Antimicrobial activity of the ornamental species Salvia corrugata, a potential new crop for extractive purposes

As a part of our search for biologically active compounds from cultivated Salvia spp. we investigated Salvia corrugata Vahl. The activity of two isolated icetaxane diterpene quinones, fruticuline A and demethylfruticuline A, was assessed against 46 bacterial pathogens, mostly resistant to several primary antibiotics. The MIC for all the inhibited Gram-positive pathogens tested showed a very narrow distribution and ranged from 32 to 64 mg/L, regardless of their resistance patterns to other antibiotics. Demethylfruticuline A was shown to be highly bactericidal (>3 log(10) CFU decrease within 24 h) against Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis and bacteriostatic against Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium. Fruticuline A manifested bacteriostatic activity against all tested strains. S. corrugata can be viewed as an interesting source for these diterpenes, which, if well tolerated in vivo, may represent new medical agents useful for the treatment of serious infections caused by resistant Gram-positive pathogens.     

Cross-sectional study on acrylamide hemoglobin adducts in subpopulations from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study

Acrylamide exposure was investigated in subgroups of the EPIC study population (510 subjects from 9 European countries, randomly selected and stratified by age, gender, and smoking status) using hemoglobin adducts of acrylamide (HbAA) and its primary metabolite glycidamide (HbGA). Blood samples were analyzed for HbAA and HbGA by HPLC/MS/MS. Statistical models for HbAA and HbGA were developed including body mass index (BMI), educational level, and physical activity. A large variability in acrylamide exposure and metabolism between individuals and country groups was observed with HbAA and HbGA values ranging between 15-623 and 8-377 pmol/g of Hb, respectively. Both adducts differed significantly by country, sex, and smoking status. HbGA values were significantly lower in high alcohol consumers than in moderate consumers. With increasing BMI, HbGA in nonsmokers and HbAA in smokers decreased significantly. In the assessment of potential health effects related to acrylamide exposure, country of origin, BMI, alcohol consumption, sex, and smoking status should be considered.     

Multiple glomus tumors of the urinary bladder in a cow associated with bovine papillomavirus type 2 (BPV-2) infection

We report a case of multiple glomus tumors associated with bovine papillomavirus type 2 (BPV-2) infection in the urinary bladder of a 13-year-old cow suffering from severe chronic enzootic hematuria. Macroscopically, multiple submucosal reddish nodules were seen swelling the vesical mucosa. Histologically, neoplastic proliferation was characterized by the presence of numerous blood vessels. These were lined by normal endothelial cells surrounded by round epithelioid cells with central nuclei, prominent nucleoli, acidophilic cytoplasm, and well-defined cytoplasmic borders. Tumor cells were distributed around open vascular lumina and in perivascular spaces. They were immunohistochemically positive for actin and vimentin and negative for cytokeratins, desmin, and factor VIII-related antigen. On the basis of these findings, this tumor was diagnosed as glomus tumor, a neoplasm not previously reported in cattle and exceedingly rare in animals. BPV-2 DNA was amplified from the formalin-fixed, paraffin-processed tissue specimens obtained by laser capture microdissection. This report widens the spectrum of mesenchymal tumors of the bovine urinary bladder. Finally, the microscopic pattern of tumor described here shares striking morphologic and immunohistochemical similarities with the angiomatous form of glomus tumor known to occur in man.     

Cutaneous sterile pyogranuloma/granuloma syndrome in a dog

A case of canine cutaneous sterile pyogranuloma/granuloma syndrome (SPGS) with generalized asymmetrical alopecia and plaques is described. Results from histopathologic examination were suggestive of SPGS and failed to demonstrate any etiological agent. A systematic approach on how to definitively rule out infectious skin diseases is discussed.     

Application of 10% imidacloprid/50% permethrin to prevent Ehrlichia canis exposure in dogs under natural conditions

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) caused by Ehrlichia canis is the most known canine tick-borne disease (TBD) spread throughout the world. Preventing tick bites is a priority to reduce the risk of TBDs and it was the aim of the present study to evaluate the efficacy of a combination of imidacloprid 10% and permethrin 50% (ImPer) (Advantix; Bayer AG, Germany) in a spot-on formulation to control CME under field conditions. On January-March 2005, 845 dogs from two kennels in southern Italy (kennels of Bari (KB)- and Ginosa (KG)), with a history of tick infestation were initially tested by serology and PCR assay for E. canis infection. Data on Leishmania infantum infection were also available from a previous study carried out on the same dog population. One hundred twenty-six dogs (14.9%) presented anti-E. canis antibodies with a relative prevalence of 15.6% (n=65 dogs in KB) and 14.2% (n=61 dogs in KG). Five hundred thirty-five animals found negative both for E. canis and L. infantum infections were enrolled in three groups (Group A--treated with ImPer once a month; Group B--treated every 2 weeks; and Group C--untreated control animals) and monitored for E. canis infection by serology and PCR in November 2005 (first follow-up) and in March 2006 (second follow-up). The E. canis infection was serologically revealed, at the first and/or second follow-up, in 26 animals from Group C in KB and KG (mean incidence density rate (IDR), 13.24%) while in none of the animals from Group A (KB and KG) and only in one animal from Group B (IDR 1.13%) in KG. The final protection efficacy of ImPer ranged from 95.57% to 100% in Groups B and A. At PCR only 15 dogs from KG were positive for Rickettsiales only at the first follow-up and at the sequence analysis two (both in Group C) revealed 100% homology with E. canis sequences while 13 with Anaplasma platys. Four out of 13 A. platys PCR-positive dogs were also seropositive for E. canis at one or both follow-ups. ImPer, by virtue of its repellent and acaricidal activity against ticks, has been shown to be efficacious to prevent E. canis infection in treated dogs living under natural conditions in endemic areas.     

Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships between Leishmania infantum from dogs,humans and wildlife in south‐east Spain

Leishmania infantum causes human and canine leishmaniosis. The parasite, transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies, infects species other than dogs and people, including wildlife, although their role as reservoirs of infection remains unknown for most species. Molecular typing of parasites to investigate genetic variability and evolutionary proximity can help understand transmission cycles and designing control strategies. We investigated Leishmania DNA variability in kinetoplast (kDNA) and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequences in asymptomatically infected wildlife (n = 58) and symptomatically and asymptomatically infected humans (n = 38) and dogs (n = 15) from south‐east Spain, using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and in silico restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses. All ITS2 sequences (n = 76) displayed a 99%–100% nucleotide identity with a L. infantum reference sequence, except one with a 98% identity to a reference Leishmania panamensis sequence, from an Ecuadorian patient. No heterogeneity was recorded in the 73 L. infantum ITS2 sequences except for one SNP in a human parasite sequence. In contrast, kDNA analysis of 44 L. infantum sequences revealed 11 SNP genotypes (nucleotide variability up to 4.3%) and four RFLP genotypes including B, F and newly described S and T genotypes. Genotype frequency was significantly greater in symptomatic compared to asymptomatic individuals. Both methods similarly grouped parasites as predominantly or exclusively found in humans, in dogs, in wildlife or in all three of them. Accordingly, the phylogenetic analysis of kDNA sequences revealed three main clusters, two as a paraphyletic human parasites clade and a third including dogs, people and wildlife parasites. Results suggest that Leishmania infantum genetics is complex even in small geographical areas and that, probably, several independent transmission cycles take place simultaneously including some connecting animals and humans. Investigating these transmission networks may be useful in understanding the transmission dynamics, infection risk and therefore in planning L. infantum control strategies.