Publications

besnoitia besnoiti among cattle in insular and northwestern italy: endemic infection or isolated outbreaks?	bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the apicomplexan besnoitia besnoiti, is a chronic and debilitating disease considered as emerging in europe. in spain, portugal and france it is endemic and foci of infection were recorded in germany, switzerland, hungary, greece and italy. in italy, cases of bovine besnoitiosis were registered both in imported and autochthonous cattle, and mostly in central regions; high seroprevalence was also revealed by an epidemiological survey performed in the southern part o ...	2014	25491281
besnoitia besnoiti infection in cattle and mice: ultrastructural pathology in acute and chronic besnoitiosis.	current knowledge on bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the emerging apicomplexan pathogen besnoitia besnoiti, is still fragmentary. so far, studies dealing with ultrastructural pathology focused mainly on the easily accessible chronic stage, whereas ultrastructural investigations of tachyzoites were confined to in vitro studies. in the study presented here, the ultrastructural pathology of naturally b. besnoiti-infected cattle in the acute and chronic disease stages and experimentally b. besnoiti-i ...	2015	25576189
epidemiologic study on besnoitia besnoiti infection in dairy herds in jordan.	besnoitia besnoiti is an apicomplexan parasite and the causative agent of bovine besnoitiosis which is considered as a re-emergent disease in europe. a cross-sectional serological study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and to identify risk factors associated with b. besnoiti infection in 68 dairy herds (n = 806 cows) in jordan during the period from january to june 2007 and the spring of 2014. data regarding herd's management was obtained by filling questionnaires through personal i ...	2015	25843571
natural besnoitia besnoiti infections in cattle: hematological alterations and changes in serum chemistry and enzyme activities.	the emerging disease bovine besnoitiosis is caused by the apicomplexan parasite besnoitia besnoiti. clinical signs of acute besnoitiosis are pyrexia, anorexia and subcutaneous edema. in subacute and chronic besnoitiosis parasitic cysts arise in a variety of tissues and affected cattle display skin lesions and weight loss. in all stages of bovine besnoitiosis, lesions can be found in many organ systems and therefore presumably alter a variety of laboratory parameters. in this study, the impact of ...	2015	25880447
natural besnoitia besnoiti infections in cattle: chronology of disease progression.	bovine besnoitiosis is an emerging protozoan disease in cattle. neither vaccines nor chemotherapeutic drugs are currently available for prevention and treatment of besnoitia besnoiti infections. therefore the implementation of appropriate disease management strategies is of utmost importance. the aim of this longitudinal study was to complement current knowledge on the chronology of disease progression. this was realized by correlating clinical findings in early stages of naturally acquired bovi ...	2015	25886463
experimental infections of rabbits with proliferative and latent stages of besnoitia besnoiti.	cattle besnoitiosis due to besnoitia besnoiti is spreading across europe and is responsible for severe economic losses in newly infected herds. experimentally speaking, rabbits have been found to be susceptible to this parasite. the adaptation of b. besnoiti to rabbits may offer a new, easier and cheaper model of investigation for this disease. this study compared the virulence between tachyzoites and bradyzoites of b. besnoiti in rabbits. eighteen new zealand rabbits were allocated into three g ...	2015	26143866
clinical and serological dynamics of besnoitia besnoiti infection in three endemically infected beef cattle herds.	the dynamics of bovine besnoitiosis were studied in an area where the disease is endemic. a four-year longitudinal study was conducted for the first time in three infected beef cattle herds located in the urbasa-andía mountains (navarra, spain). each herd was visited four to seven times, and clinical and serological prevalence rates and incidence rates were estimated. clinical inspections to identify compatible clinical signs with the disease stages were conducted at the beginning and end of the ...	2017	26301388
screening of bat faeces for arthropod-borne apicomplexan protozoa: babesia canis and besnoitia besnoiti-like sequences from chiroptera.	bats are among the most eco-epidemiologically important mammals, owing to their presence in human settlements and animal keeping facilities. roosting of bats in buildings may bring pathogens of veterinary-medical importance into the environment of domestic animals and humans. in this context bats have long been studied as carriers of various pathogen groups. however, despite their close association with arthropods (both in their food and as their ectoparasites), only a few molecular surveys have ...	2015	26315069
vector-borne transmission of besnoitia besnoiti by blood-sucking and secretophagous flies: epidemiological and clinicopathological implications.	bovine besnoitiosis has been recently diagnosed in a three-parted herd of 796 aubrac and charolais beef cattle in hungary. a large scale serological, histological and molecular survey was initiated in order to uncover important factors in the local epidemiology of the disease.	2015	26338535
anti-neospora caninum and anti-sarcocystis spp. specific antibodies cross-react with besnoitia besnoiti and influence the serological diagnosis of bovine besnoitiosis.	bovine besnoitiosis control remains a challenge because the disease continues to spread and control relies solely on accurate diagnosis coupled to management measures. however, recent studies have reported that routinely used elisas may raise a high number of false-positive results. herein, cross-reactions between besnoitia besnoiti antigens and anti-neospora caninum and/or anti-sarcocystis spp.-specific antibodies were studied in an in house elisa since n. caninum and sarcocystis spp. are close ...	2015	26386830
endoparasite survey of free-swimming baleen whales (balaenoptera musculus, b. physalus, b. borealis) and sperm whales (physeter macrocephalus) using non/minimally invasive methods.	a number of parasitic diseases have gained importance as neozoan opportunistic infections in the marine environment. here, we report on the gastrointestinal endoparasite fauna of three baleen whale species and one toothed whale: blue (balaenoptera musculus), fin (balaenoptera physalus), and sei whales (balaenoptera borealis) and sperm whales (physeter macrocephalus) from the azores islands, portugal. in total, 17 individual whale fecal samples [n = 10 (b. physalus); n = 4 (p. macrocephalus); n = ...	2016	26593736
naturally acquired bovine besnoitiosis: differential distribution of parasites in the skin of chronically infected cattle.	bovine besnoitiosis is caused by besnoitia besnoiti, an apicomplexan parasite closely related to toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum. in the acute stage of besnoitiosis, cattle suffer from pyrexia, swollen lymph nodes, anorexia and subcutaneous edema. in the chronic stage, tissue cysts are formed in a variety of tissues including the skin. knowledge about the distribution of tissue cysts of different parts of the skin of infected animals is scarce. four chronically infected cattle were euthan ...	2016	26801602
characterization of an igg monoclonal antibody targeted to both tissue cyst and sporocyst walls of toxoplasma gondii.	toxoplasma gondii infects animals habiting terrestrial and aquatic environments. its oocysts and tissue cysts are important for the horizontal transmission of this parasite. the oocyst and tissue cyst walls are crucial for the ability of the parasite to persist in the environment or in animal tissues, respectively. however, the composition of these walls is not well understood. we report the generation of monoclonal antibodies directed against wall components using mice immunized with oocyst ant ...	2016	26836446
besnoitia besnoiti infections activate primary bovine endothelial cells and promote pmn adhesion and net formation under physiological flow condition.	besnoitia besnoiti is an obligate intracellular and emerging coccidian parasite of cattle that mainly infects host endothelial cells during acute infection. we here analyzed early innate immune reactions of b. besnoiti-infected primary bovine umbilical vein endothelial cells (buvec). b. besnoiti infections significantly activated buvec since the gene transcripts of several adhesion molecules (p-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule 1(icam-1)), chemokines (cxcl1, cxcl8, ccl5), and of cox-2 we ...	2016	26847631
metabolic signatures of besnoitia besnoiti-infected endothelial host cells and blockage of key metabolic pathways indicate high glycolytic and glutaminolytic needs of the parasite.	besnoitia besnoiti is an obligate intracellular and emerging coccidian parasite of cattle with a significant economic impact on cattle industry. during acute infection, fast-proliferating tachyzoites are continuously formed mainly in endothelial host cells of infected animals. given that offspring formation is a highly energy and cell building block demanding process, the parasite needs to exploit host cellular metabolism to meet its metabolic demands. here, we analyzed the metabolic signatures ...	2016	26852124
besnoitia besnoiti lytic cycle in vitro and differences in invasion and intracellular proliferation among isolates.	bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the protozoan besnoitia besnoiti, reduces productivity and fertility of affected herds. besnoitiosis continues to expand in europe and no effective control tools are currently available. experimental models are urgently needed. herein, we describe for the first time the kinetics of standardised in vitro models for the b. besnoiti lytic cycle. this will aid to study the pathogenesis of the disease, in the screening for vaccine targets and drugs potentially useful fo ...	2016	26928430
characterization of an outbreak of emerging bovine besnoitiosis in southwestern spain.	bovine besnoitiosis is an emerging disease in europe, presenting quick spread toward central and southern spain. characterization of an outbreak in a free-ranging limousin and avileña beef cattle herd from southwestern spain territories is attempted. serological survey in the herd revealed increase of number of infected animals, from 34.3 % on first diagnoses/exams on december 2013 to 42.5 % in the second on april 2014. blood analysis and serum biochemistry showed important alterations like leuk ...	2016	27075308
bovine besnoitiosis (besnoitia besnoiti) in an irish dairy herd.	bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the apicomplexan protozoan parasite besnoitia besnoiti, was diagnosed in an irish dairy herd. this is the first diagnosis of besnoitiosis in ireland or the uk and the most northerly european outbreak yet described. the diagnosis occurred following a farm investigation in june 2015 into an unusual dermatological problem that had been ongoing since 2010. on an annual basis, 1-2 per cent of cows in the herd exhibited clinical signs, including skin thickening, alopecia ...	2016	27122500
selected metabolic biochemical and enzyme activities associated with besnoitia besnoiti infection in dairy cattle.	the main aim of the study was to explore, compare, and identify whether there is an association between besnoitia besnoiti seropositivity in apparently healthy dairy cows with some biochemical parameters, enzyme activities, and beta-hydroxybutyrate (bhba). a total of 98 dairy cows were included in the study, of which there was 50 seropositive and 48 seronegative cows. analysis of serum antibodies against b. besnoiti antibodies was performed using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit ...	2016	27154214
the role of wild ruminants as reservoirs of besnoitia besnoiti infection in cattle.	bovine besnoitiosis, a parasitic disease caused by besnoitia besnoiti, has been reported mainly in beef cattle raised under extensive pastoral systems and is considered to be re-emerging in western europe. horizontal transmission probably occurs either by means of blood sucking arthropods or as a consequence of direct contact between infected and non-infected cattle. however, the role that wild ruminants (e.g., red deer (cervus elaphus) and roe deer (capreolus capreolus)) may play in the parasit ...	2016	27198769
systemic besnoitiosis in a juvenile roe deer (capreolus capreolus).	herein, we report the first incidence of systemic besnoitiosis in a male juvenile roe deer capreolus capreolus. the animal was found dead in an area where bovine besnoitiosis is endemic and showed cachexia and multiple skin erosions in the metacarpal and metatarsal areas. moreover, round and elevated white structures suggestive of besnoitia spp. tissue cysts were also present. twenty-eight tissue samples from different anatomical locations were collected for microscopic lesion and parasite detec ...	2016	27225441
does bovine besnoitiosis affect the sexual function of chronically infected bulls?	bovine besnoitiosis is a reemerging disease in europe. the clinically besnoitia besnoiti infection in bulls is characterized by fever, nasal discharge, and orchitis in the acute phase and by scleroderma in the chronic phase. however, in many bulls, b besnoiti infection remains at a subclinical stage. bull infertility is an economically relevant consequence of besnoitiosis infection. it is not clear, however, if semen quality returns to normal levels when infected animals have clinically recovere ...	2016	27264738
absence of antibodies specific to besnoitia spp. in european sheep and goats from areas in spain where bovine besnoitiosis is endemic.	besnoitia besnoiti and b. caprae, which infect bovids (cattle and antelopes) and goats, respectively, are responsible for besnoitiosis, a chronic and debilitating disease. bovine besnoitiosis is considered to be a reemerging disease in central and western europe. in addition, infection by besnoitia spp. has been reported in reindeer from sweden and finland. recently, the parasite was also detected in roe deer and red deer from spain, where an interconnection between the domestic and sylvatic cyc ...	2017	27815735
importance of serological cross-reactivity among toxoplasma gondii, hammondia spp., neospora spp., sarcocystis spp. and besnoitia besnoiti.	toxoplasma gondii, neospora spp., sarcocystis spp., hammondia spp. and besnoitia besnoiti are genetically related cyst-forming coccidia. serology is frequently used for the identification of t. gondii, neospora spp. and b. besnoiti-exposed individuals. serologic cross-reactions occur in different tests among animals infected with t. gondii and h. hammondi, as well as among animals infected by t. gondii and n. caninum. infections caused by n. caninum and n. hughesi are almost indistinguishable by ...	2017	28241894
serological dynamics and risk factors of besnoitia besnoiti infection in breeding bulls from an endemically infected purebred beef herd.	bovine besnoitiosis has been deemed a re-emerging disease in western europe and considered endemic in spain, portugal, france and in some areas of northern italy. this report refers to an infection outbreak in a purebred beef herd from northern italy involving a large number of bulls. in october 2013, 544 animals were serologically tested with an in-house elisa followed by a confirmatory western blot to evaluate besnoitia besnoiti seroprevalence. a year later, 461 animals were then serologically ...	2017	28283798
epidemiological patterns of bovine besnoitiosis in an endemic beef cattle herd reared under extensive conditions.	bovine besnoitiosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan besnoitia besnoiti. described many decades ago, recent epidemiological studies reveal its important spread within europe in the last years. to date, many epidemiological aspects related to life cycle, routes of transmission, incidence rates and associated risk factors are lacking; hence, the establishment of appropriate disease control programmes poses an important challenge. thus, the aim of the present study was to determine th ...	2017	28288758