Alice Magri

@izsplv.it

Zooprophylactic Institute of Piemonte Liguria and Valle d'Aosta



           

https://researchid.co/alice.magri

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Veterinary

7

Scopus Publications

Scopus Publications

  • A case of severe benzalkonium chloride intoxication in a cat
    Silva Rubini, Roberto Rubini, Silvia Bertocchi, Silvia Zordan, Alice Magri, Filippo Barsi, Maria Sampieri, Carlo Alessandro Locatelli, Erika Baldini, Stefano Manfredini,et al.
    Springer Science and Business Media LLC
    Abstract Background Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC), that can be found in a wide variety of household products–from disinfectants to medicaments and home fragrances–but also professional products. In pets, cats have long been reported as more sensitive than dogs to QACs; in fact, signs of irritation such as oral ulcerations, stomatitis and pharyngitis can be observed after contact with concentrations of 2% or lower. In a review of 245 cases of BAC exposure in cats, reported by the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (United Kingdom) only 1.2% of the cases died or were euthanized. Nevertheless, BAC toxidromes in cats can result in transitory CNS and respiratory distress, as well as severe mucosal and cutaneous lesions. Currently, only a few reports are available concerning BAC poisoning in this species. Case presentation A 4 month-old kitten presented with severe glossitis, lameness in the hindlimbs and episodes of vomiting and diarrhoea. The cause was unknown until the owners reported use of a BAC-containing mould remover (5%) 4 days later. The patient developed severe oral burns requiring a pharyngeal tube for feeding and severe cutaneous chemical burns. The kitten was managed with supportive therapy and required hospitalization for 10 days. The symptoms disappeared completely 3 weeks after exposure. Conclusions BAC is a very common compound contained in several household and professional products but, to the best of our knowledge, no previous case had been reported in Italy. We hope that this report will help raise awareness on the hazards of BAC products for cats in both domestic and work contexts.

  • Sentinels in the shadows: Exploring Toxoplasma gondii and other Sarcocystidae parasites in synanthropic rodents and their public health implications
    Filippo Maria Dini, Monica Caffara, Alice Magri, Alessia Cantori, Valentina Luci, Antonio Monno, and Roberta Galuppi
    Elsevier BV

  • Diversity of RNA viruses in the cosmopolitan monoxenous trypanosomatid Leptomonas pyrrhocoris
    Diego H. Macedo, Danyil Grybchuk, Jana Režnarová, Jan Votýpka, Donnamae Klocek, Tatiana Yurchenko, Jan Ševčík, Alice Magri, Michaela Urda Dolinská, Kristína Záhonová,et al.
    Springer Science and Business Media LLC
    Abstract Background Trypanosomatids are parasitic flagellates well known because of some representatives infecting humans, domestic animals, and cultural plants. Many trypanosomatid species bear RNA viruses, which, in the case of human pathogens Leishmania spp., influence the course of the disease. One of the close relatives of leishmaniae, Leptomonas pyrrhocoris, has been previously shown to harbor viruses of the groups not documented in other trypanosomatids. At the same time, this species has a worldwide distribution and high prevalence in the natural populations of its cosmopolitan firebug host. It therefore represents an attractive model to study the diversity of RNA viruses. Results We surveyed 106 axenic cultures of L. pyrrhocoris and found that 64 (60%) of these displayed 2–12 double-stranded RNA fragments. The analysis of next-generation sequencing data revealed four viral groups with seven species, of which up to five were simultaneously detected in a single trypanosomatid isolate. Only two of these species, a tombus-like virus and an Ostravirus, were earlier documented in L. pyrrhocoris. In addition, there were four new species of Leishbuviridae, the family encompassing trypanosomatid-specific viruses, and a new species of Qinviridae, the family previously known only from metatranscriptomes of invertebrates. Currently, this is the only qinvirus with an unambiguously determined host. Our phylogenetic inferences suggest reassortment in the tombus-like virus owing to the interaction of different trypanosomatid strains. Two of the new Leishbuviridae members branch early on the phylogenetic tree of this family and display intermediate stages of genomic segment reduction between insect Phenuiviridae and crown Leishbuviridae. Conclusions The unprecedented wide range of viruses in one protist species and the simultaneous presence of up to five viral species in a single Leptomonas pyrrhocoris isolate indicate the uniqueness of this flagellate. This is likely determined by the peculiarity of its firebug host, a highly abundant cosmopolitan species with several habits ensuring wide distribution and profuseness of L. pyrrhocoris, as well as its exposure to a wider spectrum of viruses compared to other trypanosomatids combined with a limited ability to transmit these viruses to its relatives. Thus, L. pyrrhocoris represents a suitable model to study the adoption of new viruses and their relationships with a protist host.

  • Survey on the presence of Leishmania sp. in peridomestic rodents from the Emilia-Romagna Region (North-Eastern Italy)
    Alice Magri, Roberta Galuppi, Marialetizia Fioravanti, and Monica Caffara
    Springer Science and Business Media LLC

  • Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) are a novel potential reservoir for human visceral leishmaniasis in the Emilia-Romagna region of northeastern Italy
    Alice Magri, Claretta Bianchi, L’ubomíra Chmelovà, Monica Caffara, Roberta Galuppi, Marialetizia Fioravanti, Vyacheslav Yurchenko, and Alexei Yu. Kostygov
    Elsevier BV

  • Detection of Leishmania sp. kDNA in questing Ixodes ricinus (Acari, Ixodidae) from the Emilia-Romagna Region in northeastern Italy
    Alice Magri, Monica Caffara, Marialetizia Fioravanti, and Roberta Galuppi
    Springer Science and Business Media LLC
    Abstract To date, sand flies (Phlebotominae) are the only recognized biological vectors of Leishmania infantum, the causative agent of human visceral leishmaniasis, which is endemic in the Mediterranean basin and also widespread in Central and South America, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Dogs are the main domestic reservoir of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis, and the role of secondary vectors such as ticks and fleas and particularly Rhipicephalus sanguineus (the brown dog tick) in transmitting L. infantum has been investigated. In the present paper, the presence of Leishmania DNA was investigated in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from 4 rural areas included in three parks of the Emilia-Romagna Region (north-eastern Italy), where active foci of human visceral leishmaniasis have been identified. The analyses were performed on 236 DNA extracts from 7 females, 6 males, 72 nymph pools, and 151 larvae pools. Four samples (1.7%) (i.e., one larva pool, 2 nymph pools, and one adult male) tested positive for Leishmania kDNA. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence of Leishmania kDNA in questing I. ricinus ticks collected from a rural environment. This finding in unfed larvae, nymphs, and adult male ticks supports the hypothesis that L. infantum can have both transstadial and transovarial passage in I. ricinus ticks. The potential role of I. ricinus ticks in the sylvatic cycle of leishmaniasis should be further investigated.

  • Autochthonous Trypanosoma spp. In European mammals: A brief journey amongst the neglected trypanosomes
    Alice Magri, Roberta Galuppi, and Marialetizia Fioravanti
    MDPI AG
    The genus Trypanosoma includes flagellated protozoa belonging to the family Trypanosomatidae (Euglenozoa, Kinetoplastida) that can infect humans and several animal species. The most studied species are those causing severe human pathology, such as Chagas disease in South and Central America, and the human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or infections highly affecting animal health, such as nagana in Africa and surra with a wider geographical distribution. The presence of these Trypanosoma species in Europe has been thus far linked only to travel/immigration history of the human patients or introduction of infected animals. On the contrary, little is known about the epidemiological status of trypanosomes endemically infecting mammals in Europe, such as Trypanosomatheileri in ruminants and Trypanosomalewisi in rodents and other sporadically reported species. This brief review provides an updated collection of scientific data on the presence of autochthonous Trypanosoma spp. in mammals on the European territory, in order to support epidemiological and diagnostic studies on Trypanosomatid parasites.