A relevant long-term impact of the circulation of a potentially contaminated vaccine on the distribution of scrapie in Italy. Results from a retrospective cohort study

Bertolini, Silvia; Maurella, Cristiana; Bona, Cristina; Ingravalle, Francesco; Desiato, Rosanna; Baioni, Elisa; Chiavacci, Laura; Caramelli, Maria; Ru, Giuseppe

doi:10.1186/1297-9716-43-63

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Highfrequencies were detected in Aspromontana (10.3%) and Cilentana (18.2%) similar to the previously described Sicilian goats (Girgentana and Rossa Mediterranea in Table 1) in which a direct relation of its high prevalence with the high-scrapie incidence has been postulated (Migliore et al 2017). In Italy, northern breeds showed low-frequencies of K222 (Acutis et al 2008) but also a lower incidence of scrapie as reported in Bertolini et al (2012). As shown in Figure 3, Aspromontana and Cilentana are both reared in provinces with an incidence of the disease between 0.2 and 0.84.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…The South Italian breeds showed six polymorphisms and both confirmed a high-level of the allele resistant K222 as previously observed for the Sicilian goats (Migliore et al 2015;Vitale et al 2016) where a relation with high-scrapie incidence has been postulated (Migliore et al 2017). Scrapie incidence is higher in South and Central Italy compared to the northern regions and the highest incidence has been observed in some provinces of Sicily, Sardinia and Central Italy probably related to the usage of a contaminated vaccine as shown in Figure 3 (Bertolini et al 2012). Highfrequencies were detected in Aspromontana (10.3%) and Cilentana (18.2%) similar to the previously described Sicilian goats (Girgentana and Rossa Mediterranea in Table 1) in which a direct relation of its high prevalence with the high-scrapie incidence has been postulated (Migliore et al 2017).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…TSE originated as health emergencies in developed countries essentially for risk factors related to human activities. In Italy, a relation of highscrapie incidence in small ruminant with the administration of a contaminated vaccine has been already suggested (Bertolini et al 2012) and this can be also related to the high prevalence of protective alleles in some areas in both sheep and goat populations (Vitale et al 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analysis of differences in prion protein gene (PRNP) polymorphisms between Algerian and Southern Italy's goats

Fantazi

Migliore

Kdidi

et al. 2018

Italian Journal of Animal Science

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Goats are adapted to live in harsh areas of the world ensuring minimum levels of milk and meat production without much economic input. Scrapie is a fatal prion disease of small ruminants detected in different countries worldwide. Polymorphisms in the prion protein gene (PRNP) modify the degree of susceptibility/resistance to scrapie. PRNP polymorphisms were analysed in the four main Algerian goat breeds (Naine de Kabylie, Arbia, Mozabite, Mekatia), and in two native breeds of South Italy (Aspromontana from Calabria and Cilentana from Campania). The results were compared also with two previously described Sicilian native breeds (Girgentana and Rossa Mediterranea). Seven amino acid substitutions were detected in Naine de Kabylie goat which represents the original native Berber breed. All other breeds presented no more than six variants and common polymorphisms were present at codons, 154 and 240. Isoleucine at 137 was present in Algerian breeds only. The Italian Cilentana shared more variants with Algerian breeds whereas the Aspromontana breed was the only one to show a Serine at 127. Exclusive new variants were not detected since all polymorphisms were already described in other goats worldwide. The scrapie protective allele encoding lysine (K) at codon 222 was detected in the Naine de Kabylie and M'zabite breeds at low-frequency whereas is present with frequencies higher than 10% in all the Italian breeds reared in regions with elevated scrapie incidence. The overall results showed a substantial number of polymorphisms in PRNP, particularly in Naine de Kabylie breed, which carried also unique genotypes. ARTICLE HISTORY

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analysis of differences in prion protein gene (PRNP) polymorphisms between Algerian and Southern Italy's goats

Fantazi

Migliore

Kdidi

et al. 2018

Italian Journal of Animal Science

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“…The administration of this vaccine was identified as the cause of scrapie outbreaks in a number of flocks (Gordon, 1946). More recently, in Italy, several hundred CS cases were observed in sheep and goats that had been vaccinated against Mycoplasma agalactiae with a vaccine produced using homogenised, filtered ovine brains, mammary glands and lymph nodes (Capucchio et al, 1998): recently a cohort study confirmed the impact of this iatrogenic transmission on the spread of CS in Italy (Bertolini et al, 2012).…”

Section: Epidemiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Scientific Opinion on the scrapie situation in the EU after 10 years of monitoring and control in sheep and goats

Hald

Baggesen

2014

EFSA Journal

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To assess the effectiveness of the strategies implemented in the European Union (EU) to control Classical scrapie (CS), epidemiological data have been compared in the context of the efforts in terms of control measures applied over time. Official EU surveillance data and results from questionnaire surveys of EU Member States (MSs) have been used along with case studies. A spatio-temporal description of the occurrence of small ruminants TSEs in MSs in the period 2002-2012 is provided, with a particular focus on CS in sheep. Based on information collected from MSs, the potential effectiveness of breeding programmes for resistance to CS (BP-CS) in the dissemination of resistance into the general sheep population has been assessed for those countries for which the CS trend analysis has been performed. CS in sheep was reported in 17 MSs (average prevalence: 8.7 cases/10 000 tests), with heterogeneous trends and geographical distribution: among the 13 countries reporting a consistent number of cases, the trend analysis shows a statistically significant decreasing trend only for six of them. Variations in the implementation of genetic and non-genetic measures for the control of CS may explain the failure to improve the disease situation in the remaining seven MSs. At a national level, a reduction in CS seems to be linked to better-achieving BP-CSs. Control options applied to CS in sheep and goats indicate that a CS eradication policy that relies solely on the detection of infected flocks by post-mortem testing and subsequent depopulation would be unlikely to succeed. A minimum frequency of the ARR allele in a sheep population above which CS may be expected to fade-out could be estimated for each specific national sheep population. Recommendations for additional/alternative measures to control CS in sheep and goats are formulated. Scrapie situation in the EU EFSA Journal 2014;12 (7):3781 2 SUMMARYFollowing a request from the European Commission (EC), the EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the scrapie situation in the European Union (EU) after 10 years of monitoring and control in sheep and goats. In particular, in order to evaluate the measures in place and assess the progress accomplished, the EC consulted EFSA to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of the epidemiological situation of Classical scrapie (CS) and Atypical scrapie (AS), and a retrospective analysis of the effectiveness of the control tools encompassed by EU legislation.The opinion provides background information in relation to CS and AS in sheep and goats, including information on the nature of the agents, genetic susceptibility of the hosts, transmission pathways and epidemiology of the diseases.Based on information from the EU TSE surveillance database, CS and AS in sheep and goats in the period 2002-2012 have been analysed to provide a spatio-temporal description of the occurrence of the diseases, after appropriate statistical adjustment accounting for the main known confounding factor...

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“…There has been no evidence so far of the possible transmission of either classical or atypical scrapie from animal to animal by using pituitary-derived hormones. However, transplantation, implantation and inoculation of infective body tissues and their products have been shown to transmit TSEs in a number of different species (Gordon, 1946, Brown and others 1999, Verdrager 1999, Bertolini and others 2012) and there is evidence that scrapie has been transmitted through vaccination for other diseases (Gordon 1946, Bertolini and others 2012). In fact, the pituitary-derived hormone route of transmission may have been overlooked in classical scrapie because of the high transmissibility of the disease, while it may have constituted the only route of introduction into the flock for atypical scrapie.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Case‐control study on the use of pituitary‐derived hormones from sheep as a potential risk factor for the occurrence of atypical scrapie in Great Britain

et al. 2017

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A case-control study was conducted in 2013 to investigate the use of pituitary-derived hormones from sheep as a potential risk factor for the presence of atypical scrapie in Great Britain sheep holdings. One hundred and sixty-five holdings were identified as cases. Two equal sets of controls were selected: no case of scrapie and cases of classical scrapie. A total of 495 holdings were selected for the questionnaire survey, 201 responses were received and 190 (38.3 per cent) were suitable for analysis. The variables 'use-of-heat-synchronisation/superovulation' and 'flock size' were significantly associated with the occurrence of atypical scrapie. Farms with atypical cases were less likely (OR 0.25, 95 per cent CI 0.07 to 0.89) to implement heat synchronisation/superovulation in the flock than the control group. Atypical cases were 3.3 times (95 per cent CI 1.38 to 8.13) more likely to occur in large holdings (>879 sheep) than in small flocks (<164 sheep). If the 'use-of-heat-synchronisation/superovulation' is a proxy for the use of pituitary-derived hormones, the significant negative association between having a case of atypical scrapie and the use of these practices rules out the initial hypothesis that using these drugs is a risk factor for the occurrence of atypical scrapie. Flock size was a significant risk factor for atypical scrapie, consistent with a previous generic case-control study.

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A relevant long-term impact of the circulation of a potentially contaminated vaccine on the distribution of scrapie in Italy. Results from a retrospective cohort study

Cited by 12 publications

References 22 publications

Analysis of differences in prion protein gene (PRNP) polymorphisms between Algerian and Southern Italy's goats

Analysis of differences in prion protein gene (PRNP) polymorphisms between Algerian and Southern Italy's goats

Scientific Opinion on the scrapie situation in the EU after 10 years of monitoring and control in sheep and goats

Case‐control study on the use of pituitary‐derived hormones from sheep as a potential risk factor for the occurrence of atypical scrapie in Great Britain

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