Papers by Letizia Fiorucci
Aquatic Mammals, 2022
Endogenous ouabain (EO) is a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, usually associated w... more Endogenous ouabain (EO) is a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, usually associated with adverse cardiovascular effects. However, recent studies have highlighted its possible role in blood pressure control and in cardio-renal damage, and it seems to be involved in the adaptive response to hypoxia. The aim of this study is to detect the EO in human and animal models of hypoxia. We collected blood samples from seven competitive elite apnea divers, 11 noncompetitive elite apnea divers, and 26 healthy control subjects. Animal blood samples were collected from 16 common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), two phocids and two otariids kept under human care, and 11 wild loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) hosted in two rescue centers. We measured EO plasma concentrations with a Scintillation Proximity Assay. In elite apnea divers and healthy control subjects, EO plasma concentrations were positively correlated to weight (p < 0.05). Elite apnea divers showed statis...
Microorganisms, 2021
Avian malaria is a worldwide distributed, vector-born disease of birds caused by parasites of the... more Avian malaria is a worldwide distributed, vector-born disease of birds caused by parasites of the order Haemosporida. There is a lack of knowledge about the presence and pathogenetic role of Haemosporida in Psittacidae. Here we report a case of avian malaria infection in lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis), with the genetic characterization of the Plasmodium species involved. The birds were hosted in a zoo located in Italy, where avian malaria cases in African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) were already reported. Animals (n = 11) were submitted for necropsy after sudden death and were subjected to further analyses including histopathology, bacteriology, and PCR for the research of haemosporidians. Clinical history, gross lesions and histopathological observation of schizonts, together with positive PCR results for Plasmodium spp., demonstrated that avian malaria was the cause of death for one animal and the possible cause of death for the other nine. The sequences obtained were compar...
Animals, 2020
There are few published studies regarding lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) reproduction, cro... more There are few published studies regarding lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) reproduction, crop milk composition, and hand-rearing under human care. Between the end of June and the beginning of August of 2017, three eggs were laid in a group of 29 lesser flamingos kept under human care. Two eggs and one chick were abandoned by the parents, and three chicks were hand-reared. This report describes diet composition, dietary intake, feeding protocols, and growth index, from the first day to 60 days after hatching, for three lesser flamingo chicks.
Animals, 2020
Ultrasonography is widely used in veterinary medicine for the diagnosis of pregnancy, and can als... more Ultrasonography is widely used in veterinary medicine for the diagnosis of pregnancy, and can also be used to monitor abnormal pregnancies, embryonic resorption, or fetal abortion. Ultrasonography plays an important role in modern-day cetacean preventative medicine because it is a non-invasive technique, it is safe for both patient and operator, and it can be performed routinely using trained responses that enable medical procedures. Reproductive success is an important aspect of dolphin population health, as it is an indicator of the future trajectory of the population. The aim of this study is to provide additional relevant data on feto-maternal ultrasonographic monitoring in bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) species, for both the clinicians and for in situ population studies. From 2009 to 2019, serial ultrasonographic exams of 11 healthy bottlenose dolphin females kept under human care were evaluated over the course of 16 pregnancies. A total of 192 ultrasound exams were in...
Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, 2017
Background: Despite limited information, topical drug combinations are being routinely used for t... more Background: Despite limited information, topical drug combinations are being routinely used for the treatment keratitis in pinnipeds.Corneal alterations in pinnipeds, as in other animal species, can be cause of severe pain and the intensity of discomfort can vary in the affected subjects. Late diagnosis or untimely treatment can lead to dramatic developments even in case of minor corneal diseases, with sometimes disastrous consequences for the globe up to loss of vision. Methods: During five years a small population of different species, age and sex, kept under human care, was submitted to a complete daily ophthalmological evaluation and to a treatment when necessary. Results: The ulcerative keratitis was a relatively frequent pathology (seven of 15 subjects for a total of 76 episodes). Six of 7 patients (85.7%) showed lesions simultaneously in both eyes at least once. The average time elapsing between the ulcer diagnosis and the healing of the same was about 32 days (σ=±18 days) with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 74 days. In cases where the therapy has been conducted, the onset ulcer until its resolution, with the same drug (n = 6), were obtained average values of 28.6 days (σ=±17.07 days) in the case of netilmicin, 27.5 days (σ=±6.56 days) for tobramycin, and 41.95 days (σ=±9.69 days) for gentamycin. The difference between these values was statistically not significant (p = 0.9) for netilmicin and tobramycin while for the group treated only with gentamycin, the difference was detected statistically significant compared with netilmicin and tobramycin (p=0.048 and p=0.042 respectively). In two cases (n=2) it was considered necessary to associate local therapy with systemic therapy using doxycycline and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In these cases the resolution has taken place in 31 days (σ=±16.65 days). In four cases (n=4) autologous plasma has been added to local therapy. In eleven cases (n=7) it was necessary to use local osmotic agents (sodium chloride 5%, glucose 35%) to solve the edema. Conclusions:Due to the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the pinnipeds eye, the best medical treatment for corneal lesions in our experience was the use of antibiotic collyrium associated with hyperosmotic solution in case of edema and platelet rich plasma (PRP) to support the healing, considering an administration frequency 3-4 times/day at least.
Aquatic Mammals, 2016
The mammalian commensal microbiota constitutes over a thousand bacterial phylotypes (Suchodolski,... more The mammalian commensal microbiota constitutes over a thousand bacterial phylotypes (Suchodolski, 2014) and confers important functions, including a mucosal barrier function, a metabolic function, and an immune regulatory function, which contribute to the development and regulation of the gut immune system (Backhed et al., 2005). The composition of microbiota can be influenced by various factors, including diet, exposure to antibiotics, and the well-functioning mechanisms of immune tolerance (Koenig et al., 2011). Unfortunately, there are few reports describing gastrointestinal microflora in cetacean species, and the available information is related to free-ranging dolphins (Morris et al., 2011). The knowledge of normal gastrointestinal microflora from healthy dolphins under human care, in addition to allowing a wider understanding of the role of bacteria in animals with physiological disorders, could permit an evaluation of the general health status of wild marine mammals and the potential transmission risks to humans. The aim of this study is to detect and enumerate some culturable microorganisms from the gastric juice and faeces of clinically healthy bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) kept under human care to establish baseline data for this species for the first time
Aquatic Mammals, 2015
ABSTRACT
Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery, 2013
Serum chemistry analysis is used for the evaluation of a subject's health status in reptile medic... more Serum chemistry analysis is used for the evaluation of a subject's health status in reptile medicine. Protein electrophoresis, combined with the determination of total protein concentration, is the standard method for the determination of serum albumin concentration. An alternative method is the bromocresol green (BCG) dye-binding method. The BCG method for the measurement of albumin concentration in reptiles may lead to inaccurate results for serum albumin concentration. The aim of this study was to compare the serum albumin values of Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermanni) obtained by protein electrophoresis and the BCG method and to test the reliability of the BCG method for the measurement of albumin concentration in this species of tortoise. Between May and June 2012, serum samples from 32 Hermann's tortoises, 22 healthy and 10 diseased, were analyzed. Serum albumin concentrations were measured by protein electrophoresis and by the BCG method. The results of the two methods were compared using Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman plots. Albumin concentration measured by BCG was moderately correlated with the corresponding protein electrophoretic values in all tortoises (r s = 0.545, P = 0.001) and in healthy tortoises analyzed separately (r s = 0.491, P = 0.020). In diseased tortoises, correlation between the testing methods was not significant (r s = 0.602, P = 0.066). The albumin concentrations measured using the two methods differed significantly in all tortoises (P = 0.0005; "effect size" = 0.50), in healthy tortoises (P = 0.0262; "effect size" = 0.61), and in diseased tortoises (P = 0.0059, "effect size" = 0.62). In the Bland-Altman plots, a systematic error was found between the two methods in diseased tortoises. The albumin concentrations measured by BCG were significantly higher than those obtained with electrophoresis, especially in diseased Hermann's tortoises. The analysis of albumin in the BCG method gave falsely elevated concentrations. Therefore, for health assessment in Hermann's tortoises, albumin should be measured by protein electrophoresis.
Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery, 2013
In veterinary medicine, protein electrophoresis has become a routine test. However, its use in ex... more In veterinary medicine, protein electrophoresis has become a routine test. However, its use in exotic animals remains controversial because of a lack of reference values for many species. Establishing protein electrophoresis reference values of healthy Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermanni) could prove to be a very useful tool for assessing the health status of this endangered species. The aim of this study was to establish a preliminary reference interval for the protein fractions of Hermann's tortoises under normal conditions. Serum samples from healthy adult Hermann's tortoises (n = 22) were analyzed by cellulose acetate electrophoresis. Total protein concentration (min-max: 2.10-6.20 g/dl) was measured by the biuret method. Four protein fractions were identified: albumin, α-globulins, β-globulins, and γ-globulins. The reference intervals for healthy tortoises were determined by parametric methods as recommended by the American Society of Veterinary Clinical Pathologists Quality Assurance and Laboratory Standards Committee. Furthermore, differences between sexes (15 females, 7 males) were evaluated and a statistical difference was noted. To our knowledge, this is the first study to determine reference intervals for the protein profile of Hermann's tortoise using parametric methods.
The study were to assess if the analitycal methodology used can detect the levels of cortisol in ... more The study were to assess if the analitycal methodology used can detect the levels of cortisol in saliva, serum and feces and to evaluate the correlation between serum, feces and saliva cortisol levels. The analitycal procedures used could be used as references in subsequent studies in the species of marine mammal
Animals
Ultrasonography is widely used in veterinary medicine for the diagnosis of pregnancy, and can als... more Ultrasonography is widely used in veterinary medicine for the diagnosis of pregnancy, and can also be used to monitor abnormal pregnancies, embryonic resorption, or fetal abortion. Ultrasonography plays an important role in modern-day cetacean preventative medicine because it is a non-invasive technique, it is safe for both patient and operator, and it can be performed routinely using trained responses that enable medical procedures. Reproductive success is an important aspect of dolphin population health, as it is an indicator of the future trajectory of the population. The aim of this study is to provide additional relevant data on feto-maternal ultrasonographic monitoring in bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) species, for both the clinicians and for in situ population studies. From 2009 to 2019, serial ultrasonographic exams of 11 healthy bottlenose dolphin females kept under human care were evaluated over the course of 16 pregnancies. A total of 192 ultrasound exams were in...
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Papers by Letizia Fiorucci