Browsing by Author "Marruchella, Giuseppe"

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    Avian influenza H5N8 outbreak in African penguins (Spheniscus demersus), Namibia, 2019
    (2020) Molini, Umberto; Aikukutu, Gottlieb; Roux, Jean-Paul; Kemper, Jessica; Ntahonshikira, Charles; Marruchella, Giuseppe; Khaiseb, S.; Cattoli, Giovanni; Dundon, William G.
    In January 2019, high mortalities were reported among African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) in a breeding colony on Halifax Island, Namibia, Africa. Analysis of samples by reverse transcription quantitative PCR indicated the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N8. Sequence analysis of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes confirmed the presence of the virus in the birds and its high similarity to HPAI subtype H5N8 identified in South Africa in 2017. There have been no previous reports of HPAI H5N8 in Namibia.
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    Molecular investigation of Porcine Circovirus type 3 infection in pigs in Namibia
    (Pathogens, 2021-05-11) Molini, Umberto; Marruchella, Giuseppe; Matheus, Frieda; Hemberger, Maria Yvonne; Chiwome, Bernard; Khaiseb, Siegfried; Cattoli, Giovanni; Franzo, Giovanni
    Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV-3) infection is widely distributed in domestic pig populations in America, Europe, and Asia. However, no data is currently available about its presence and distribution in Africa. This study investigated the presence of PCV-3 in pigs (n = 122) in Namibia, by means of biomolecular methods. The pig samples collected (n = 122) were representative of the swine industry in Namibia, covering the major pig production facilities in the country. All of the samples tested were negative for PCV-3, and this indicated that the virus was either not present in the country or was circulating at low levels. Further studies are needed to better understand the distribution, if any, of PCV-3 in Namibia.