable, albeit it is difficult to establish the real capacity to infect people. Nevertheless, thise information is fundamental to adopting the appropriate measures to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.

Climate changes and human-related activities are identified as major factors responsible for the increasing distribution and abundance of vectors worldwide and, consequently, of vector-borne diseases (VBDs). Farmed animals, during grazing or in establishments with the absence of biosecurity measures, can easily be exposed to wildlife showing high-risk of contagion of several infectious diseases, including VBDs. Furthermore, livestock represents an interface between wildlife and humans, and thus, promoting the transmission pathway of VBDs. Little is known about the presence and prevalence of VBDs in livestock in Southern Italy; therefore, the present study evaluated the circulation of zoonotic VBDs in livestock and potential risk of exposure. A total of 621 whole blood samples belonging to cattle and buffaloes (n = 345) and small ruminants (n = 276) were examined by molecular examinations for the detection of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs). High prevalence (66.3%) for at least one agent was observed. Moreover, the risk of exposure related to environmental features was assessed, as follows: presence of humid areas, high-density of animals, and sample collection during May. These results show a high circulation of TBPs among livestock and underline the need for surveillance in high-risk habitats for public health.

Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread protozoon that can infect both animals and humans. The main route of human infection is the consumption of the raw or undercooked meat of several animal species, including pigs. Although T. gondii represents a public health concern, control during slaughter is not mandatory, leading to a lack of information on the impact on human contagion as well as poor data availability in domestic animals intended for human consumption. We studied the presence of T. gondii in home-reared pigs, an unconventional type of farming subjected to stringent breeding conditions dictated by Italian regulation. Thus, the diaphragms, livers and masseter muscles from 480 pigs in Napoli Province (Italy) were analyzed using real-time PCR and digital droplet PCR. The results showed four matrices that tested positive for T. gondii with very low protozoan loads (0.62%), belonging to three different animals. The low density of the animals (the maximum was four animals per farm) and the biosafety farming features decisively contributed to the bioexclusion of this pathogen. Comparing these results to intensive and extensive farm data, lower exposure to the parasite was revealed, suggesting that this farming method might mitigate the risk of human exposure through meat consumption.

We investigated the occurrence of eight potential zoonotic viruses in 91 exotic companion mammals from pet shops in southern Italy via real-time PCR and end-point PCR. The animals were screened for aichivirus, sapovirus, astrovirus, hepatitis A, noroviruses (GI and GII), rotavirus, circovirus, and SARS-CoV-2. Among the nine species of exotic pets studied, only one rat tested positive for aichivirus. The high sequence similarity to a murine kobuvirus-1 strain previously identified in China suggests that the virus may have been introduced into Italy through the importation of animals from Asia. Since exotic companion mammals live in close contact with humans, continuous sanitary monitoring is crucial to prevent the spread of new pathogens among domestic animals and humans. Further investigations on detecting and typing zoonotic viruses are needed to identify emerging and re-emerging viruses to safeguard public health.