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Antonio Scala - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Atypical outbreak of acute Coenurosis by Taenia multiceps in a sheep flock
Parasitology Research, 2018Co-Authors: Davide Pintus, Antonio Varcasia, Claudia Tamponi, Maria Lucia Manunta, Giorgia Dessì, Giovanni Antonio Carboni, Maria Giovanna Cancedda, Ciriaco Ligios, Antonio ScalaAbstract:Herein, we examined the brain of adult ewes and lambs less than 30 days old which were found affected by neurological signs in a flock located in Sardinia (Italy). Gross anatomo-pathological examination of all brains of the animals revealed multiple linear reddish-yellow foci of necrotic purulent inflammation due to oncosphere migration. Histologically, we confirmed a multifocal pyo-granulomatous meningo-encephalitis both in ewes and in lambs, confirming acute Coenurosis. Morphological examination and DNA sequencing identified the Taenia multiceps we isolated as Tm1 strain. This report describes for the first time a natural acute Coenurosis infection in suckling lambs under 30 days of age.
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RESEARCH Open Access Is the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) a competent definitive host for Taenia multiceps?
2016Co-Authors: Antonio Varcasia, Anna Paola Pipia, Claudia Tamponi, Gabriele Tosciri, Francesco Dore, Rolf Karl Schuster, Omnia Mohamed K, Maria Lucia Manunta, Antonio ScalaAbstract:Background: Shepherd and stray dogs are thought to represent the primary definitive hosts of Coenurosis by Taenia multiceps, due to their feeding habits which translate into high chances of coming into contact with infected intermediate hosts. Nonetheless, little attention has been paid to the role of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the epidemiology of Coenurosis. In fact a knowledge gap exists on the role played by red foxes in the epidemiology of Taenia multiceps and the capability of this parasite to produce fertile and viable eggs in this wild canid, i.e. on the occurrence of a sylvatic cycle. This study investigates the role of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the epidemiology of T. multiceps and related metacestodoses. Methods: The small intestine of 63 red foxes was macroscopically examined for the presence of cestodes. Adult parasites were identified morphologically as being T. multiceps. Tapeworm eggs were counted and stored at 4 °C in physiological saline solution prior to experimental infection of four sheep and one goat. Sheep were inoculate
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brain creatine kinase isoenzyme ck bb as a possible biomarker for the diagnosis in vivo of ovine Coenurosis in a naturally infected flock
Small Ruminant Research, 2010Co-Authors: S Paltrinieri, Antonio Varcasia, Stefania Cazzaniga, A Giordano, Anna Paola Pipia, Raffaele Marrosu, Antonio ScalaAbstract:Abstract To assess the possible role of the “brain isoenzyme” of creatine kinase (CK-BB) as an early diagnostic tools for cerebral Coenurosis we examined sera from 68 sheep (10–13 months old) from a flock on which cerebral Coenurosis was endemical. After sampling, sheep were slaughtered, and neurological lesions were classified as purulent-necrotic migratory lesions or cystic lesions. The discriminating power of CK-BB to diagnose cerebral Coenurosis was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The prevalence of cerebral Coenurosis was 39.7% (27/68). Migratory lesions were found in 23 sheep (85.1%), cystic lesions in 3 sheep (11.2%) and both lesions were found in 1 sheep (3.7%). The most abundant isoenzymes detected both in controls and in sheep with cerebral Coenurosis were CK-MM, Macro-CK2 and CK-BB. No significant differences regarding absolute values of CK-BB were found suggesting that CK-BB is not released in serum during cerebral Coenurosis. Conversely, CK-MM was significantly lower ( P P P
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A survey of Taenia multiceps Coenurosis in Sardinian sheep
Veterinary Parasitology, 2006Co-Authors: Antonio Scala, Antonio Varcasia, Ciriaco Ligios, Giovanni Garippa, Giovanna Maria Cancedda, Claudio GenchiAbstract:A survey was carried out to assess the occurrence of Coenurus cerebralis infection in Sardinian sheep. A prevalence of 0.35% was observed when 566 regularly slaughtered sheep were examined. However, in 120 sheep with suspected symptoms of Coenurosis examined from November 2001 to October 2002, a total of 299 cerebral Coenurosis lesions were observed with an incidence of 1% per year. Lesions were classified as migratory, cystic and secondary. Most migratory lesions were found in sheep aged 3-6 months. Cavitary lesions containing cysts in different developing stages were found with high incidence per year in sheep aged 7-12 months. Secondary lesions due to the development of Coenurus were most frequent in sheep aged 19-36 months. Most sheep were found infected in spring and in early summer, between March and June. Most lesions were located in the cortex. The mean number of protoscolices per cyst was 149 (range 10-370).
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updates on morphobiology epidemiology and molecular characterization of Coenurosis in sheep
Parassitologia, 2006Co-Authors: Antonio Scala, Antonio VarcasiaAbstract:Taenia multiceps (Leske, 1780) is a taeniid cestode that in its adult stage lives in the small intestine of dogs and other canids. The metacestode, previously known as Coenurus cerebralis, is usually found in the nervous system including brain and spinal cord in sheep and other ruminants. The presence of cysts typically leads to neurological symptoms that in the majority of cases result in the death of the animal from starvation after some weeks. Coenurosis could cause high losses in sheep farms because the disease affects young animals that the farmers grow up each year as replacements of the older individuals. Coenurosis is also a zoonosis with more than 100 human cases described in literature, of which the last in Italy and almost 5 reported in Sardinia. In the last years, the popularity of Coenurosis has increased in sheep breedings because of the necessity to operate a differential diagnosis from another neurological disease, scrapie, particularly in atypical cases of Coenurosis that could occur also in adult (2-3 years of age) sheep.
Antonio Varcasia - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Atypical outbreak of acute Coenurosis by Taenia multiceps in a sheep flock
Parasitology Research, 2018Co-Authors: Davide Pintus, Antonio Varcasia, Claudia Tamponi, Maria Lucia Manunta, Giorgia Dessì, Giovanni Antonio Carboni, Maria Giovanna Cancedda, Ciriaco Ligios, Antonio ScalaAbstract:Herein, we examined the brain of adult ewes and lambs less than 30 days old which were found affected by neurological signs in a flock located in Sardinia (Italy). Gross anatomo-pathological examination of all brains of the animals revealed multiple linear reddish-yellow foci of necrotic purulent inflammation due to oncosphere migration. Histologically, we confirmed a multifocal pyo-granulomatous meningo-encephalitis both in ewes and in lambs, confirming acute Coenurosis. Morphological examination and DNA sequencing identified the Taenia multiceps we isolated as Tm1 strain. This report describes for the first time a natural acute Coenurosis infection in suckling lambs under 30 days of age.
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RESEARCH Open Access Is the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) a competent definitive host for Taenia multiceps?
2016Co-Authors: Antonio Varcasia, Anna Paola Pipia, Claudia Tamponi, Gabriele Tosciri, Francesco Dore, Rolf Karl Schuster, Omnia Mohamed K, Maria Lucia Manunta, Antonio ScalaAbstract:Background: Shepherd and stray dogs are thought to represent the primary definitive hosts of Coenurosis by Taenia multiceps, due to their feeding habits which translate into high chances of coming into contact with infected intermediate hosts. Nonetheless, little attention has been paid to the role of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the epidemiology of Coenurosis. In fact a knowledge gap exists on the role played by red foxes in the epidemiology of Taenia multiceps and the capability of this parasite to produce fertile and viable eggs in this wild canid, i.e. on the occurrence of a sylvatic cycle. This study investigates the role of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the epidemiology of T. multiceps and related metacestodoses. Methods: The small intestine of 63 red foxes was macroscopically examined for the presence of cestodes. Adult parasites were identified morphologically as being T. multiceps. Tapeworm eggs were counted and stored at 4 °C in physiological saline solution prior to experimental infection of four sheep and one goat. Sheep were inoculate
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Morphological and molecular characterization of bovine Coenurosis in Sardinia, Italy
Parasitology Research, 2013Co-Authors: Antonio Varcasia, Anna Paola Pipia, Claudia Tamponi, Giovanni Garippa, D. Arru, A. M. Pes, F. Dore, A. ScalaAbstract:Coenurosis is a central nervous system disease of wild and domestic ruminants caused by Coenurus cerebralis , a bladder worm stage of Taenia multiceps ). Even in Sardinia island, this metacestode seems to be widespread in sheep (Scala et al. Vet Parasitol 143(3–4):294–298, 2007 ) where Coenurosis is an important health problem (Varcasia et al. Parasitol Res 99(5):622–626, 2006 ) the last and unique report of Coenurosis in cattle was in 1990 (Cubeddu et al. 1990 ). In the present paper, a case of bovine Coenurosis in Sardinia was described 22 years after the first report with a morphological a biomolecular characterization. A 2-year-old Limousine bull was euthanized in the Bolotana (NU) municipality (Central Sardinia). The remote anamnesis achieved from the farmer reporting that the bull showed neurological symptoms from 1 year of age previously classified as nutritional problems by the farm’s veterinary. The breeder also says that the bull have by self-produced the skull fracture by hitting a gaff in the farm. The skull was opened and the brain removed and carefully examined showing two coenurus cysts containing clear fluid with numerous scoleces both in the right hemisphere. Morphological features of the cysts and mt-DNA sequencing confirm that the parasites were T. multiceps Coenuri.
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brain creatine kinase isoenzyme ck bb as a possible biomarker for the diagnosis in vivo of ovine Coenurosis in a naturally infected flock
Small Ruminant Research, 2010Co-Authors: S Paltrinieri, Antonio Varcasia, Stefania Cazzaniga, A Giordano, Anna Paola Pipia, Raffaele Marrosu, Antonio ScalaAbstract:Abstract To assess the possible role of the “brain isoenzyme” of creatine kinase (CK-BB) as an early diagnostic tools for cerebral Coenurosis we examined sera from 68 sheep (10–13 months old) from a flock on which cerebral Coenurosis was endemical. After sampling, sheep were slaughtered, and neurological lesions were classified as purulent-necrotic migratory lesions or cystic lesions. The discriminating power of CK-BB to diagnose cerebral Coenurosis was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The prevalence of cerebral Coenurosis was 39.7% (27/68). Migratory lesions were found in 23 sheep (85.1%), cystic lesions in 3 sheep (11.2%) and both lesions were found in 1 sheep (3.7%). The most abundant isoenzymes detected both in controls and in sheep with cerebral Coenurosis were CK-MM, Macro-CK2 and CK-BB. No significant differences regarding absolute values of CK-BB were found suggesting that CK-BB is not released in serum during cerebral Coenurosis. Conversely, CK-MM was significantly lower ( P P P
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A survey of Taenia multiceps Coenurosis in Sardinian sheep
Veterinary Parasitology, 2006Co-Authors: Antonio Scala, Antonio Varcasia, Ciriaco Ligios, Giovanni Garippa, Giovanna Maria Cancedda, Claudio GenchiAbstract:A survey was carried out to assess the occurrence of Coenurus cerebralis infection in Sardinian sheep. A prevalence of 0.35% was observed when 566 regularly slaughtered sheep were examined. However, in 120 sheep with suspected symptoms of Coenurosis examined from November 2001 to October 2002, a total of 299 cerebral Coenurosis lesions were observed with an incidence of 1% per year. Lesions were classified as migratory, cystic and secondary. Most migratory lesions were found in sheep aged 3-6 months. Cavitary lesions containing cysts in different developing stages were found with high incidence per year in sheep aged 7-12 months. Secondary lesions due to the development of Coenurus were most frequent in sheep aged 19-36 months. Most sheep were found infected in spring and in early summer, between March and June. Most lesions were located in the cortex. The mean number of protoscolices per cyst was 149 (range 10-370).
Scala Antonio - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Molecular characterization of subcutaneous and muscular Coenurosis of goats in United Arab Emirates
'Elsevier BV', 2012Co-Authors: Varcasia Antonio, Pipia, Anna Paola, Garippa Giovanni, Scala Antonio, Jia W. Z., Yan H. B., Manunta, Maria Lucia Gabriella M., Schuster R.k.Abstract:Coenurosis is a parasitic disease caused by the larval stage of Taenia multiceps, which affects various ruminants species, particularly sheep and goats, and occasionally humans. In this note, non-cerebral Coenurosis in goats with the goal to compare morphological and biomolecular characteristics is focused in order to determine if the non-cerebral specimens should be considered a new specie or a strain of T. multiceps. Three hundred goats slaughtered with macroscopic lesions due to the presence of metacestodes were examined in an abattoir in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in order to evaluate the presence of extra-cerebral coenuri. Forty-eight coenuri were found under the skin, between fasciae of the skeletal muscles, diaphragm and in the abdominal cavities. Morphologically, the examined non-cerebral coenuri recovered showed the same features reported by other authors for Coenurus cerebralis, but their location outside the central nervous system suggests that they may be a different strain or genetic variants of T. multiceps. Nine caprine coenuri were then processed for sequencing of mitochondrial partial COI (396 bp) and ND1 (471 bp) genes indicating that they had a pairwise distance of 1.0–1.3% and 2.4–4.1% compared with parasite’ COI sequences from Italy (Tm1–Tm3 strains) and Erzurum strains of ovine origin, respectively; whereas it had 0.6–1.3% and 0.4–1.1% pairwise distance for ND1. Phylogenetic trees of their ND1 and COI sequences using the maximum composite likelihood method with MEGA showed that these nine parasites recovered in Emirates abattoir could be grouped into a new strain. In conclusion, morphological and molecular characterization of caprine Coenurosis from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, shows that the specimens are significantly different from other strains or genotypes in COI sequence, which suggests that they should belong to different genotypes or strains of T. multiceps
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Brain creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-BB) as a possible biomarker for the diagnosis in vivo of ovine Coenurosis in a naturally infected flock
'Elsevier BV', 2010Co-Authors: Paltrinieri Saverio, Varcasia Antonio, Pipia, Anna Paola, Cazzaniga Stefania, Giordano Alessia, Marrosu Raffaele, Scala AntonioAbstract:To assess the possible role of the “brain isoenzyme” of creatine kinase (CK-BB) as an early diagnostic tools for cerebral Coenurosis we examined sera from 68 sheep (10–13 months old) from a flock on which cerebral Coenurosis was endemical. After sampling, sheep were slaughtered, and neurological lesions were classified as purulent-necrotic migratory lesions or cystic lesions. The discriminating power of CK-BB to diagnose cerebral Coenurosis was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The prevalence of cerebral Coenurosis was 39.7% (27/68). Migratory lesions were found in 23 sheep (85.1%), cystic lesions in 3 sheep (11.2%) and both lesions were found in 1 sheep (3.7%). The most abundant isoenzymes detected both in controls and in sheep with cerebral Coenurosis were CK-MM, Macro-CK2 and CK-BB. No significant differences regarding absolute values of CK-BB were found suggesting that CK-BB is not released in serum during cerebral Coenurosis. Conversely, CK-MM was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in sheep with cerebral Coenurosis compared with controls, inducing a relative increase of the percentage of CK-BB (P < 0.05). This latter increase had a good discriminating power (area under the ROC curve: 0.71; P < 0.000). Although at its best diagnostic performance (CK-BB higher than 24,4%) sensitivity and specificity were moderate (66.7% and 68.3%, respectively), the likelihood ratio of increased CK-BB was 2.10. The increased percentage of CK-BB can thus be useful in the diagnostic approach to suspected cases of cerebral Coenurosis, when the pre-test probability of disease is high
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Preliminary field trial of a vaccine against Coenurosis caused by Taenia multiceps
'Elsevier BV', 2009Co-Authors: Varcasia Antonio, Tosciri G., Sanna Coccone, Gian Nicola, Pipia, Anna Paola, Garippa Giovanni, Scala Antonio, Vural Gülay, Gauci, Charles G., Lightowlers, Marshall W.Abstract:Taenia multiceps is a taeniid cestode that in its adult stage lives in the small intestine of dogs and other canids. In the intermediate hosts, the larval stage of T. multiceps causes Coenurosis, a common disease in the CNS of ruminants, which typically leads to the death of the infected animals. Recent research into new methods for control of Coenurosis and other taeniid cestode infections such as hydatidosis has identified vaccination as a potentially valuable new tool. In order to test the applicability of vaccination as an approach for control of T. multiceps infection in sheep, a field trial was carried out against natural infection in Sardinian farms (Italy) with recombinant proteins of T. multiceps. The recombinant proteins with Quil A as adjuvant were injected subcutaneously, the first administered to lambs at 10–12 weeks of age and a booster dose given after 2–4 weeks. A total of 632 sheep were selected, belonging to the “replacement quota” of six different farms, of which 424 were used as controls (unvaccinated) and 208 were vaccinated. After a period of more than 40 months from the beginning of the field trial, 33 episodes of cerebral Coenurosis occurred in the monitored farms, including 32 cases in control sheep and l case in a vaccinated animal. Statistical analysis revealed a significant reduction in the number of Coenurosis cases in the vaccinated animals (χ2 = 14.08, P < 0.001). This is the first successful field test of a practical vaccine against T. multiceps and, considering the high degree of effectiveness achieved, could be a prelude to routine application in field situations of particular risk, such as Sardinia
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Updates on morphobiology, epidemiology and molecular characterization of Coenurosis in sheep
For the University of Rome "La Sapienza" by Lombardo Editore, 2006Co-Authors: Scala Antonio, Varcasia AntonioAbstract:Taenia multiceps (Leske, 1780) is a taeniid cestode that in its adult stage lives in the small intestine of dogs and other canids. The metacestode, previously known as Coenurus cerebralis, is usually found in the nervous system including brain and spinal cord in sheep and other ruminants. The presence of cysts typically leads to neurological symptoms that in the majority of cases result in the death of the animal from starvation after some weeks. Coenurosis could cause high losses in sheep farms because the disease affects young animals that the farmers grow up each year as replacements of the older individuals. Coenurosis is also a zoonosis with more than 100 human cases described in literature, of which the last in Italy and almost 5 reported in Sardinia. In the last years, the popularity of Coenurosis has increased in sheep breedings because of the necessity to operate a differential diagnosis from another neurological disease, scrapie, particularly in atypical cases of Coenurosis that could occur also in adult (2-3 years of age) sheep
Anna Paola Pipia - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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RESEARCH Open Access Is the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) a competent definitive host for Taenia multiceps?
2016Co-Authors: Antonio Varcasia, Anna Paola Pipia, Claudia Tamponi, Gabriele Tosciri, Francesco Dore, Rolf Karl Schuster, Omnia Mohamed K, Maria Lucia Manunta, Antonio ScalaAbstract:Background: Shepherd and stray dogs are thought to represent the primary definitive hosts of Coenurosis by Taenia multiceps, due to their feeding habits which translate into high chances of coming into contact with infected intermediate hosts. Nonetheless, little attention has been paid to the role of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the epidemiology of Coenurosis. In fact a knowledge gap exists on the role played by red foxes in the epidemiology of Taenia multiceps and the capability of this parasite to produce fertile and viable eggs in this wild canid, i.e. on the occurrence of a sylvatic cycle. This study investigates the role of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the epidemiology of T. multiceps and related metacestodoses. Methods: The small intestine of 63 red foxes was macroscopically examined for the presence of cestodes. Adult parasites were identified morphologically as being T. multiceps. Tapeworm eggs were counted and stored at 4 °C in physiological saline solution prior to experimental infection of four sheep and one goat. Sheep were inoculate
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Morphological and molecular characterization of bovine Coenurosis in Sardinia, Italy
Parasitology Research, 2013Co-Authors: Antonio Varcasia, Anna Paola Pipia, Claudia Tamponi, Giovanni Garippa, D. Arru, A. M. Pes, F. Dore, A. ScalaAbstract:Coenurosis is a central nervous system disease of wild and domestic ruminants caused by Coenurus cerebralis , a bladder worm stage of Taenia multiceps ). Even in Sardinia island, this metacestode seems to be widespread in sheep (Scala et al. Vet Parasitol 143(3–4):294–298, 2007 ) where Coenurosis is an important health problem (Varcasia et al. Parasitol Res 99(5):622–626, 2006 ) the last and unique report of Coenurosis in cattle was in 1990 (Cubeddu et al. 1990 ). In the present paper, a case of bovine Coenurosis in Sardinia was described 22 years after the first report with a morphological a biomolecular characterization. A 2-year-old Limousine bull was euthanized in the Bolotana (NU) municipality (Central Sardinia). The remote anamnesis achieved from the farmer reporting that the bull showed neurological symptoms from 1 year of age previously classified as nutritional problems by the farm’s veterinary. The breeder also says that the bull have by self-produced the skull fracture by hitting a gaff in the farm. The skull was opened and the brain removed and carefully examined showing two coenurus cysts containing clear fluid with numerous scoleces both in the right hemisphere. Morphological features of the cysts and mt-DNA sequencing confirm that the parasites were T. multiceps Coenuri.
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brain creatine kinase isoenzyme ck bb as a possible biomarker for the diagnosis in vivo of ovine Coenurosis in a naturally infected flock
Small Ruminant Research, 2010Co-Authors: S Paltrinieri, Antonio Varcasia, Stefania Cazzaniga, A Giordano, Anna Paola Pipia, Raffaele Marrosu, Antonio ScalaAbstract:Abstract To assess the possible role of the “brain isoenzyme” of creatine kinase (CK-BB) as an early diagnostic tools for cerebral Coenurosis we examined sera from 68 sheep (10–13 months old) from a flock on which cerebral Coenurosis was endemical. After sampling, sheep were slaughtered, and neurological lesions were classified as purulent-necrotic migratory lesions or cystic lesions. The discriminating power of CK-BB to diagnose cerebral Coenurosis was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The prevalence of cerebral Coenurosis was 39.7% (27/68). Migratory lesions were found in 23 sheep (85.1%), cystic lesions in 3 sheep (11.2%) and both lesions were found in 1 sheep (3.7%). The most abundant isoenzymes detected both in controls and in sheep with cerebral Coenurosis were CK-MM, Macro-CK2 and CK-BB. No significant differences regarding absolute values of CK-BB were found suggesting that CK-BB is not released in serum during cerebral Coenurosis. Conversely, CK-MM was significantly lower ( P P P
Philip Scott - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Diagnosis and treatment of Coenurosis in sheep
Veterinary parasitology, 2012Co-Authors: Philip ScottAbstract:Coenurosis is a disease of the central nervous system in sheep, caused by Coenurus cerebralis, the larval stage of Taenia multiceps, a tapeworm, which infests the small intestine of carnivores. In 80-90% of cases, the cyst is located in one cerebral hemisphere, whilst in 5-10% of cases, it is localised in the cerebellum; rarely it involves two sites in the brain of the affected animal. Listeriosis, louping-ill, sarcocystosis and polioencephalomalacia and brain abscessation should be considered when formulating a diagnosis of acute Coenurosis. In all cases, it is essential to carefully examine the animal and not simply rely on results of ancillary tests (mainly of cerebrospinal fluid examination), as disorders other than Coenurosis can be responsible for changes in the results of these tests. Treatment is based on surgical removal of the coenurus cyst after general anaesthesia of the animal; the approach has a very good success rate, especially after accurate localisation of the lesion. Despite that, many farmers may choose to slaughter those sheep fit for marketing for economic reasons and euthanise those in poor condition.