A serosurvey has been conducted in Northern and Central Italy to investigate the presence in humans of antibodies against zoonotic Babesia and Theileria species. The study focused on a total of 432 volunteers, of which 290 were persistently exposed to tick bites because of their jobs (forester employees, livestock keepers, veterinary practitioners, farmers and hunters) and 142 resident in the same area less frequently exposed. An indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for humans was used to detect antibodies to Babesia microti, IFAT tests for veterinary use were modified to detect reactivity to Babesia bovis, Babesia canis and Theileria equi. A laboratory-derived ELISA was employed to detect antibodies to Babesia divergens. Both reactive and 10 negative sera were analysed against plasmodial antigens to evaluate possible aspecificity. A high reactivity to piroplasm antigens was found, showing significant difference between the sera of the two groups of volunteers (24% vs 7.0%; p<0.001). No cross-reactivity was observed, while each professional group showed reactivity that would fit with the professional risk exposure. In particular, a high reactivity to B. microti and B. divergens antigens was observed in foresters and hunters (32% and 12%, respectively). This is the first report on the human seroreactivity to piroplasms in Italy; it also provides additional epidemiological information on these tick-borne zoonoses in Europe. Our findings suggest the possible occurrence of piroplasm infections in Italy and alert physicians to consider these otherwise neglected parasitic diseases when dealing with any febrile illness, especially in subjects exposed to tick bites.

Human exposure to piroplasms in Central and Northern Italy / Gabrielli S.; Calderini P.; Cassini R.; Galuppi R.; Tampieri M.P.; Pietrobelli M.; Cancrini G.. - In: VETERINARIA ITALIANA. - ISSN 0505-401X. - STAMPA. - 50:1(2014), pp. 41-47. [10.12834/VetIt.1302.13]

Human exposure to piroplasms in Central and Northern Italy

GALUPPI, ROBERTA;TAMPIERI, MARIA PAOLA;
2014

Abstract

A serosurvey has been conducted in Northern and Central Italy to investigate the presence in humans of antibodies against zoonotic Babesia and Theileria species. The study focused on a total of 432 volunteers, of which 290 were persistently exposed to tick bites because of their jobs (forester employees, livestock keepers, veterinary practitioners, farmers and hunters) and 142 resident in the same area less frequently exposed. An indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for humans was used to detect antibodies to Babesia microti, IFAT tests for veterinary use were modified to detect reactivity to Babesia bovis, Babesia canis and Theileria equi. A laboratory-derived ELISA was employed to detect antibodies to Babesia divergens. Both reactive and 10 negative sera were analysed against plasmodial antigens to evaluate possible aspecificity. A high reactivity to piroplasm antigens was found, showing significant difference between the sera of the two groups of volunteers (24% vs 7.0%; p<0.001). No cross-reactivity was observed, while each professional group showed reactivity that would fit with the professional risk exposure. In particular, a high reactivity to B. microti and B. divergens antigens was observed in foresters and hunters (32% and 12%, respectively). This is the first report on the human seroreactivity to piroplasms in Italy; it also provides additional epidemiological information on these tick-borne zoonoses in Europe. Our findings suggest the possible occurrence of piroplasm infections in Italy and alert physicians to consider these otherwise neglected parasitic diseases when dealing with any febrile illness, especially in subjects exposed to tick bites.
2014
Human exposure to piroplasms in Central and Northern Italy / Gabrielli S.; Calderini P.; Cassini R.; Galuppi R.; Tampieri M.P.; Pietrobelli M.; Cancrini G.. - In: VETERINARIA ITALIANA. - ISSN 0505-401X. - STAMPA. - 50:1(2014), pp. 41-47. [10.12834/VetIt.1302.13]
Gabrielli S.; Calderini P.; Cassini R.; Galuppi R.; Tampieri M.P.; Pietrobelli M.; Cancrini G.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Human exposure to piroplasms vet italiana 2014.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipo: Versione (PDF) editoriale
Licenza: Licenza per Accesso Aperto. Creative Commons Attribuzione - Non commerciale (CCBYNC)
Dimensione 776.12 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
776.12 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/393628
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 10
  • Scopus 18
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 15
social impact