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Although parasites may threaten individual hosts' survival and reproduction, their role as an essential part of ecosystem functioning and biodiversity has been recognized. In Northern Italy, the hare population has evidently declined since 2008. This paper aims to assess the relationship between host demographic trends and helminth parasite community diversity in a two-year survey in Northern Italy to evaluate the impact of parasites on hosts and confirm the hypothesis that endangered host populations are poor in parasites. In 2013 and 2015 the viscera of 54 and 61 hares legally hunted in agro-ecosystems of the Po Plain were collected. This area is characterized by heavy anthropic pressure: more than 60% of the landscape is represented by agricultural or urbanized territories. No intestinal cestodes were detected. Trichuris sp. and Micipsella numidica were collected in 2015 only; Trichostrongylus retortaeformis , Taenia pisiformis cysticercosis and bronchopulmonary lesions caused by small strongyles were observed in both years. The richness and evenness appeared increased in the second year of the survey, although lower than those obtained by literature data from similar populations examined in the last two decades of 1900. The dominant helminth, T. retortaeformis , was more abundant in individuals with higher weight, while pathological findings were mostly unrelated to this nematode infection; this is consistent with a reduced action, even no harm, of the parasites on the individual host or population level. Our results suggest that the conservation of hosts, environment, and parasites cannot be achieved separately and that parasites and wildlife hosts' destinies are intimately linked, confirming the complexity of ecosystems and the need to contemplate parasite biodiversity in conservation strategies., Competing Interests: None., (© 2023 The Authors.)

The restrictive measures adopted worldwide against SARS-CoV-2 produced a drastic reduction in respiratory pathogens, including RSV, but a dramatic rebound was thereafter reported. In this multicenter retrospective observational study in 15 Pediatric Emergency Departments, all children <3 years old with RSV infection admitted between 1 September and 31 December 2021 were included and compared to those admitted in the same period of 2020 and 2019. The primary aim was to evaluate RSV epidemiology during and after the COVID-19 pandemic peak. The secondary aims were to evaluate the clinical features of children with RSV infection. Overall, 1015 children were enrolled: 100 in 2019, 3 in 2020 and 912 in 2021. In 2019, the peak was recorded in December, and in 2021, it was recorded in November. Comparing 2019 to 2021, in 2021 the median age was significantly higher and the age group 2-3 years was more affected. Admissions were significantly higher in 2021 than in 2020 and 2019, and the per-year hospitalization rate was lower in 2021 (84% vs. 93% in 2019), while the duration of admissions was similar. No difference was found in severity between 2019-2020-2021. In conclusion, after the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in RSV cases in 2021 exceeding the median seasonal peak was detected, with the involvement of older children, while no difference was found in severity.

Background: Chianina, Romagnola, and Marchigiana are the 3 most important Italian breeds of cattle raised in the Apennine Mountains. Inherited disorders have been reported in the Chianina and Romagnola breeds but not in the Marchigiana breed. Recently, a case resembling recessively inherited KDM2B-associated paunch calf syndrome (PCS) in Romagnola cattle was identified in Marchigiana cattle., Hypothesis/objectives: To characterize the features of the observed congenital anomaly, evaluate its possible genetic etiology, and determine the prevalence of the deleterious allele in the Marchigiana population., Animals: A single stillborn Marchigiana calf was referred for clinicopathological examination because of the presence of PCS-like morphological lesions., Methods: The animal was necropsied and the calf and its parents were genotyped. A PCR-based direct gene test was applied to determine the KDM2B genotype and 114 Marchigiana bulls were genotyped., Results: The pathological phenotype included facial deformities, enlarged fluid-filled abdomen, and hepatic fibrosis. The affected animal was the offspring of consanguineous mating and homozygous presence of the KDM2B missense variant was confirmed. Both parents were heterozygous for KDM2B and the prevalence of carriers in a selected population of Marchigiana bulls was <2%., Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The characteristic malformations and genetic findings were consistent with the diagnosis of PCS and provide evidence that the deleterious KDM2B variant initially detected in Romagnola cattle also occurs in the Marchigiana breed., (© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

Growing evidence indicates cannabinoid receptors as potential therapeutic targets for chronic pain. Consequently, there is an increasing interest in developing cannabinoid receptor agonists for treating human and veterinary pain. To better understand the actions of a drug, it is of paramount importance to know the cellular distribution of its specific receptor(s). The distribution of canonical and putative cannabinoid receptors in the peripheral and central nervous system of dogs is still in its infancy. In order to help fill this anatomical gap, the present ex vivo study has been designed to identify the cellular sites of cannabinoid and cannabinoid-related receptors in canine spinal ganglia. In particular, the cellular distribution of the cannabinoid receptors type 1 and 2 (CB 1 and CB 2 ) and putative cannabinoid receptors G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55), nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), and transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) have been immunohistochemically investigated in the C6-C8 cervical ganglia of dogs. About 50% of the neuronal population displayed weak to moderate CB 1 receptor and TRPV1 immunoreactivity, while all of them were CB 2 -positive and nearly 40% also expressed GPR55 immunolabeling. Schwann cells, blood vessel smooth muscle cells, and pericyte-like cells all expressed CB 2 receptor immunoreactivity, endothelial cell being also PPARα-positive. All the satellite glial cells (SGCs) displayed bright GPR55 receptor immunoreactivity. In half of the study dogs, SGCs were also PPARα-positive, and limited to older dogs displayed TRPV1 immunoreactivity. The present study may represent a morphological substrate to consider in order to develop therapeutic strategies against chronic pain., (Copyright © 2019 Chiocchetti, Galiazzo, Tagliavia, Stanzani, Giancola, Menchetti, Militerno, Bernardini, Forni and Mandrioli.)

The term heterotopy of the spiral colon encompasses a dysmorphological condition in which the spiral loops of the ascending colon (SLACs) do not form an orderly spiraling mass adjacent to the left side of the mesojejunum. As a consequence, the spiral loops are spread over a larger surface, making them more or less movable. It has been hypothesized that the abnormal position of the spiral loops of the ascending colon might constitute a predisposing factor for an intestinal obstruction or an ileus condition. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anatomy of the spiral loops of the ascending colon in a population of healthy calves and to determine the prevalence of dysmorphism. The investigation was carried out on 1113 slaughtered veal calves. In 472 out of the 1113 calves, the spiral loops showed conformational aspects different from what has so far been described as normal in reference textbooks. In 91 calves the condition was definitely considered a pathological deviation from normality: in fact, the spiral colon had lost its typical spiral shape with random spacing between the loops, and it was nearly or completely detached from the mesojejunum. The lack of a broad attachment of the spiral loops of the ascending colon to the mesentery could provoke an alteration of the intestinal centre of gravity, enhancing the already asymmetrical distribution of weight between the jejunum and the descending colon., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

In Northern Italy, a hastening of hare population decline was noticeable from 2008. In the same year hunters reported a sudden increase of hares infected by Taenia sp. larvae, whose morphology was consistent with T. pisiformis cysticerci. The aim of the survey was: i)to identify the parasites through morphological features and molecular techniques; ii)to quantify the prevalence and abundance of cysticerci in hunted hares; iii)to describe pathological aspects of parasite-induced lesions; iv)to evaluate the short-term trend of the infection comparing two different hunting seasons; v)to highlight possible relationship between T. pisiformis infection and hare-related variables. In 2013, 2015 the viscera of 54 and 61 hares legally hunted in agro-ecosystems of the Po Plain were collected. Peritoneum, liver and lungs were examined for cysticercosis; abundance was estimated counting superficial parasites in liver; parasites were microscopically identified by shape and measure of both large and small hooks. One cysticercus from each hare was analized by a PCR targeting Taeniid species and then sequenced. Frozen liver, lungs and gastrointestinal peritoneum were macroscopically observed and, after thawing, representative samples from the available organs were collected for histologic examination to verify parasitic cysts and the subsequent damage of the involved organs. Sex, weight and age class of the animals were recorded. Generalized linear models were used for statistical analysis. T. pisiformis was isolated in 8 hares in 2013 (prevalence 14.8%; abundance range: 0-400; mean abundance 17.8) and in 2 hares in 2015 (prevalence 3.28%; abundance range: 0-180; mean abundance 3.22). Identification was confirmed morphologically and by PCR. The DNA sequencing confirmed T. pisiformis in all samples. The sequences were all identical each-other. Infection was significantly related with adult age class, sampling year and low full-weight. Epidemiological and pathological pattern suggest both a possible role on host population health and a tendency toward host-parasite equilibrium.

A letter to the IJERPH Editor was submitted by Terracini B. et al. as a comment to our latest paper "Hospitalizations in Pediatric and Adult Patients for all Cancer Type in Italy:[...]., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background : Cancer Registries (CRs) remain the gold standard for providing official epidemiological estimations. However, due to CRs' partial population coverage, hospitalization records might represent a valuable tool to provide additional information on cancer occurrence and expenditures at national/regional level for research purposes. The Epidemiology of Cancer in Italy (EPIKIT) study group has been built up, within the framework of the Civic Observers for Health and Environment: Initiative of Responsibility and Sustainability (COHEIRS) project under the auspices of the Europe for Citizens Program, to assess population health indicators. Objective : To assess the burden of all cancers in Italian children and adults. Methods : We analyzed National Hospitalization Records from 2001 to 2011. Based on social security numbers (anonymously treated), we have excluded from our analyses all re-hospitalizations of the same patients ( n = 1,878,109) over the entire 11-year period in order to minimize the overlap between prevalent and incident cancer cases. To be more conservative, only data concerning the last five years (2007-2011) have been taken into account for final analyses. The absolute number of hospitalizations and standardized hospitalization rates (SHR) were computed for each Italian province by sex and age-groups (0-19 and 20-49). Results : The EPIKIT database included a total of 4,113,169 first hospital admissions due to main diagnoses of all tumors. The annual average number of hospital admissions due to cancer in Italy has been computed in 2362 and 43,141 hospitalizations in pediatric patients (0-19 years old) and adults (20-49 years old), respectively. Women accounted for the majority of cancer cases in adults aged 20-49. As expected, the big city of Rome presented the highest average annual number of pediatric cancers ( n = 392, SHR = 9.9), followed by Naples ( n = 378; SHR = 9.9) and Milan ( n = 212; SHR = 7.3). However, when we look at SHR, minor cities (i.e., Imperia, Isernia and others) presented values >10 per 100,000, with only 10 or 20 cases per year. Similar figures are shown also for young adults aged 20-49. Conclusions : In addition to SHR, the absolute number of incident cancer cases represents a crucial piece of information for planning adequate healthcare services and assessing social alarm phenomena. Our findings call for specific risk assessment programs at local level (involving CRs) to search for causal relations with environmental exposures.

The aim of this study was to assess whether Döner kebabs sold in Italy comply with legal labelling requirements. A checklist of EU labelling requirements was drawn up and nine labels of Döner kebab marketed in the province of Modena were collected to evaluate the mandatory information laid down in article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 together with the mandatory requirements of Regulation (EC) 853/2004 for meat preparations. The study showed that different additives are commonly used in Döner kebabs, including E 621 (monosodium glutamate). This additive is not included among the ingredients authorized for the meat preparation food category. Eight frozen Döner kebab samples were taken and a visual assessment and a histologic examination were performed to verify potential changes in the meat's inner muscle fibre structure that could allow the product to be considered among meat preparations or meat products. The Döner kebab labels showed several systematically deficient regulatory requirements in both extrinsic defects (not related to food composition) and aspects concerning the protection of consumers' health. Histological examination showed that the tissue was moderately swollen, but the muscle fibre structure was intact. Kebab can be reasonably classified as a meat preparation thereby precluding the use monosodium glutamate (E 621) as an ingredient.

A newborn male Romagnola calf, who had died a few hours after birth, was submitted for postmortem examination. Necropsy revealed a 23 cm × 22 cm × 5 cm, pale pink, lobulated, elastic, partially fluctuant mass that protruded from the dorsal retroperitoneal space into the abdominal cavity, extending from the diaphragm to the left kidney. The mass consisted of mature pulmonary tissue and was consistent with a pulmonary choristoma. The gross and microscopic appearance of this rare tumor-like congenital lesion and the possible pathogenesis are discussed.

A case of mandibular salivary gland adenocarcinoma in a 9-year-old female dog is described. Material collected by fine needle aspiration underwent cytological examination and after the diagnosis of salivary carcinoma the mass was surgically excised and then was processed for histological examination. The aim of this work is to describe the cytopathological features of this carcinoma and to emphasize the usefulness of fine needle aspiration technique, which is an effective, inexpensive and minimally invasive method of diagnosis that can be performed before incisional biopsy or even before surgical excision.

Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the renal pelvis was found in two dogs, a 7-year-old male English Setter and a 11-year-old female Shetland shepherd. Affected dogs were presented for clinical examination without any specific symptoms but haematuria in case 1 and occurrence of whitish material in the urine of case 2; neoplastic disorders were discovered with ultrasonographic investigation and fine needle aspiration biopsy. Histopathological examination was carried out after nephrectomy and ureterectomy of the affected kidney of both dogs, and confirmed the diagnosis of non-invasive and low grade TCC in case 1 and of infiltrating TCC in case 2. The clinical, gross, cytological and histopathological features of these rare tumours originating from transitional epithelium of the renal pelvis are reported.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical significance of modulating the recipient portal inflow (rPVF) through perioperative ligation of the splenic artery in adult living-donor liver transplantation (ALDLTx) by focusing on vascular complications, intractable ascites production, and the prevention of small-for-size syndrome (SFSS)., Summary Background Data: In ALDLTx, portal graft flow is enhanced to at least twice the donor value, raising the total liver inflow. Recipient hepatic arterial flow (rHAF) is lower than expected. Portal hyperperfusion of small grafts in larger recipients is thought to be one of the main causes of posttransplant graft dysfunction/SFSS., Methods: Seventeen ALDLTx were reviewed for a minimum of 2 months. Patients were divided retrospectively into two groups: G1 (n = 7), without modulation of rPVF, and G2 (n = 10), with splenic artery ligation to decrease rPVF perioperatively. Donor and recipient hepatic hemodynamics were evaluated against graft function and outcome, including correlations between rPVF, graft weight, graft:recipient body weight ratio, and recipient weight., Results: Following portal and arterial reperfusion, mean rPVF and rPVF/graft weight were much higher than in the donors, whereas mean rHAF and rHAF/graft weight were much lower. No differences were found between groups, except for rPVF and rHAF, which were much more higher and lower, respectively, before splenic artery ligation. In G1 patients, SFSS was seen in two patients and vascular complications occurred in two others. In G2 patients, splenic artery ligation permitted a significant decrease in rPVF, an improvement in rHAF, and the resolution of refractory ascites. Neither SFSS nor vascular complications were seen in G2 patients., Conclusions: When a suboptimal graft:recipient body weight ratio is accompanied by high rPVF in ALDLTx, the portal flow should be modulated perioperatively; splenic artery ligation is a simple and safe method that is sufficient to allow this modulation in most patients.