{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,19]],"date-time":"2026-08-19T17:27:48Z","timestamp":1787160468538,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,29]],"date-time":"2021-11-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1638144000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Pseudorabies virus (PrV) is the etiological agent of Aujeszky\u2019s disease, a viral infection that causes neurological lethal illness in mammals other than swine. Herein, we describe the occurrence of PrV infection in a hunting dog that had been bitten by an infected wild boar in Sicily, reporting for the first time genetic and phylogenetic data on the virus strain isolated in a dog in this Italian region. The dog was referred for severe neurological signs, respiratory distress, and intense itch around the muzzle. Death occurred within 48 h to the onset of clinical signs. On gross examination, self-induced skin lesions to the head due to intense itching and diffuse cerebral congestion were observed, whereas mild, aspecific, nonsuppurative meningitis was histologically diagnosed. Diffuse PrV positivity in neurons of the brainstem was observed by immunohistochemistry. PrV DNA was isolated and amplified from olfactory bulbs by nested PCR, targeting the viral glycoprotein G gene, and the sequence obtained matched with sequences of PrV isolates from dogs and wild boar. Isolation of PrV in the dog herein analysed denotes the spread of the virus in wild boar populations in Sicily and provides a proof of direct interspecies transmission. Thus, there is an urgent need to increase our understanding of the epidemiology of the PrV infection in wildlife to provide tools to trace possible spill over into domestic pigs or other livestock.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci8120296","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,1]],"date-time":"2021-12-01T03:12:56Z","timestamp":1638328376000},"page":"296","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["First Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Pseudorabies Virus in a Hunting Dog in Sicily (Southern Italy)"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"8","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4532-9697","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jessica Maria","family":"Abbate","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5853-2881","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alessia","family":"Giannetto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario Papardo, 98166 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7930-8881","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carmelo","family":"Iaria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario Papardo, 98166 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kristian","family":"Riolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario Papardo, 98166 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3176-3847","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Marruchella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Loc. Piano D\u2019Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3711-4450","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jasmine","family":"Hattab","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Loc. Piano D\u2019Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Placido","family":"Calabr\u00f2","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Veterinary Practitioner, 98127 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3436-2814","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanni","family":"Lanteri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario Papardo, 98166 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"334","DOI":"10.1111\/tbed.12038","article-title":"Genomic Characterization of Pseudorabies Virus Strains Isolated in I taly","volume":"61","author":"Sozzi","year":"2014","journal-title":"Transbound. Emerg. Dis."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2019.08.007","article-title":"Characteristics of human encephalitis caused by pseudorabies virus: A case series study","volume":"87","author":"Yang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1087","DOI":"10.3201\/eid2406.171612","article-title":"Human endophthalmitis caused by pseudorabies virus infection, China, 2017","volume":"24","author":"Ai","year":"2018","journal-title":"Emerg. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1691","DOI":"10.1007\/s00705-011-1080-2","article-title":"Pseudorabies virus in wild swine: A global perspective","volume":"156","author":"Hahn","year":"2011","journal-title":"Arch. Virol."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"1","article-title":"Pseudorabies virus infections in pigs. Role of viral proteins in virulence, pathogenesis and transmission","volume":"28","author":"Mulder","year":"1997","journal-title":"Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"462","DOI":"10.1128\/MMBR.69.3.462-500.2005","article-title":"Molecular biology of pseudorabies virus: Impact on neurovirology and veterinary medicine","volume":"69","author":"Pomeranz","year":"2005","journal-title":"Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"563","DOI":"10.1007\/s10393-015-1064-x","article-title":"Long-term surveillance of Aujeszky\u2019s disease in the alpine wild boar (Sus scrofa)","volume":"12","author":"Chiari","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ecohealth"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2015.04.001","article-title":"Detection and molecular analysis of Pseudorabies virus strains isolated from dogs and a wild boar in Italy","volume":"177","author":"Moreno","year":"2015","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"559","DOI":"10.7589\/2013-01-004","article-title":"Serologic, molecular, and pathologic survey of pseudorabies virus infection in hunted wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Italy","volume":"50","author":"Verin","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Wildl. Dis."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1590","DOI":"10.1017\/S0950268810000361","article-title":"Characterization of pseudorabies virus of wild boar origin from Europe","volume":"138","author":"Klupp","year":"2010","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2697","DOI":"10.1098\/rstb.2009.0086","article-title":"Wild boars as sources for infectious diseases in livestock and humans","volume":"364","author":"Meng","year":"2009","journal-title":"Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B Biol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"158","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2007.02.017","article-title":"A review of viral diseases of the European wild boar: Effects of population dynamics and reservoir role","volume":"176","year":"2008","journal-title":"Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"27","article-title":"Pseudorabies virus infection (Aujeszky\u2019s disease) in wild swine","volume":"2","author":"Muller","year":"2000","journal-title":"Infect. Dis. Rev."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1016\/S0378-1135(96)01304-1","article-title":"Isolation and characterisation of an Aujeszky\u2019s disease virus naturally infecting a wild boar (Sus scrofa)","volume":"55","author":"Capua","year":"1997","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"252","DOI":"10.2460\/ajvr.2001.62.252","article-title":"Experimental infection of European wild boars and domestic pigs with pseudorabies viruses with differing virulence","volume":"62","author":"Teuffert","year":"2001","journal-title":"Am. J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"276","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2011.12.033","article-title":"Detection and molecular characterization of Suid herpesvirus type 1 in Austrian wild boar and hunting dogs","volume":"157","author":"Steinrigl","year":"2012","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"600","DOI":"10.1002\/vms3.270","article-title":"Canine parvovirus and pseudorabies virus coinfection as a cause of death in a wolf (Canis lupus)","volume":"6","author":"Amoroso","year":"2020","journal-title":"Vet. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.1007\/s10393-019-01426-2","article-title":"Survey of Aujeszky\u2019s disease virus in hunting dogs from Spain","volume":"16","author":"Moreno","year":"2019","journal-title":"Ecohealth"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.4314\/ovj.v8i2.3","article-title":"First isolation and molecular characterization of Suid herpesvirus type 1 from a domestic dog in Argentina","volume":"8","author":"Serena","year":"2018","journal-title":"Open Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"915","DOI":"10.1177\/1040638711416628","article-title":"Pseudorabies virus infection in Oklahoma hunting dogs","volume":"23","author":"Cramer","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Vet. diagnostic Investig."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"322","DOI":"10.1007\/s11262-019-01659-x","article-title":"Isolation and molecular characterization of a variant of Chinese gC-genotype II pseudorabies virus from a hunting dog infected by biting a wild boar in Japan and its pathogenicity in a mouse model","volume":"55","author":"Minamiguchi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Virus Genes"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108666","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2020.108666","article-title":"Detection of a gE-deleted Pseudorabies virus strain in an Italian red fox","volume":"244","author":"Moreno","year":"2020","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"329","DOI":"10.1007\/s11259-013-9568-8","article-title":"Attenuated live vaccine (Bartha-K16) caused pseudorabies (Aujeszky\u2019s disease) in sheep","volume":"37","author":"Kong","year":"2013","journal-title":"Vet. Res. Commun."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2019.04.031","article-title":"Commercial vaccine against pseudorabies virus: A hidden health risk for dogs","volume":"233","author":"Lin","year":"2019","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"599","article-title":"Clinical signs associated with pseudorabies in dogs","volume":"195","author":"Monroe","year":"1989","journal-title":"J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"430","article-title":"Molecular survey of latent pseudorabies virus infection in nervous tissues of slaughtered pigs by nested and real-time PCR","volume":"43","author":"Yoon","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3022","DOI":"10.1093\/molbev\/msab120","article-title":"MEGA11: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis Version 11","volume":"38","author":"Tamura","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mol. Biol. Evol."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.7589\/0090-3558-42.2.319","article-title":"Pseudorabies virus in European wild boar from central Italy","volume":"42","author":"Lari","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Wildl. Dis."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Deblanc, C., Oger, A., Simon, G., and Le Potier, M.-F. (2019). Genetic Diversity among Pseudorabies Viruses Isolated from Dogs in France from 2006 to 2018. Pathogens, 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens8040266"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abbate, J.M., Arfuso, F., Iaria, C., Arestia, G., and Lanteri, G. (2020). Prevalence of Bovine Tuberculosis in Slaughtered Cattle in Sicily, Southern Italy. Animals, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani10091473"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ciarello, F.P., Capucchio, M.T., Ippolito, D., Colombino, E., Gibelli, L.R.M., Fiasconaro, M., Moreno Martin, A.M., and Di Marco Lo Presti, V. (2020). First report of a severe outbreak of Aujeszky\u2019s disease in cattle in Sicily (Italy). Pathogens, 9.","DOI":"10.22541\/au.159863239.90599536"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Di Marco Lo Presti, V., Moreno, A., Castelli, A., Ippolito, D., Aliberti, A., Amato, B., Vitale, M., Fiasconaro, M., and Pruiti Ciarello, F. (2021). Retrieving Historical Cases of Aujeszky\u2019s Disease in Sicily (Italy): Report of a Natural Outbreak Affecting Sheep, Goats, Dogs, Cats and Foxes and Considerations on Critical Issues and Perspectives in Light of the Recent EU Regulation 429\/2016. Pathogens, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens10101301"},{"key":"ref_33","first-page":"1","article-title":"Bones and joints","volume":"1","author":"Thompson","year":"2007","journal-title":"Jubb Kennedy Palmers Pathol. Domest. Anim."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s12985-015-0274-8","article-title":"Pathogenesis of natural and experimental Pseudorabies virus infections in dogs","volume":"12","author":"Zhang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Virol. J."},{"key":"ref_35","first-page":"143","article-title":"Case report of a pseudorabies (Aujeszky\u2019s disease) in a bitch","volume":"43","author":"Kotnik","year":"2006","journal-title":"Slov. Vet. Res"}],"container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2306-7381\/8\/12\/296\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T07:37:20Z","timestamp":1760168240000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2306-7381\/8\/12\/296"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,29]]},"references-count":35,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,12]]}},"alternative-id":["vetsci8120296"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/vetsci8120296","relation":{},"ISSN":["2306-7381"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2306-7381","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,29]]}}}