scholarly journals Detecting antibodies to Leishmania infantum in horses from areas with different epizooticity levels of canine leishmaniosis and a retrospective revision of Italian data

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessia Libera Gazzonis ◽  
Filippo Bertero ◽  
Iolanda Moretta ◽  
Giulia Morganti ◽  
Michele Mortarino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Direct Methods ◽  
Antibody Test ◽  
Canine Leishmaniosis ◽  
Northern Regions ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
Visceral Leishmaniosis

Abstract Background Leishmania infantum is a vector-borne pathogen endemic in countries in the Mediterranean basin, including Italy. Dogs act as the primary reservoir for this parasite, but other animal species may also be infected. Low-to-moderate seroprevalence levels of infection have been reported in apparent healthy equine populations in southern Europe, reinforcing the importance of exploring those species, including horses, that act as a food source for vectors and may thus participate in the epizoological scenario of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) and zoonotic visceral leishmaniosis (ZVL). Since little is known regarding the exposure to L. infantum in horses in Italy, we assessed the seroprevalence in healthy equine populations from different CanL endemic areas. Methods The survey was conducted on 660 apparently healthy horses distributed throughout central and northern regions of Italy between 2016 and 2019. Blood samples were collected and the presence of anti-Leishmania antibodies (IgG) was investigated by the immunofluorescence antibody test. Information on the location and altitude of the stables, along with the horses’ breed, age, sex, and reproductive status was obtained by filling in a questionnaire. This was then used for statistical analysis by generalized linear models to explore risk factors associated with seroreactivity to L. infantum. Results An average seroprevalence of 13.9% was detected for L. infantum in the equine populations investigated, with statistically significant associations between seroprevalence, geographical variables (northern vs central Italy, origin and altitude) and individual factors (i.e. age and breed morphotype). Conclusions Our results highlight that horses are frequently exposed to L. infantum. Further prevalence surveys in horses, also using direct methods (e.g. PCR), are warranted to clarify the role of these hosts in the epidemiology of Leishmania in Italy.

scholarly journals Serological and Molecular Findings of Leishmania Infection in Healthy Donkeys (Equus asinus) from a Canine Leishmaniosis Endemic Focus in Tuscany, Italy: A Preliminary Report

Pathogens ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Simona Nardoni ◽  
Iolanda Altomonte ◽  
Federica Salari ◽  
Mina Martini ◽  
Francesca Mancianti
Keyword(s):  
Central Italy ◽  
Antibody Test ◽  
Leishmania Infection ◽  
Canine Leishmaniosis ◽  
Equus Asinus ◽  
Potential Reservoir ◽  
Positive Score ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Immunofluorescence Antibody Test

Leishmania parasites are considered to be emergent zoonotic pathogens, which is a new concept regarding their epidemiology and the identification of novel animal hosts. The present study is the first in Italy to evaluate anti Leishmania seroprevalence, and the first in Europe to detect parasite DNA in donkeys’ blood. The study was performed on jennies living in a Leishmania infantum endemic area of Central Italy. One hundred and ten blood samples were obtained from 67 healthy lactating Amiatina jennies that were semi-extensively reared in Tuscany. When possible, more than one sample was subsequently obtained from the same subject. All samples were processed by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For the results, 11 out of 30 animals (36.7%) showed positive scores under IFAT. In addition, 22 out of the other 37 jennies had positive scores, also. The animals showed titers ranging from 40 to 320. Furthermore, 2 subjects that were submitted for 2 and 3 blood samplings, both had more than one positive score. Moreover, 2 seropositive animals were positive for Leishmania DNA. Donkeys are considered to be a preferred source for a sandfly blood meal, even if clinical leishmaniosis has never been reported in Europe for this animal species. In the view of these facts, our preliminary findings would suggest the role of donkey as a potential reservoir for this protozoan agent. Additional studies would be welcome to elucidate the role of the donkey in Leishmania epidemiology of CanL endemic areas and to confirm the preliminary findings and the hypothesis proposed here.

scholarly journals Resistance to Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis in Mice Infected With Leishmania infantum Requires Batf3

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Soto ◽  
Laura Ramírez ◽  
José Carlos Solana ◽  
Emma C. L. Cook ◽  
Elena Hernández-García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Leucine Zipper ◽  
Basic Leucine Zipper ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Deficient Mice

Unveiling the protective immune response to visceral leishmaniasis is critical for a rational design of vaccines aimed at reducing the impact caused by this fatal, if left untreated, vector-borne disease. In this study we sought to determine the role of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF-like 3 (Batf3) in the evolution of infection with Leishmania infantum, the causative agent of human visceral leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean Basin and Latin America. For that, Batf3-deficient mice in C57BL/6 background were infected with an L. infantum strain expressing the luciferase gene. Bioluminescent imaging, as well as in vitro parasite titration, demonstrated that Batf3-deficient mice were unable to control hepatic parasitosis as opposed to wild-type C57BL/6 mice. The impaired microbicide capacities of L. infantum-infected macrophages from Batf3-deficient mice mainly correlated with a reduction of parasite-specific IFN-γ production. Our results reinforce the implication of Batf3 in the generation of type 1 immunity against infectious diseases.

Feline leishmaniosis due to Leishmania infantum in Northwest Iran: The role of cats in endemic areas of visceral leishmaniosis

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 13-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehdi Mohebali ◽  
Abdolali Malmasi ◽  
Mahya Khodabakhsh ◽  
Zabihollah Zarei ◽  
Behnaz Akhoundi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
Feline Leishmaniosis ◽  
Northwest Iran ◽  
Endemic Areas ◽  
Visceral Leishmaniosis

Stative Morpheme In Shimakonde, An Anticausative Morpheme?

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 343-376
Author(s):  
Ronaldo Rodrigues De Paula
Keyword(s):  
External Argument ◽  
Bantu Language ◽  
Northern Regions ◽  
Do So

Tis paper aims to describe the syntax of the constructions that present the verbal extensions {-ik-} and {-uk-} and their allomorphs in Shimakonde, a Bantu language classifed as P23 in the Guthrie classifcation (GUTHRIE 1967-71). Tis language is spoken in the northern regions of Mozambique and Tanzania. Tese verbal extensions are reported in literature under the labels of stative, impositive, pseudo-passive, neuter, and quasi-passive (DOKE, 1947; SATYO, 1985; MCHOMBO, 1993; DUBINSKY SIMANGO, 1996; BENTLEY KULEMEKA, 2001; LIPHOLA, 2001; NGUNGA, 2004; KHUMALO, 2009; LEACH, 2010; LANGA, 2013). Te addition of the {-ik-} or {-uk-} morphemes to the verb structure usually demotes or suppresses the external argument, turning a basically transitive predicate into an intransitive one. Tis paper aims to investigate in Shimakonde if alternations from a dyadic to a monadic predicate, through the use of one of the aforementioned morphemes, are instances of the phenomenon known in literature as causative/ anticausative alternation (HASPELMATH, 1987, 1993; LEVIN RAPPAPORT HOVAV, 1992, 1995; NAVES, 1998, 2005; VAN HOUT, 2004; OLIVEIRA, 2011; KALLULLI, 2007). In order to do so, I analyze the grammatical role of this morpheme with two Shimakonde native consultants from different Mozambique districts (Mocimboa da Praia and Montepuez). Te feldwork activities consisted of translations of sentences from Portuguese to Shimakonde, testing the grammaticality of the proposed sentences. In order to examine the data that were collected, I adopted the Alexiadou, Anagnostopoulou and Schäfer (2006) refnement of the verbal categories by Levin Rappaport Hovav (1992, 1995). One of the results obtained is that the verbal extensions display an atelic reading (giving rise to stative interpretation) or a telic reading (giving rise to anticausative or passive interpretation). To account for the different interpretations in these constructions, I propose distinct associations between Asp head and Voice head in accordance with Kratzer (1996), Pylkkänen (2002), van Hout (2004), and Oliveira (2010).

scholarly journals Wider-community Segregation and the Effect of Neighbourhood Ethnic Diversity on Social Capital: An Investigation into Intra-Neighbourhood Trust in Great Britain and London

Sociology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 1011-1033 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Laurence
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Great Britain ◽  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Hierarchical Linear Models ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Community Segregation ◽  
Do So

Extensive research has demonstrated that neighbourhood ethnic diversity is negatively associated with intra-neighbourhood social capital. This study explores the role of segregation and integration in this relationship. To do so it applies three-level hierarchical linear models to two sets of data from across Great Britain and within London, and examines how segregation across the wider-community in which a neighbourhood is nested impacts trust amongst neighbours. This study replicates the increasingly ubiquitous finding that neighbourhood diversity is negatively associated with neighbour-trust. However, we demonstrate that this relationship is highly dependent on the level of segregation across the wider-community in which a neighbourhood is nested. Increasing neighbourhood diversity only negatively impacts neighbour-trust when nested in more segregated wider-communities. Individuals living in diverse neighbourhoods nested within integrated wider-communities experience no trust-penalty. These findings show that segregation plays a critical role in the neighbourhood diversity/trust relationship, and that its absence from the literature biases our understanding of how ethnic diversity affects social cohesion.

scholarly journals A novel methodology for epidemic risk assessment of COVID-19 outbreak

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Pluchino ◽  
A. E. Biondo ◽  
N. Giuffrida ◽  
G. Inturri ◽  
V. Latora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Mobility ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Policy Model ◽  
Italian Regions ◽  
Northern Regions ◽  
Seasonal Flu ◽  
Epidemic Risk

AbstractWe propose a novel data-driven framework for assessing the a-priori epidemic risk of a geographical area and for identifying high-risk areas within a country. Our risk index is evaluated as a function of three different components: the hazard of the disease, the exposure of the area and the vulnerability of its inhabitants. As an application, we discuss the case of COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. We characterize each of the twenty Italian regions by using available historical data on air pollution, human mobility, winter temperature, housing concentration, health care density, population size and age. We find that the epidemic risk is higher in some of the Northern regions with respect to Central and Southern Italy. The corresponding risk index shows correlations with the available official data on the number of infected individuals, patients in intensive care and deceased patients, and can help explaining why regions such as Lombardia, Emilia-Romagna, Piemonte and Veneto have suffered much more than the rest of the country. Although the COVID-19 outbreak started in both North (Lombardia) and Central Italy (Lazio) almost at the same time, when the first cases were officially certified at the beginning of 2020, the disease has spread faster and with heavier consequences in regions with higher epidemic risk. Our framework can be extended and tested on other epidemic data, such as those on seasonal flu, and applied to other countries. We also present a policy model connected with our methodology, which might help policy-makers to take informed decisions.

scholarly journals Quantifying Media Effects, Its Content, and Role in Promoting Community Awareness of Chikungunya Epidemic in Bangladesh

Epidemiologia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-94
Author(s):  
Mst. Marium Begum ◽  
Osman Ulvi ◽  
Ajlina Karamehic-Muratovic ◽  
Mallory R. Walsh ◽  
Hasan Tarek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Study Objective ◽  
The Public ◽  
Mainstream Media ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
Media Outlet ◽  
And Control

Background: Chikungunya is a vector-borne disease, mostly present in tropical and subtropical regions. The virus is spread by Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitos and symptoms include high fever to severe joint pain. Dhaka, Bangladesh, suffered an outbreak of chikungunya in 2017 lasting from April to September. With the goal of reducing cases, social media was at the forefront during this outbreak and educated the public about symptoms, prevention, and control of the virus. Popular web-based sources such as the top dailies in Bangladesh, local news outlets, and Facebook spread awareness of the outbreak. Objective: This study sought to investigate the role of social and mainstream media during the chikungunya epidemic. The study objective was to determine if social media can improve awareness of and practice associated with reducing cases of chikungunya. Methods: We collected chikungunya-related information circulated from the top nine television channels in Dhaka, Bangladesh, airing from 1st April–20th August 2017. All the news published in the top six dailies in Bangladesh were also compiled. The 50 most viewed chikungunya-related Bengali videos were manually coded and analyzed. Other social media outlets, such as Facebook, were also analyzed to determine the number of chikungunya-related posts and responses to these posts. Results: Our study showed that media outlets were associated with reducing cases of chikungunya, indicating that media has the potential to impact future outbreaks of these alpha viruses. Each media outlet (e.g., web, television) had an impact on the human response to an individual’s healthcare during this outbreak. Conclusions: To prevent future outbreaks of chikungunya, media outlets and social media can be used to educate the public regarding prevention strategies such as encouraging safe travel, removing stagnant water sources, and assisting with tracking cases globally to determine where future outbreaks may occur.

scholarly journals The Role of Faults in Groundwater Circulation before and after Seismic Events: Insights from Tracers, Water Isotopes and Geochemistry

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1499
Author(s):  
Davide Fronzi ◽  
Francesco Mirabella ◽  
Carlo Cardellini ◽  
Stefano Caliro ◽  
Stefano Palpacelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preferential Flow ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Tracer Tests ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Tectonic Structures ◽  
Fault Systems ◽  
Isotopic Analyses ◽  
Before And After

The interaction between fluids and tectonic structures such as fault systems is a much-discussed issue. Many scientific works are aimed at understanding what the role of fault systems in the displacement of deep fluids is, by investigating the interaction between the upper mantle, the lower crustal portion and the upraising of gasses carried by liquids. Many other scientific works try to explore the interaction between the recharge processes, i.e., precipitation, and the fault zones, aiming to recognize the function of the abovementioned structures and their capability to direct groundwater flow towards preferential drainage areas. Understanding the role of faults in the recharge processes of punctual and linear springs, meant as gaining streams, is a key point in hydrogeology, as it is known that faults can act either as flow barriers or as preferential flow paths. In this work an investigation of a fault system located in the Nera River catchment (Italy), based on geo-structural investigations, tracer tests, geochemical and isotopic recharge modelling, allows to identify the role of the normal fault system before and after the 2016–2017 central Italy seismic sequence (Mmax = 6.5). The outcome was achieved by an integrated approach consisting of a structural geology field work, combined with GIS-based analysis, and of a hydrogeological investigation based on artificial tracer tests and geochemical and isotopic analyses.

scholarly journals Relationship between Cycling Infrastructure and Transportation Cycling in a Small Urban Area

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-112
Author(s):  
Richard Larouche ◽  
Nimesh Patel ◽  
Jennifer L. Copeland
Keyword(s):  
Generalized Linear Models ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
The Other ◽  
Small City ◽  
The Road ◽  
The Past ◽  
Low Prevalence ◽  
The Relationship

The role of infrastructure in encouraging transportation cycling in smaller cities with a low prevalence of cycling remains unclear. To investigate the relationship between the presence of infrastructure and transportation cycling in a small city (Lethbridge, AB, Canada), we interviewed 246 adults along a recently-constructed bicycle boulevard and two comparison streets with no recent changes in cycling infrastructure. One comparison street had a separate multi-use path and the other had no cycling infrastructure. Questions addressed time spent cycling in the past week and 2 years prior and potential socio-demographic and psychosocial correlates of cycling, including safety concerns. Finally, we asked participants what could be done to make cycling safer and more attractive. We examined predictors of cycling using gender-stratified generalized linear models. Women interviewed along the street with a separate path reported cycling more than women on the other streets. A more favorable attitude towards cycling and greater habit strength were associated with more cycling in both men and women. Qualitative data revealed generally positive views about the bicycle boulevard, a need for education about sharing the road and for better cycling infrastructure in general. Our results suggest that, even in smaller cities, cycling infrastructure may encourage cycling, especially among women.

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