The
research lines are related to two topics: Veterinary mycology;
Parasitology and parasitic diseases of animals.
Includes:
1) Studies
on pathogenic mycetes in domestic, wild and aquatic animals, with
epidemiological surveys and morph-physiological and molecular
characterization;
2)
Epidemiology and morphological/molecular characterization of
parasites of domestic and wild animals
3) Studies
on the distribution and risk factor of parasites and fungi agent of
zoonoses;
4)
Development and application of “in vitro” test to assess the
effectiveness of natural and synthetic drugs against mycetes and
parasites;
5) Studies on parasitic and mycotic diseases of
bees
1)
STUDIES ON
PATHOGENIC MYCETES IN DOMESTIC, WILD AND AQUATIC ANIMALS, WITH
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEYS AND MORPH-PHYSIOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR
CHARACTERIZATION: in particular, studies are carried out about
dermatophytes and Malassezia spp., causing
cutaneous mycoses in mammals, yeasts and moulds
agents of opportunistic mycoses, fungi responsible of illness
in fish
and crustacean, fungi
responsible of bee diseases. Survey on the diffusion of mycetes
potentially pathogens from soil, environment and in animal food are
also included. The mycetes are characterized with
morpho-physiological, biochemical and molecular
criteria.
2)
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND
CHARACTERIZATION OF PARASITES OF DOMESTIC AND WILD ANIMALS.
Currently are included: a) studies about arthropods as parasites or
vector of pathogenic agents; b) studies on the diffusion of
piroplasms in various animal species and in the vector ticks. In
this purview, “in vitro” cultures were used as diagnostic
test and to produce antigens for serological tests, until now
absent in Italy; c) Studies on Equine Cryptosporidiosis. .
3)
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF
PARASITIC AND MYCOTIC ZOONOSES. Studies on the prevalence,
incidence and risk factors of zoonotic agent are performed; In
particular pets and feline shelters are studied as “focus” for the
the diffusion of dermatophytozoonoses (most of all related to
Microsporum canis), domestic animal for the diffusion of
Cryptosporidium spp. and ticks as
vector/reservoir of zoonotic agents. Collaborations are in place
with pediatricians, dermatologist, clinicians and public
veterinarians .
4)
DEVELOPMENT AND
APPLICATION OF “IN VITRO” TEST TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC DRUGS AGAINST MYCETES. In this topic, test in
vitro were performed with essential oils and their pure principles
against dermatophytes, Candida albicans., Malassezia spp., Ascosphaera apis, Aspergillus fumigatus. Test with
synthetic antimycotic molecules are performed against
dermatophytes. Test were also performed to evaluate the effectiveness
of chemical ad physical methods against moulds, in particular A. flavus, from corn
feed
5)
STUDIES ON PARASITIC
AND MYCOTIC DISEASES OF BEES. Researches are performed, in
collaboration with CRA-API, concerning some parasitic and mycotic
diseases of bees, such as varroosis, nosemosis and ascospherosis,
and studies on the effectiveness of treatments with different
products..
