Circulation of small ruminant lentivirus in endangered goat and sheep breeds of Southern Italy
Angela Ostuni,
Sara Albarella,
Luca Tassoni,
Mariagiulia Pugliano,
Emanuele D'Anza,
Maria Antonietta Crudele,
Francesca Ciotola,
Maria Serena Beato,
Valentina Iovane,
Stefano Cecchini Gualandi,
Raffaele Frontoso,
Jolanda De Vendel,
Vincenzo Peretti,
Alfonso Bavoso
Affiliations
Angela Ostuni
Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell’ Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy; Corresponding author.
Sara Albarella
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137, Napoli, Italy
Luca Tassoni
National Reference Laboratory for Ruminant retroviruses, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche (IZSUM), Via G. Salvemini 1, 06126, Perugia, PG, Italy
Mariagiulia Pugliano
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137, Napoli, Italy
Emanuele D'Anza
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137, Napoli, Italy
Maria Antonietta Crudele
Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell’ Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy
Francesca Ciotola
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137, Napoli, Italy
Maria Serena Beato
National Reference Laboratory for Ruminant retroviruses, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche (IZSUM), Via G. Salvemini 1, 06126, Perugia, PG, Italy
Valentina Iovane
Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055, Portici, NA, Italy
Stefano Cecchini Gualandi
Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell’ Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy
Raffaele Frontoso
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute, 2, 80055, Portici, NA, Italy; OneHEco APS, 84047, Capaccio Paestum, SA, Italy
Jolanda De Vendel
OneHEco APS, 84047, Capaccio Paestum, SA, Italy
Vincenzo Peretti
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137, Napoli, Italy
Alfonso Bavoso
Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Via dell’ Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy
According to the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS) of the FAO, Italy has one of the largest numbers of local small ruminant breeds among European countries. In Southern Italy, namely the Campania Region, Bagnolese and Laticauda sheep breeds and Cilentana goat breeds are considered endangered according to the DAD-IS. Conservation of endangered animal breeds is a goal of the European Union (EU). However, the role of infectious diseases as risk factors for endangered breeds has rarely been considered. Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) infect sheep and goats, causing slow-progressive, persistent, and debilitating diseases that can lead to animal death and productivity loss. In this study, we investigated the presence of SRLV in Bagnolese, Laticauda, and Cilentana breeds using a commercial ELISA in parallel with an in-house ELISA. The results of the two tests were in good agreement (Cohen Kappa 0.84, 95 % CI = 0.76–0.93). Discrepancies between the two tests were resolved using western blotting. In total, 430 samples were tested (248 Bagnolese, 125 Laticauda, and 57 Cilentana). The apparent prevalence rates were 12.5 %, 6.4 %, and 1.7 % in Bagnolese, Laticauda, and Cilentana, respectively. In the molecular analysis of 11 proviral partial sequences, subtypes B2 and A24 were identified in two Bagnolese herds. Owing to the beneficial role of sheep and goat breeding in marginal areas, it is important to screen the entire population and implement control/eradication of SRLV infections in conjunction with each conservation program.
