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Biomedical subjects

G Cardini

Publications and source records attributed to G Cardini.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Evaluation of fungicidal efficacy of benzalkonium chloride (Steramina G u.v.) and Virkon-S against Microsporum canis for environmental disinfection.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the antifungal efficacy of Steramina G u.v. (10% solution of alkyldimetylbenzylammonium chloride; Formenti Grünenthal) and Virkon-S (multipurpose system; Antec International) against Microsporum canis-infected hairs and spores. Samples were collected from a random sample of household cats and from subjects from catteries. Seventy M. canis-positive hairbrushes containing furs, keratin scales and other organic material were treated with each of the two disinfectants, using concentrations recommended by the manufacturer's instructions (2% and 1% for Steramina G u.v. and Virkon-S, respectively). Each brush remained in contact with the antifungal solution for 10 min. After this period, the brushes were air-dried, then seeded into mycobiotic agar, and incubated for up to 21 days at 28 degrees C. The disinfectants were considered effective if dermatophytes failed to grow. Steramina G u.v. was effective in 97.14% of samples and Virkon-S in 87.14%. The antifungal activity of Steramina G u.v. against M. canis was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of Virkon-S.

Animals↗

Survey on giardiosis in shelter dog populations.

Faecal samples from 183 dogs living in three different shelters in the Rome metropolitan area were randomly collected and examined for the prevalence of giardiosis. Giardia infections were detected by a commercially available ELISA test (ProspecT Giardia Microplate Assay). Overall prevalence was 55.2%. Prevalence rates in single shelters were 74.3, 35.5, and 20.9%, respectively. Using multivariate analysis, no association was found between Giardia-positivity and shelter or sex, breed, or diarrhoea. Giardia-positive dogs were more likely to be younger than 5-year-old (odds ratio [OR] = 2.87; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.07-7.77; p = 0.038), living together (OR = 2.58; 95% CI: 1.12-5.93; p = 0.026), and fed commercial wet food, both alone and combined with dry food (OR = 5.67; 95% CI: 1.59-20.24; p = 0.008). Correlation between Giardia infection and type of food has not been previously reported in dogs. Possible use of the ELISA test for detection of Giardia infection in dogs and zoonotic implications are discussed.

Animals↗

Survey of keratinophilic fungi isolated from city park soils of Pisa, Italy.

A survey of geophilic dermatophytes and related keratinophilic fungi isolated from city park soils of Pisa is reported. Twenty-three (48%) soil samples out of 48 were positive by hair baiting. The following species were isolated: Microsporum gypseum (39%), Trichophyton ajelloi (31%), Chrysosporium keratinophilum (14%), T. terrestre (8%), M. fulvum, Ch. luteum, Ch. indicum (5% each) and M. cookei (2%). The presence of the different species is discussed in relation to the risk of fungal skin infections.

Arthrodermataceae↗

Delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase and zinc protoporphyrin in very low lead-exposed pets: a community study.

Markers of lead intoxication have been developed based on their capacity to identify lead intoxication at the preclinical, ie biochemical stage of manifestation. However, little information on these markers is available under conditions of low lead exposure. This prompted us to conduct a community-based study to determine the usefulness of theta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) and zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) in conditions of low lead environmental exposure by studying the relationships between low blood lead levels, ALAD and ZnPP in a large group of healthy dogs living in an Italian urban area. The study population consisted of 79 dogs. Each sample was tested for ALAD, lead and ZnPP and for complete blood count, hemoglobin, AST, ALT, and urea values. A weak inverse relationship between ALAD and ZnPP was found. An inverse relationship between ALAD and lead concentrations was found in the whole group (p < 0.0005). This relationship remained significant when selecting the values falling between 2 standard deviations of the mean blood lead concentrations of the population below the "concerned lead levels" (< 10 mg/dl; p = 0.0005). There was no relationship between whole blood ZnPP concentrations and whole blood lead levels. The sensitivity and specificity of ALAD measurements, calculated by using the 2 x 2 contingency table with respect to blood lead concentrations, were of poor predictive diagnostic value.

Animals↗

Experimental infection of dogs with Borrelia burgdorferi.

Four beagle dogs were inoculated subcutaneously with the BITs1 Italian strain of Borrelia burgdorferi. Only one dog became infected and B burgdorferi was isolated from its blood and urine three and four weeks after infection. B burgdorferi antibodies were detected by immunofluorescence from four to 11 weeks after infection. An uninoculated dog kept in the same run as the infected dog, developed a positive serological response, but none of the five dogs showed clinical signs.

Animals↗

Evaluation of the JT and corrected JT intervals as a new ECG method for monitoring doxorubicin cardiotoxicity in the dog.

A comparison was made of the sensitivity of ECG, ultrastructural heart pathology, and plasma enzymes CK-MB and alpha-HBDH as methods to assess doxorubicin cardiotoxicity in adult beagle dogs given doxorubicin 30 mg/m2 i.v. once a week for three times. A progressive increase in JT and QT intervals, in corrected JT (JTc) and QT (QTc) intervals as well as a reduction in both T wave amplitude and RR duration, were observed in doxorubicin-treated dogs; the electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities were associated with doxorubicin-induced ultrastructural changes in cardiac tissue, consisting of dilation of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, multiform, flasklike invaginations of T-tubules containing electrondense material, and interruption of the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum, which became more severe as the observation period progressed. On the contrary, doxorubicin treatment was associated with transient changes in plasma CK-MB and alpha-HBDH, which were unrelated to the severity of chronic cardiotoxicity. Overall results suggest that the monitoring of the ECG parameters related to the repolarization of the cardiac muscle, and particularly JT and JTc, might be regarded as a noninvasive method for the study of doxorubicin cardiotoxocity in the dog.

Animals↗

The use of methanol-grown yeast LI-70 in feeds for broilers.

In 60-day feeding trials, broilers were fed commercial diets in which different amounts of methanol-grown yeast LI-70 replaced fish and soybean meal. In the first trial, all-mash diets containing up to 15% yeast produced growth rates and efficiencies of feed conversion almost equal to those of the soybean meal control and slightly below those of the fish meal control. In the second trial, pelleted diets containing up to 25% yeast were used. For yeast levels up to 15%, growth rates were faster than for the soybean meal control and slightly slower than for the fish meal control. Diets with more than 15% yeast lacked selenium. Diets containing 25% yeast as the sole source of protein but supplemented with .3 ppm selenium produced growth rates and efficiencies of feed conversion equal to those of the controls.

Animal Feed↗

Taxonomical examination and characterization of a methanol-utilizing yeast.

The morphological, cultural, and physiological characteristics are described of a yeast, LI70, which uses methanol as its source of energy and carbon; these characteristics have made it possible to identify the strain as Candida boidinii Ramirez. The identification was confirmed by a DNA-DNA genetic homology of 99.43% with the type strain of C. boidinii. Strain LI70 is not pathogenic.

Animals↗