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Scrapie is a fatal prion disease. It belongs to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), and occurs in sheep and goats. Similarly, to ovine species, the prion protein gene (PRNP) plays a major role in conferring resistance or susceptibility to TSE in goats. This study assesses the variability of PRNP in native and crossed-breed goat populations raised in the Southeast of Tunisia and provides information on the distribution of PRNP haplotypes and genotypes in these goat populations. A total of 116 unrelated goats including 82 native and 34 crossed-breed goats were screened for PRNP polymorphisms using Sanger sequencing. Sequence analysis revealed 10 non-synonymous polymorphisms (G37V, M137I, R139S, I142M, H143R, N146D, R154H, R211Q, Q222K, and S240P), giving rise to 12 haplotypes and 23 genotypes. Moreover, four silent mutations were detected at codons 30, 42, 138, and 179; the former was reported for the first time in goat (nucleotide 60 c→t). Interestingly, the PrP variants associated with resistance (D146 and K222) or with a prolonged incubation time of goat to scrapie (M142, R143, H154, Q211) were absent or detected with low frequencies except for H154 variant, which is present with high frequency (1%, 1%, 4%, 0%, 88%, and 6%, respectively, for native goats, and 0%, 1%, 0%, 1%, 78%, and 1%, respectively, for crossed goats). The analysis of PRNP polymorphisms of goats raised in other regions of the country will be useful in getting a global view of PRNP genetic variability and the feasibility of goat breeding programs in Tunisia.
Samia Kdidi; Mohamed Yahyaoui; Michela Conte; Barbara Chiappini; Mohamed Hammadi; Touhami Khorchani; Gabriele Vaccari. Genetic Variation in the Prion Protein Gene (PRNP) of Two Tunisian Goat Populations. Animals 2021, 11, 1635 .
AMA StyleSamia Kdidi, Mohamed Yahyaoui, Michela Conte, Barbara Chiappini, Mohamed Hammadi, Touhami Khorchani, Gabriele Vaccari. Genetic Variation in the Prion Protein Gene (PRNP) of Two Tunisian Goat Populations. Animals. 2021; 11 (6):1635.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSamia Kdidi; Mohamed Yahyaoui; Michela Conte; Barbara Chiappini; Mohamed Hammadi; Touhami Khorchani; Gabriele Vaccari. 2021. "Genetic Variation in the Prion Protein Gene (PRNP) of Two Tunisian Goat Populations." Animals 11, no. 6: 1635.
Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) causes a mild form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) called nephropathia epidemica (NE), regularly diagnosed in Europe. France represents the western frontier of the expansion of NE in Europe with two distinct areas: an endemic area (north-eastern France) where PUUV circulates in rodent populations, with the detection of many human NE cases, and a non-endemic area (south-western France) where the virus is not detected, with only a few human cases being reported. In this study, we describe the different stages of the isolation of two PUUV strains from two distinct French geographical areas: Ardennes (endemic area) and Loiret (non-endemic area). To isolate PUUV efficiently, we selected wild bank voles (Myodes glareolus, the specific reservoir of PUUV) captured in these areas and that were seronegative for anti-PUUV IgG (ELISA) but showed a non-negligible viral RNA load in their lung tissue (qRT-PCR). With this study design, we were able to cultivate and maintain these two strains in Vero E6 cells and also propagate both strains in immunologically neutral bank voles efficiently and rapidly. High-throughput and Sanger sequencing results provided a better assessment of the impact of isolation methods on viral diversity.
Johann Vulin; Séverine Murri; Sarah Madrières; Maxime Galan; Caroline Tatard; Sylvain Piry; Gabriele Vaccari; Claudia D’Agostino; Nathalie Charbonnel; Guillaume Castel; Philippe Marianneau. Isolation and Genetic Characterization of Puumala Orthohantavirus Strains from France. Pathogens 2021, 10, 349 .
AMA StyleJohann Vulin, Séverine Murri, Sarah Madrières, Maxime Galan, Caroline Tatard, Sylvain Piry, Gabriele Vaccari, Claudia D’Agostino, Nathalie Charbonnel, Guillaume Castel, Philippe Marianneau. Isolation and Genetic Characterization of Puumala Orthohantavirus Strains from France. Pathogens. 2021; 10 (3):349.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohann Vulin; Séverine Murri; Sarah Madrières; Maxime Galan; Caroline Tatard; Sylvain Piry; Gabriele Vaccari; Claudia D’Agostino; Nathalie Charbonnel; Guillaume Castel; Philippe Marianneau. 2021. "Isolation and Genetic Characterization of Puumala Orthohantavirus Strains from France." Pathogens 10, no. 3: 349.
In goats, as in sheep, genotypes of the prion protein gene (PRNP) can influence animals’ susceptibility to scrapie. Since the polymorphic codons in sheep are well known, a genetic selection plan has been implemented in Europe, in order to reduce the prevalence of susceptible genotypes to scrapie. In Italy, no breeding plan for scrapie resistance in goats has been adopted, yet. Likewise, according to the most recent modification of Regulation EU 999/2001 (Regulation EU 772/2020) of the European Commission (EU), based on all the available experimental and in field data, K222, D146 and S146 polymorphisms could be used as scrapie resistance alleles in genetic management both in scrapie outbreaks and in disease prevention. In order to collect data on the variability of PRNP, the present study aimed to analyze the sequence of the PRNP gene in eight Italian local goat populations/breeds reared in central and southern Italy (Bianca Monticellana, Capestrina, Facciuta della Valnerina, Fulva del Lazio, Garganica, Grigia Ciociara, Grigia Molisana, and Teramana), some of which were investigated for the first time; moreover, two cosmopolitan breeds (Alpine and Saanen) were included. Blood samples were collected from 219 goats. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood. DNA was used as template in PCR amplification of the entire PRNP open reading frame (ORF). Purified amplicons have been sequenced and aligned to Capra hircus PRNP. Particularly, the alleles carrying the resistance-related 222 K polymorphism occurred in all populations with a frequency between 2.5% and 12.5%. An additional resistance allele carrying the S146 variant was observed with a frequency of 3.7% only in the Alpine breed. For three of the estimated alleles, we could not establish if the found double polymorphisms in heterozygosis were in phase, due to technical limitations. In this context, in addition to selective culling in scrapie outbreaks according to the European regulation in force, in the future, selection plans could be adopted to deal with scrapie and to control its diffusion, meanwhile paying attention to preserve a high variability of PRNP.
Martina Torricelli; Carla Sebastiani; Marcella Ciullo; Simone Ceccobelli; Barbara Chiappini; Gabriele Vaccari; Antonio Capocefalo; Michela Conte; Samira Giovannini; Emiliano Lasagna; Francesca Sarti; Massimo Biagetti. PRNP Polymorphisms in Eight Local Goat Populations/Breeds from Central and Southern Italy. Animals 2021, 11, 333 .
AMA StyleMartina Torricelli, Carla Sebastiani, Marcella Ciullo, Simone Ceccobelli, Barbara Chiappini, Gabriele Vaccari, Antonio Capocefalo, Michela Conte, Samira Giovannini, Emiliano Lasagna, Francesca Sarti, Massimo Biagetti. PRNP Polymorphisms in Eight Local Goat Populations/Breeds from Central and Southern Italy. Animals. 2021; 11 (2):333.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMartina Torricelli; Carla Sebastiani; Marcella Ciullo; Simone Ceccobelli; Barbara Chiappini; Gabriele Vaccari; Antonio Capocefalo; Michela Conte; Samira Giovannini; Emiliano Lasagna; Francesca Sarti; Massimo Biagetti. 2021. "PRNP Polymorphisms in Eight Local Goat Populations/Breeds from Central and Southern Italy." Animals 11, no. 2: 333.
Background Since its first appearance in December 2019, the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), spread worldwide causing an increasing number of cases and deaths (35,537,491 and 1,042,798, respectively at the time of writing, https://covid19.who.int). Similarly, the number of complete viral genome sequences produced by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), increased exponentially. NGS enables a rapid accumulation of a large number of sequences. However, bioinformatics analyses are critical and require combined approaches for data analysis, which can be challenging for non-bioinformaticians. Results A user-friendly and sequencing platform-independent bioinformatics pipeline, named SARS-CoV-2 RECoVERY (REconstruction of CoronaVirus gEnomes & Rapid analYsis) has been developed to build SARS-CoV-2 complete genomes from raw sequencing reads and to investigate variants. The genomes built by SARS-CoV-2 RECoVERY were compared with those obtained using other software available and revealed comparable or better performances of SARS–CoV2 RECoVERY. Depending on the number of reads, the complete genome reconstruction and variants analysis can be achieved in less than one hour. The pipeline was implemented in the multi-usage open-source Galaxy platform allowing an easy access to the software and providing computational and storage resources to the community. Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 RECoVERY is a piece of software destined to the scientific community working on SARS-CoV-2 phylogeny and molecular characterisation, providing a performant tool for the complete reconstruction and variants’ analysis of the viral genome. Additionally, the simple software interface and the ability to use it through a Galaxy instance without the need to implement computing and storage infrastructures, make SARS-CoV-2 RECoVERY a resource also for virologists with little or no bioinformatics skills. Availability and implementation The pipeline SARS-CoV-2 RECoVERY (REconstruction of COronaVirus gEnomes & Rapid analYsis) is implemented in the Galaxy instance ARIES (https://aries.iss.it).
Luca De Sabato; Gabriele Vaccari; Arnold Knijn; Giovanni Ianiro; Ilaria Di Bartolo; Stefano Morabito. SARS-CoV-2 RECoVERY: a multi-platform open-source bioinformatic pipeline for the automatic construction and analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genomes from NGS sequencing data. 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleLuca De Sabato, Gabriele Vaccari, Arnold Knijn, Giovanni Ianiro, Ilaria Di Bartolo, Stefano Morabito. SARS-CoV-2 RECoVERY: a multi-platform open-source bioinformatic pipeline for the automatic construction and analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genomes from NGS sequencing data. . 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuca De Sabato; Gabriele Vaccari; Arnold Knijn; Giovanni Ianiro; Ilaria Di Bartolo; Stefano Morabito. 2021. "SARS-CoV-2 RECoVERY: a multi-platform open-source bioinformatic pipeline for the automatic construction and analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genomes from NGS sequencing data." , no. : 1.
Due to their need for living cells, viruses have developed adaptive evolutionary strategies to survive and perpetuate in reservoir hosts that play a crucial role in the ecology of emerging pathogens. Pathogenic and potentially pandemic betacoronaviruses arose in humans in 2002 (SARS-CoV, disappeared in July 2003), 2012 (MERS-CoV, still circulating in Middle East areas), and 2019 (SARS-CoV-2, causing the current global pandemic). As universally recognized, bats host ancestors of the above-mentioned zoonotic viruses. However, hedgehogs have been recently identified in Europe and Asia as possible reservoirs of MERS-CoV-like strains classified as Erinaceus coronavirus (EriCoV). To elucidate the evolution and genetics of EriCoVs, NGS (next generation sequencing) and Sanger sequencing were used to examine fecal samples collected in Northern Italy in 2018/2019 from 12 hedgehogs previously found EriCoV-positive by RT-PCR. By sequence analysis, eight complete EriCoV genomes, obtained by NGS, showed a high phylogenetic correlation with EriCoV strains previously reported in Eurasia. Interestingly, eight viral strains presented an additional ORF encoding for the CD200 ortholog located between the genes encoding for the Spike and the ORF3a proteins. The CD200 ortholog sequences were closely similar to the host CD200 protein but varying among EriCoVs. The result, confirmed by Sanger sequencing, demonstrates for the first time that CoVs can acquire host genes potentially involved in the immune-modulatory cascade and possibly enabling the virus to escape the host defence.
Luca De Sabato; Ilaria Di Bartolo; Maria Alessandra De Marco; Ana Moreno; Davide Lelli; Claudia Cotti; Mauro Delogu; Gabriele Vaccari. Can Coronaviruses Steal Genes from the Host as Evidenced in Western European Hedgehogs by EriCoV Genetic Characterization? Viruses 2020, 12, 1471 .
AMA StyleLuca De Sabato, Ilaria Di Bartolo, Maria Alessandra De Marco, Ana Moreno, Davide Lelli, Claudia Cotti, Mauro Delogu, Gabriele Vaccari. Can Coronaviruses Steal Genes from the Host as Evidenced in Western European Hedgehogs by EriCoV Genetic Characterization? Viruses. 2020; 12 (12):1471.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuca De Sabato; Ilaria Di Bartolo; Maria Alessandra De Marco; Ana Moreno; Davide Lelli; Claudia Cotti; Mauro Delogu; Gabriele Vaccari. 2020. "Can Coronaviruses Steal Genes from the Host as Evidenced in Western European Hedgehogs by EriCoV Genetic Characterization?" Viruses 12, no. 12: 1471.
Prion diseases are a group of animal and human neurodegenerative, albeit transmissible diseases. The lack of effective preventive and therapeutic approaches represents a serious problem in their management. This is especially true for those prion diseases of animals which behave like infectious and contagious diseases. In the case of sheep scrapie, the well- known role of variations in the prion protein gene (PRNP) in conferring resistance/susceptibility represents an opportunity which has been exploited to select populations genetically resistant to the disease. The recent description of Camel prion disease (CPrD) in Algeria and Tunisia and the suspicion falling into the category of infectious prion diseases, make urgent to investigate the possible existence of genetic determinants useful for its control. Herein, we investigated PRNP variability in 232 animals from six dromedary populations (Azawad, Hybrid, Naili, Rguibi, Sahraoui, Targui) in Algeria. A Gly69Ser mutation was observed in a single animal of the Targui population and a Gly134Glu polymorphism in the Azawad, Hybrid and Rguibi populations, with a frequency of the 134Glu allele of 2.6%, 7.7% and 7.1%, respectively. Although our work highlights a low variability of Algerian dromedary PRNP, as a possible indication of a recent evolutionary history of CPrD, it offers also evidence of PRNP variants whose role in prion disease resistance/susceptibility deserve to be deepened.
Kaouadji Zoubeyda; Meghelli Imane; Cherifi Youcef; Babelhadj Baaissa; Gaouar S.B. Suheil; Conte Michela; Capocefalo Antonio; Agrimi Umberto; Chiappini Barbara; Vaccari Gabriele. Variability of the prion protein gene (PRNP) in Algerian dromedary populations. Animal Gene 2020, 17-18, 200106 .
AMA StyleKaouadji Zoubeyda, Meghelli Imane, Cherifi Youcef, Babelhadj Baaissa, Gaouar S.B. Suheil, Conte Michela, Capocefalo Antonio, Agrimi Umberto, Chiappini Barbara, Vaccari Gabriele. Variability of the prion protein gene (PRNP) in Algerian dromedary populations. Animal Gene. 2020; 17-18 ():200106.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKaouadji Zoubeyda; Meghelli Imane; Cherifi Youcef; Babelhadj Baaissa; Gaouar S.B. Suheil; Conte Michela; Capocefalo Antonio; Agrimi Umberto; Chiappini Barbara; Vaccari Gabriele. 2020. "Variability of the prion protein gene (PRNP) in Algerian dromedary populations." Animal Gene 17-18, no. : 200106.
Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) causes a mild form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) called nephropathia epidemica (NE), regularly diagnosed in Europe. France represents the western frontier of the expansion of NE in Europe with two distinct areas: an endemic area (north-eastern France) where PUUV circulates in rodent populations, with detection of many human NE cases, and a non-endemic area (south-western France) where the virus is not detected, with only a few human cases being reported. France is thus a relevant country in which to study the factors that influence the evolution of PUUV distribution. In this study, we describe for the first time the isolation of two PUUV strains from two distinct French geographical areas: Ardennes (endemic area) and Loiret (non-endemic area). To isolate PUUV efficiently, we selected wild bank voles (Myodes glareolus, the specific reservoir of PUUV) captured in these areas and that were seronegative for anti-PUUV IgG (ELISA), but showed a non-negligible viral RNA load in their lung tissue (qRT-PCR). With this study design, we were able to cultivate and maintain these two strains in Vero E6 cells and also propagate both strains in immunologically neutral bank voles efficiently and rapidly. Complete coding sequences of the S and M segments were determined by Sanger sequencing from RNA extracted from positive bank voles (naturally and experimentally infected) and from supernatants of Vero E6 cell extracts. For the M segment, nucleotide sequences were 100% identical for both strains. For the S segment, the amino-acid sequences from each strain revealed one mismatch between sequences obtained from tissue and from cell supernatants, revealing distinct “bank vole” and a “cell” molecular profile. High-throughput sequencing confirmed Sanger results, and provided a better assessment of the impact of isolation methods on intra-host viral diversity.
Johann Vulin; Severinne Murri; Sarah Madrières; Maxime Galan; Caroline Tatard; Sylvain Piry; Gabriele Vaccari; Claudia D’Agostino; Nathalie Charbonnel; Guillaume Castel; Philippe Marianneau. First isolation and genetic characterization of Puumala orthohantavirus strains from France. 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleJohann Vulin, Severinne Murri, Sarah Madrières, Maxime Galan, Caroline Tatard, Sylvain Piry, Gabriele Vaccari, Claudia D’Agostino, Nathalie Charbonnel, Guillaume Castel, Philippe Marianneau. First isolation and genetic characterization of Puumala orthohantavirus strains from France. . 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohann Vulin; Severinne Murri; Sarah Madrières; Maxime Galan; Caroline Tatard; Sylvain Piry; Gabriele Vaccari; Claudia D’Agostino; Nathalie Charbonnel; Guillaume Castel; Philippe Marianneau. 2020. "First isolation and genetic characterization of Puumala orthohantavirus strains from France." , no. : 1.
People with some occupational or recreational activities, such as hunters and veterinarians, may have increased risk to be infected by the hepatitis E virus (HEV). The aim of the present study was to establish whether forestry workers could be considered at a higher risk of HEV infection than a control group. One hundred and fifty sera from forestry workers and a control group of 85 sera were analysed by anti-HEV IgG antibodies detection using a commercial ELISA kit. The anti-HEV IgG seroprevalence was 14% for forestry workers and 9.4% for the control group. Comparing the risk of HEV infection in the two groups, there was no difference in the odds ratio. However, the seroprevalence in older subjects was higher in the forestry workers than in the control group. Two sera from forestry workers were also positive for anti-HEV IgM, and, in one of them, HEV-RNA was detected. Our findings showed an increase of seroprevalence with age, which is likely to reflect cumulative exposure to HEV over time. The occupation of forestry workers did not seem to be associated with a higher risk of HEV infection. The study provided new insights into the risk of acquiring HEV in occupational exposure workers with open-air activities.
Marina Monini; Fabio Ostanello; Alessandra Dominicis; Valentina Tagliapietra; Gabriele Vaccari; Annapaola Rizzoli; Claudia M. Trombetta; Emanuele Montomoli; Ilaria Di Bartolo. Seroprevalence of Hepatitis E Virus in Forestry Workers from Trentino-Alto Adige Region (Northern Italy). Pathogens 2020, 9, 568 .
AMA StyleMarina Monini, Fabio Ostanello, Alessandra Dominicis, Valentina Tagliapietra, Gabriele Vaccari, Annapaola Rizzoli, Claudia M. Trombetta, Emanuele Montomoli, Ilaria Di Bartolo. Seroprevalence of Hepatitis E Virus in Forestry Workers from Trentino-Alto Adige Region (Northern Italy). Pathogens. 2020; 9 (7):568.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarina Monini; Fabio Ostanello; Alessandra Dominicis; Valentina Tagliapietra; Gabriele Vaccari; Annapaola Rizzoli; Claudia M. Trombetta; Emanuele Montomoli; Ilaria Di Bartolo. 2020. "Seroprevalence of Hepatitis E Virus in Forestry Workers from Trentino-Alto Adige Region (Northern Italy)." Pathogens 9, no. 7: 568.
Porcine sapelovirus (PSV) belongs to the genus Sapelovirus of the family Picornaviridae. PSV infects pigs asymptomatically, but it can also cause severe neurologic, enteric, and respiratory symptoms or reproductive failure. Sapelovirus infections have been reported worldwide in pigs. The objective of this study was to investigate the presence and the prevalence of PSV in Italian swine farms in animals of different ages to clarify the occurrence of the infection and the genetic characteristics of circulating strains. In the present study, 92 pools of fecal samples, collected from pigs across three farms, were analyzed by Reverse Transcriptase-polymerase Chain Reaction-PCR (RT-PCR). Fecal pools from young growers (63/64) were found positive for Sapelovirus in all farms while detection in sows (4/28) was observed in only one farm. Phylogenetic analyses of the 19 partial capsid protein nucleotide sequences (VP1) (6–7 each farm) enable the classification of the virus sequences into three distinct clades and highlighted the high heterogeneity within one farm. The whole genome sequence obtained from one strain showed the highest correlation with the Italian strain detected in 2015. The study adds novel information about the circulation and heterogeneity of PSV strains in Italy and considering the movement of pigs across Europe would also be informative for other countries.
Eleonora Chelli; Luca De Sabato; Gabriele Vaccari; Fabio Ostanello; Ilaria Di Bartolo. Detection and Characterization of Porcine Sapelovirus in Italian Pig Farms. Animals 2020, 10, 1 .
AMA StyleEleonora Chelli, Luca De Sabato, Gabriele Vaccari, Fabio Ostanello, Ilaria Di Bartolo. Detection and Characterization of Porcine Sapelovirus in Italian Pig Farms. Animals. 2020; 10 (6):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEleonora Chelli; Luca De Sabato; Gabriele Vaccari; Fabio Ostanello; Ilaria Di Bartolo. 2020. "Detection and Characterization of Porcine Sapelovirus in Italian Pig Farms." Animals 10, no. 6: 1.
Most of the newly emerging infections arise from animal reservoirs, frequently represented by wildlife species. Western European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are mammalian hibernators, mainly nocturnal and insectivorous, living in natural open and green spaces as well as artificial, rural and urban, areas. They are generalist predators of macro-invertebrates, but they may also eat meat, bird eggs and on occasion pet food. These ecological and feeding habits, along with their high population densities, notable synanthropic attitudes, frequent contacts with sympatric wild and domestic species, including humans, implicate the possibility of intra- and interspecies interactions accounting for the possible involvement of E. europaeus in the ecology of several potentially emerging pathogens, including coronaviruses. Using PCR-based and virus isolation methods, we found that 58.3% of 24 hedgehogs’ fecal samples were PCR-positive for Erinaceus coronaviruses (EriCoVs). We did not observe any clinical disease related to the EriCoV infection in hedgehogs. However, the high mutation rates characterizing members of the Coronaviridae family and their potential successful interspecies host jumps—as that likely occurred in the Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) emergence—should be considered in the management of hedgehogs admitted to multi-species wildlife rehabilitation centers, recommending their return back to the original recovery areas. The Western European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is one of the four hedgehog species belonging to the genus Erinaceus. Among them, E. amurensis is extant in East Asia’s areas only, whereas E. europaeus, E. roumanicus and E. concolor are mainly found in Europe. E. europaeus is endemically distributed from western to central and southern Europe, including Italy. Western European hedgehogs’ ecological and feeding habits, along with their high population densities, notable synanthropic attitudes, frequent contacts with sympatric wild and domestic species, including humans, implicate the possible involvement of E. europaeus in the ecology of potentially emerging viruses, such as coronaviruses, influenza A and influenza D viruses, canine distemper virus, pestiviruses and Aujeszky’s disease virus. We examined 24 E. europaeus individuals found injured in urban and rural areas of Northern Italy. Of the 24 fecal samples collected and tested for the above-mentioned pathogens by both PCR-based and virus isolation methods, 14 were found PCR-positive for betacoronaviruses belonging to lineage C and related to the known Erinaceus coronaviruses (EriCoVs), as determined by partial sequencing of the virus genome. Our findings suggest that hedgehogs could be considered natural reservoirs of CoVs, and also act as chronic shedding carriers of these potentially emerging RNA viruses.
Mauro Delogu; Claudia Cotti; Davide Lelli; Enrica Sozzi; Tiziana Trogu; Antonio Lavazza; Giacomo Garuti; Maria Rita Castrucci; Gabriele Vaccari; Maria Alessandra De Marco; Ana Moreno. Eco-Virological Preliminary Study of Potentially Emerging Pathogens in Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) Recovered at a Wildlife Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Northern Italy. Animals 2020, 10, 407 .
AMA StyleMauro Delogu, Claudia Cotti, Davide Lelli, Enrica Sozzi, Tiziana Trogu, Antonio Lavazza, Giacomo Garuti, Maria Rita Castrucci, Gabriele Vaccari, Maria Alessandra De Marco, Ana Moreno. Eco-Virological Preliminary Study of Potentially Emerging Pathogens in Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) Recovered at a Wildlife Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Northern Italy. Animals. 2020; 10 (3):407.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Delogu; Claudia Cotti; Davide Lelli; Enrica Sozzi; Tiziana Trogu; Antonio Lavazza; Giacomo Garuti; Maria Rita Castrucci; Gabriele Vaccari; Maria Alessandra De Marco; Ana Moreno. 2020. "Eco-Virological Preliminary Study of Potentially Emerging Pathogens in Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) Recovered at a Wildlife Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Northern Italy." Animals 10, no. 3: 407.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) is the only animal prion which has been recognized as a zoonotic agent so far. The identification of BSE in two goats raised the need to reliably identify BSE in small ruminants. However, our understanding of scrapie strain diversity in small ruminants remains ill-defined, thus limiting the accuracy of BSE surveillance and spreading fear that BSE might lurk unrecognized in goats. We investigated prion strain diversity in a large panel of European goats by a novel experimental approach that, instead of assessing the neuropathological profile after serial transmissions in a single animal model, was based on the direct interaction of prion isolates with several recipient rodent models expressing small ruminants or heterologous prion proteins. The findings show that the biological properties of scrapie isolates display different patterns of geographical distribution in Europe and suggest that goat BSE could be reliably discriminated from a wide range of biologically and geographically diverse goat prion isolates. Finally, most field prion isolates showed composite strain features, with discrete strain components or sub-strains being present in different proportions in individual goats or tissues. This has important implications for understanding the nature and evolution of scrapie strains and their transmissibility to other species, including humans.
Romolo Nonno; Alba Marin-Moreno; Juan Carlos Espinosa; Christine Fast; Lucien Van Keulen; John Spiropoulos; Isabelle Lantier; Olivier Andreoletti; Laura Pirisinu; Michele A. Di Bari; Patricia Aguilar-Calvo; Theodoros Sklaviadis; Penelope Papasavva-Stylianou; Pier Luigi Acutis; Cristina Acin; Alex Bossers; Jorge G. Jacobs; Gabriele Vaccari; Claudia D’Agostino; Barbara Chiappini; Frederic Lantier; Martin H. Groschup; Umberto Agrimi; Juan Maria Torres; Jan P. M. Langeveld. Characterization of goat prions demonstrates geographical variation of scrapie strains in Europe and reveals the composite nature of prion strains. Scientific Reports 2020, 10, 1 -16.
AMA StyleRomolo Nonno, Alba Marin-Moreno, Juan Carlos Espinosa, Christine Fast, Lucien Van Keulen, John Spiropoulos, Isabelle Lantier, Olivier Andreoletti, Laura Pirisinu, Michele A. Di Bari, Patricia Aguilar-Calvo, Theodoros Sklaviadis, Penelope Papasavva-Stylianou, Pier Luigi Acutis, Cristina Acin, Alex Bossers, Jorge G. Jacobs, Gabriele Vaccari, Claudia D’Agostino, Barbara Chiappini, Frederic Lantier, Martin H. Groschup, Umberto Agrimi, Juan Maria Torres, Jan P. M. Langeveld. Characterization of goat prions demonstrates geographical variation of scrapie strains in Europe and reveals the composite nature of prion strains. Scientific Reports. 2020; 10 (1):1-16.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRomolo Nonno; Alba Marin-Moreno; Juan Carlos Espinosa; Christine Fast; Lucien Van Keulen; John Spiropoulos; Isabelle Lantier; Olivier Andreoletti; Laura Pirisinu; Michele A. Di Bari; Patricia Aguilar-Calvo; Theodoros Sklaviadis; Penelope Papasavva-Stylianou; Pier Luigi Acutis; Cristina Acin; Alex Bossers; Jorge G. Jacobs; Gabriele Vaccari; Claudia D’Agostino; Barbara Chiappini; Frederic Lantier; Martin H. Groschup; Umberto Agrimi; Juan Maria Torres; Jan P. M. Langeveld. 2020. "Characterization of goat prions demonstrates geographical variation of scrapie strains in Europe and reveals the composite nature of prion strains." Scientific Reports 10, no. 1: 1-16.
Mauro Delogu; Claudia Cotti; Gabriele Vaccari; Elisabetta Raffini; Matteo Frasnelli; Sandro Nicoloso; Vanessa Biacchessi; Arianna Boni; Emanuela Foni; Maria R. Castrucci; Maria A. De Marco. Serologic and Virologic Evidence of Influenza a Viruses in Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) from Two Different Locations in Italy. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 2019, 55, 158 -163.
AMA StyleMauro Delogu, Claudia Cotti, Gabriele Vaccari, Elisabetta Raffini, Matteo Frasnelli, Sandro Nicoloso, Vanessa Biacchessi, Arianna Boni, Emanuela Foni, Maria R. Castrucci, Maria A. De Marco. Serologic and Virologic Evidence of Influenza a Viruses in Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) from Two Different Locations in Italy. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 2019; 55 (1):158-163.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Delogu; Claudia Cotti; Gabriele Vaccari; Elisabetta Raffini; Matteo Frasnelli; Sandro Nicoloso; Vanessa Biacchessi; Arianna Boni; Emanuela Foni; Maria R. Castrucci; Maria A. De Marco. 2019. "Serologic and Virologic Evidence of Influenza a Viruses in Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) from Two Different Locations in Italy." Journal of Wildlife Diseases 55, no. 1: 158-163.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) persists in cervid populations of North America and in 2016 was detected for the first time in Europe in a wild reindeer in Norway. We report the detection of CWD in 3 moose (Alces alces) in Norway, identified through a large scale surveillance program. The cases occurred in 13–14-year-old female moose, and we detected an abnormal form of prion protein (PrPSc) in the brain but not in lymphoid tissues. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the moose shared the same neuropathologic phenotype, characterized by mostly intraneuronal deposition of PrPSc. This pattern differed from that observed in reindeer and has not been previously reported in CWD-infected cervids. Moreover, Western blot revealed a PrPSc type distinguishable from previous CWD cases and from known ruminant prion diseases in Europe, with the possible exception of sheep CH1641. These findings suggest that these cases in moose represent a novel type of CWD.
Laura Pirisinu; Linh Tran; Barbara Chiappini; Ilaria Vanni; Michele A. Di Bari; Gabriele Vaccari; Turid Vikøren; Knut Ivar Madslien; Jørn Våge; Terry Spraker; Gordon Mitchell; Aru Balachandran; Thierry Baron; Cristina Casalone; Christer M. Rolandsen; Knut H. Røed; Umberto Agrimi; Romolo Nonno; Sylvie L. Benestad. Novel Type of Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Moose (Alces alces), Norway. Emerging Infectious Diseases 2018, 24, 2210 -2218.
AMA StyleLaura Pirisinu, Linh Tran, Barbara Chiappini, Ilaria Vanni, Michele A. Di Bari, Gabriele Vaccari, Turid Vikøren, Knut Ivar Madslien, Jørn Våge, Terry Spraker, Gordon Mitchell, Aru Balachandran, Thierry Baron, Cristina Casalone, Christer M. Rolandsen, Knut H. Røed, Umberto Agrimi, Romolo Nonno, Sylvie L. Benestad. Novel Type of Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Moose (Alces alces), Norway. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2018; 24 (12):2210-2218.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura Pirisinu; Linh Tran; Barbara Chiappini; Ilaria Vanni; Michele A. Di Bari; Gabriele Vaccari; Turid Vikøren; Knut Ivar Madslien; Jørn Våge; Terry Spraker; Gordon Mitchell; Aru Balachandran; Thierry Baron; Cristina Casalone; Christer M. Rolandsen; Knut H. Røed; Umberto Agrimi; Romolo Nonno; Sylvie L. Benestad. 2018. "Novel Type of Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Moose (Alces alces), Norway." Emerging Infectious Diseases 24, no. 12: 2210-2218.
Coronaviruses (CoVs) have been detected worldwide in several bat species, which are considered the main reservoir. The attention to the high diversity of CoVs hosted by bats has increased during the last decade due to the high number of human infections caused by two zoonotic Beta-CoVs, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, that cause several respiratory diseases. Among coronaviruses, two Alpha-CoV strains (HuCoV-229E and HuCoV-NL63) cause mild respiratory disease that can change to severe disease in children, elderly and individuals affected by illnesses. Phylogenetic analysis conducted on bat Alpha-CoV strains revealed their evolutive correlation to human strains, suggesting their origin in bats. The genome of CoVs is characterized by a high frequency of mutations and recombination events, increasing their ability to switch hosts and their zoonotic potential. In this study, three strains of Alpha-CoV genera detected in Italian bats (Pipistrellus kuhlii) were fully sequenced by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and characterized. The complete genome analysis showed the correlation of the Italians strains with a Chinese strain detected in 2013 and, based on CoV molecular species demarcation, two new Alpha-CoV species were established. The analysis of a fragment of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) showed the correlation of the Italian strains with CoVs that was only detected in the bat Pipistrellus genera (Pipistrellus kuhlii and Pipistrellus Pipistrellus) in European countries.
Luca De Sabato; Davide Lelli; Francesca Faccin; Sabrina Canziani; Ilaria Di Bartolo; Gabriele Vaccari; Ana Moreno. Full genome characterization of two novel Alpha-coronavirus species from Italian bats. Virus Research 2018, 260, 60 -66.
AMA StyleLuca De Sabato, Davide Lelli, Francesca Faccin, Sabrina Canziani, Ilaria Di Bartolo, Gabriele Vaccari, Ana Moreno. Full genome characterization of two novel Alpha-coronavirus species from Italian bats. Virus Research. 2018; 260 ():60-66.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuca De Sabato; Davide Lelli; Francesca Faccin; Sabrina Canziani; Ilaria Di Bartolo; Gabriele Vaccari; Ana Moreno. 2018. "Full genome characterization of two novel Alpha-coronavirus species from Italian bats." Virus Research 260, no. : 60-66.
During 2017, an uncommon G4P[6] rotavirus A strain was identified in a hospitalized child in Southern Italy. Nucleotide sequencing of the 11 genomic segments, revealed a complete Wa-like genomic constellation in combination with this unusual G/P genotype. Phylogenetic analyses showed high nucleotide identity with G4P[6] rotavirus strains previously detected in pigs and humans in Asia, for all the gene segments investigated. This study reports the complete genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of an uncommon rotavirus A strain presenting a genotype never detected before in Italy, and able to cause acute dehydrating gastroenteritis in a pediatric patient. The genome characterization highlighted possible zoonotic origin and inter-species transmission of this strain from swine, also indicating its possible importation from abroad. During 2017, a G4P[6] group A rotavirus strain was identified in the feces of an Italian child hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis in Southern Italy. Nucleotide sequencing of the 11 genomic segments, revealed the G4-P[6]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1 genotype constellation. Phylogenetic analyses of the gene segments investigated revealed high nucleotide sequence identities with G4P[6] RVA strains detected previously in pigs and in humans. The human strains related to the Italian G4P[6] were mainly reported from Asia, and were detected after an inter-species transmission event from swine. This study reports the genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of a G4P[6] RVA strain presenting a genomic constellation never detected before in Italy. In addition, this strain was able to cause AGE symptoms in a healthy child, successively hospitalized. The molecular characterization suggested zoonotic origin and inter-species transmission of this strain from swine, living open the possibility of its importation from abroad.
Giovanni Ianiro; Roberto Micolano; Michela Conte; Michele Labianca; Gabriele Vaccari; Marina Monini. Detection of an animal-derived G4P[6] group A rotavirus strain in a symptomatic child, in Italy. Virus Research 2018, 260, 7 -11.
AMA StyleGiovanni Ianiro, Roberto Micolano, Michela Conte, Michele Labianca, Gabriele Vaccari, Marina Monini. Detection of an animal-derived G4P[6] group A rotavirus strain in a symptomatic child, in Italy. Virus Research. 2018; 260 ():7-11.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiovanni Ianiro; Roberto Micolano; Michela Conte; Michele Labianca; Gabriele Vaccari; Marina Monini. 2018. "Detection of an animal-derived G4P[6] group A rotavirus strain in a symptomatic child, in Italy." Virus Research 260, no. : 7-11.
Scrapie of sheep belongs to a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases known as prion diseases. Scrapie is a naturally transmissible disease and sheep susceptibility is highly dependent on the host prion protein (PrP) genotype. On this basis, the European Union has established management strategies of scrapie in sheep population, to be achieved by an ad hoc breeding programme to increase the genetic resistance of the ovine population and by selective culling, both based upon the PrP genotyping. The Istituto Superiore di Sanità, appointed by the Italian Ministry of Health as the Reference Laboratory for PrP genotyping, has since 2005 organised proficiency tests (PTs) for sheep PrP genotype identification. The PT aims at assessing the accuracy of the genetic analysis performed by the laboratories involved in official control at national level. From 2005 to 2016, 12 laboratories on average participated to nine PT rounds. The overall analytical performance was satisfactory with few laboratories reporting errors in PrP genotype identification. A total of 22 errors including sixteen analytical and six formal errors were identified out of 2650 results reported (0.8 %). The number of laboratories reporting 100 % correct results increased over the years although no statistical trend could be observed. The low number of laboratories failing the PT revealed an overall good technical capability and skills of laboratories and technicians in performing the genetic analysis. This is highly important since the availability of an efficient laboratory network is crucial for the implementation and management of scrapie control plan at national level.
Barbara Chiappini; Gaia Scavia; Michela Conte; Luisella Morelli; Maria Gabriella Perrotta; Umberto Agrimi; Gabriele Vaccari. Identification of prion protein genotype in sheep: 11 years of proficiency tests in Italy. Accreditation and Quality Assurance 2018, 24, 49 -55.
AMA StyleBarbara Chiappini, Gaia Scavia, Michela Conte, Luisella Morelli, Maria Gabriella Perrotta, Umberto Agrimi, Gabriele Vaccari. Identification of prion protein genotype in sheep: 11 years of proficiency tests in Italy. Accreditation and Quality Assurance. 2018; 24 (1):49-55.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBarbara Chiappini; Gaia Scavia; Michela Conte; Luisella Morelli; Maria Gabriella Perrotta; Umberto Agrimi; Gabriele Vaccari. 2018. "Identification of prion protein genotype in sheep: 11 years of proficiency tests in Italy." Accreditation and Quality Assurance 24, no. 1: 49-55.
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Amal Djaout; Barbara Chiappini; Semir-Bechir-Suheil Gaouar; Farida Afri-Bouzebda; Michela Conte; Fakhreddine Chekkal; Rachid El-Bouyahiaoui; Rachid Boukhari; Umberto Agrimi; Gabriele Vaccari. Correction to: Biodiversity and selection for scrapie resistance in sheep: genetic polymorphism in eight breeds of Algeria. Journal of Genetics 2018, 97, 1073 -1073.
AMA StyleAmal Djaout, Barbara Chiappini, Semir-Bechir-Suheil Gaouar, Farida Afri-Bouzebda, Michela Conte, Fakhreddine Chekkal, Rachid El-Bouyahiaoui, Rachid Boukhari, Umberto Agrimi, Gabriele Vaccari. Correction to: Biodiversity and selection for scrapie resistance in sheep: genetic polymorphism in eight breeds of Algeria. Journal of Genetics. 2018; 97 (4):1073-1073.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmal Djaout; Barbara Chiappini; Semir-Bechir-Suheil Gaouar; Farida Afri-Bouzebda; Michela Conte; Fakhreddine Chekkal; Rachid El-Bouyahiaoui; Rachid Boukhari; Umberto Agrimi; Gabriele Vaccari. 2018. "Correction to: Biodiversity and selection for scrapie resistance in sheep: genetic polymorphism in eight breeds of Algeria." Journal of Genetics 97, no. 4: 1073-1073.
The complete and near-complete genome sequences (7206 nt and 7229 nt) of two wild boar HEV strains detected in Southern Italy were obtained by the next generation sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis and p distance comparisons of one of the strains with HEV-3 reference subtype strains confirmed the detection of a subtype 3i (p distance = 0.110) strain in wild boar, never detected in Italy either in wild boar or pigs. The sequence of the second strain was not classifiable in any of the subtypes defined to date, showing a p distance > 0.138 and a low nucleotide identity with all HEV reference strains. The virus may represent a novel subtype, with a low relationship to other strains of genotype 3 detected in wild boar, pigs, or humans in Europe. This result suggests the circulation in Italy of an emerging or uncommon HEV strain. Sequencing followed by phylogenetic analyses of the complete HEV coding regions are important tools for understanding the evolutionary and epidemiological dynamics underlying the wide genetic diversity of HEV strains.
Luca De Sabato; Gabriele Vaccari; Philippe Lemey; Maria Grazia Amoroso; Giovanna Fusco; Giovanni Ianiro; Ilaria Di Bartolo. Phylogenetic analysis of two genotype 3 Hepatitis E viruses from wild boar, Italy. Virus Genes 2018, 54, 812 -817.
AMA StyleLuca De Sabato, Gabriele Vaccari, Philippe Lemey, Maria Grazia Amoroso, Giovanna Fusco, Giovanni Ianiro, Ilaria Di Bartolo. Phylogenetic analysis of two genotype 3 Hepatitis E viruses from wild boar, Italy. Virus Genes. 2018; 54 (6):812-817.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuca De Sabato; Gabriele Vaccari; Philippe Lemey; Maria Grazia Amoroso; Giovanna Fusco; Giovanni Ianiro; Ilaria Di Bartolo. 2018. "Phylogenetic analysis of two genotype 3 Hepatitis E viruses from wild boar, Italy." Virus Genes 54, no. 6: 812-817.
Prions cause fatal and transmissible neurodegenerative diseases, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, scrapie in small ruminants, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). After the BSE epidemic, and the associated human infections, began in 1996 in the United Kingdom, general concerns have been raised about animal prions. We detected a prion disease in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Algeria. Symptoms suggesting prion disease occurred in 3.1% of dromedaries brought for slaughter to Ouargla abattoir in 2015–2016. We confirmed diagnosis by detecting pathognomonic neurodegeneration and disease-specific prion protein (PrPSc) in brain tissues from 3 symptomatic animals. Prion detection in lymphoid tissues is suggestive of the infectious nature of the disease. PrPSc biochemical characterization showed differences with BSE and scrapie. Our identification of this prion disease in a geographically widespread livestock species requires urgent enforcement of surveillance and assessment of the potential risks to human and animal health.
Baaissa Babelhadj; Michele Angelo Di Bari; Laura Pirisinu; Barbara Chiappini; Semir Bechir Suheil Gaouar; Geraldina Riccardi; Stefano Marcon; Umberto Agrimi; Romolo Nonno; Gabriele Vaccari. Prion Disease in Dromedary Camels, Algeria. Emerging Infectious Diseases 2018, 24, 1029 -1036.
AMA StyleBaaissa Babelhadj, Michele Angelo Di Bari, Laura Pirisinu, Barbara Chiappini, Semir Bechir Suheil Gaouar, Geraldina Riccardi, Stefano Marcon, Umberto Agrimi, Romolo Nonno, Gabriele Vaccari. Prion Disease in Dromedary Camels, Algeria. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2018; 24 (6):1029-1036.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBaaissa Babelhadj; Michele Angelo Di Bari; Laura Pirisinu; Barbara Chiappini; Semir Bechir Suheil Gaouar; Geraldina Riccardi; Stefano Marcon; Umberto Agrimi; Romolo Nonno; Gabriele Vaccari. 2018. "Prion Disease in Dromedary Camels, Algeria." Emerging Infectious Diseases 24, no. 6: 1029-1036.
The association studies of several immune-diseases with the 3' Regulatory Region 1 (3'RR1) increased interest on the role that the region plays in the immune-regulation. The 3'RR1 is a polymorphic region on human chromosome 14q32, acting as a cis-regulative element on the Immunoglobulin constant-gene locus recently considered as super-enhancer. The human 3'RR1 share large sequences with its paralogous 3'RR2, at high level of similarity. Thus, a focused investigation was necessary to discriminate each one of the duplicated components of the two regions and its specific contribution to the immunologic phenotype. One of the duplicated elements is the hs1.2 enhancer. The 3'RR1 alleles of this enhancer were demonstrated to play a role in autoimmune diseases, including Psoriasis. We sequenced a specific region internal to the 3'RR1 in hs1.2 homozygous subjects, to detect SNPs associated to the main alleles of the enhancer. We identified two alternative nine-SNPs haplotypes strictly linked to the allele *1 and *2 of hs1.2, that could be used as markers to further investigate the region and associations to pathology. Finally, we identified two haplotypes, namely E2A1 and E2A2, that strongly support the hypothesis of a relevant effect of the rs35216181 in the onset of Psoriasis when the *2 allele is present.
Pietro D'addabbo; Eliseo Serone; Maria Esposito; Gabriele Vaccari; Cesare Gargioli; Domenico Frezza; Luca Bianchi. Association between Psoriasis and haplotypes of the IgH 3' Regulatory Region 1. Gene 2018, 669, 47 -51.
AMA StylePietro D'addabbo, Eliseo Serone, Maria Esposito, Gabriele Vaccari, Cesare Gargioli, Domenico Frezza, Luca Bianchi. Association between Psoriasis and haplotypes of the IgH 3' Regulatory Region 1. Gene. 2018; 669 ():47-51.
Chicago/Turabian StylePietro D'addabbo; Eliseo Serone; Maria Esposito; Gabriele Vaccari; Cesare Gargioli; Domenico Frezza; Luca Bianchi. 2018. "Association between Psoriasis and haplotypes of the IgH 3' Regulatory Region 1." Gene 669, no. : 47-51.