PREVENTION IN LIVESTOCK DISEASES IN ITALY:

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• PREVENTION IN LIVESTOCK DISEASES IN ITALY
• HISTORY AND RECORDS
•  
• E.Piras P. Gradito R. Ciappelloni L. Garau S.
  Guarise A. DOrazi M. Bucciarelli F. Capuano
  E. Aliberti L. Lombardi
  
• IZS della SardegnaIZS delle Regioni Lazio e
  ToscanaIZS dellUmbria e delle MarcheIZS della
  Lombardia e dellEmilia RomagnaIZS delle
  VenezieIZS della Sicilia IZS dellAbruzzo-
  MoliseIZS della CampaniaIZS del
  Piemonte-Liguria IZS della Perugia-Basilicata
• (elisa.piras_at_IZS-SARDEGNA.IT)

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AIM The present work aims at outlining the hist
orical and scientific evolution of the prevention
of livestock diseases in Italy.
The original documents retrieved in the II.ZZ
.SS. historical archives have been studied thus
emphasizing the role of the Libraries in
fostering research and support of scientific
progress
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METHODS (1) The methodology adopted is inferred
from bibliographic research. The first step
a data collection accomplished by each single
Institute as to the records pertaining to its own
activities (such as scientific publications and
grey literature documents)
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METHODS (2) The second step has focused on ou
tlining the development of the II.ZZ.SS. since
the establishment up to the year 1950

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DISCUSSION The origin of Istituti Zooprofilatti
ci (II.ZZ.SS.), at the turn of the century, is
strictly connected with the DEVELOPMENT of the
Public Health and The Veterinary Assistance
System It is useful to sketch a brief descript
ion of the national health situation along this
short period of history
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DISCUSSION In 1885 Pasteur, addressing to the
Veterinarians said As we all know, since
a few years, your profession has became of outs
tanding importance thanks to Bouley, because he
never stopped to insist on the value of
scientific research in the veterinary career.
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• Historical background (1)
• At the beginning of XX century, in Italy as in
  the rest of Europe, a change in agriculture was
  taking place
  
• A quantitative and qualitative livestock increase
  was occurring and the animal breeding was
  converting into a real industry
  
• Milk production was increasing and dairy
  by-products used as feeding stuff allowed an
  increase in swine production
  
• The veterinarians were asked a higher expertise
  and information and support was needed to tackle
  the new challenges
  

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• Historical background (2)
• At the beginning of XX century, in Italy as in
  the rest of Europe, a change in agriculture was
  taking place
  
• a quantitative and qualitative livestock increase
  was occurring
  
• Domestic animal breeding was converting into a
  real industry
  
• in 1901 the Veterinary Services were gathered
  into the Direzione Generale di Sanità and,
  during the following ten years, they were
  completely reorganized

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Historical background (3) Indeed, the zooiatr
ic and zootechnical services were underdeveloped,
furthermore they operated through different
Boards which were often not even interconnected
in the intervention plans. As a matter of fact
, an efficient screening of the activities and a
zootechnical program were lacking
an operative framework that could support the en
forcement of the guidelines carried out by the
Agencies in charge, was necessary in order to
increase the production, breeding and livestock
trading (Il Moderno Zooiatro, 1909)
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Historical background (4) In 1909, the Veterina
ry Services had medical and zootechnical functio
ns
Health Police health measures in animal infect
ious diseases prevention police controls over
livestock trade in markets, in railway and in
tramway stations
Mortuary Police Report of animal death causes
supervision of carcasses destruction to avoid
the spreading of infections

Food supplies Police Inspection of slaughtered
animals, meat and meat processing plants
inspection of milk production and trade
inspection of fish and shellfish
(Il Moderno Zooiatro, 1909)
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Historical background (5) During the IX Confe
rence of Veterinary Medicine, (Hague,Netherlands
1909), much emphasis was given to the veterinar
y scientific progress and its positive impact on
agriculture, such as the extinction of a number
of animal epizooties
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Historical background (6) The European Veterina
ry Medicine was focusing on diseases such as
Equine Piroplasmosis, Contagious Bovine
Pleuropneumoniae, Classical Swine Fever and
African horse Sickness (Il Moderno Zooiatro, 190
9) The Veterinarians, realizing their vital rol
e in the livestock protection, pledged all the
local authorities of the Italian Kingdom to
provide a National Veterinary Service.
At that time there was only one vet out of 15-20
municipalities (Il Moderno Zooiatro, 1909)
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• Historical background (7)
• The increase of the vet work force was essential
  so as to carry out diagnostic controls which was
  particularly important because of the peculiar
  Italian historical, geographical, social-economic
  background and of the present health conditions
• The Livestock breeding was strictly dependent on
  the territory
  
• The infectious diseases, such as rinder pest,
  foot-and-mouth disease (already unfortunately
  known by breeders in the nineteenth century),
  were dramatically spreading

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Historical background (8)

• The national livestock resources had completely
  changed and such infectious pathologies, causing
  much damage to breeders and a serious economic
  impact, needed a thorough study and further
  research to assure control by means of immunizing
  products

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• Historical background (9)
• Furthermore, a special interest was aroused by
  the study of the following aspects
  
• Swine epidemic diseases
• Poultry diseases
• Neonatal diseases
• The production of anti-aphtous vaccine
• The production and distribution of vaccine
  against brucellar abortion,
  
• enzootic sterility
• Meat microbiological examination
• Zoonoses

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Historical background (10) The State interventi
on was urged and the Consiglio Superiore di
Sanità (Health Superior Council) established the
first Experimental Stations to tackle the
epizooties. "Such stations have no educational
purposes, in this sense they are not a duplicate
of the Institutes and scientific laboratories
studying cattle infectious diseases active in
medicine and veterinary medicine. On the
contrary, they have a practical nature and they
have preventive objectives. They represent the
ramparts which have to reinvigorate the action of
health administration in the effort " (Altara,
1954)
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Historical background (11) This action proved
to be only a promotional approach
Indeed, Experimental Stations needed specific
resources to operate on the field, considering
the correlation with local agriculture
organizations, Chambers of Commerce and
veterinarians The creative boost was the need t
o fill the gaps coping with inadequate tools to
act against the spreading of contagious diseases
in breeding
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• Historical background (12)
• During the second half of the XXth century,
  modern epidemiology has developed.
  
• In the Veterinary field, the Regolamento di
  Polizia Veterinaria was issued enforcing the
  rules to manage the most dangerous animal
  diseases, such as
• avian salmonellosis, bovine tuberculosis,
  bovine and small ruminantsbrucellosis,
  foot-and-mouth disease, classic swine fever,
  bovine enzootic leucosis, etc.

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Historical background (13) Administrative auton
omy was accomplished as a consequence to avoid a
complete nationalization which might have
reduced the freedom of action in the field.
In Italy there are ten Institutes which have b
een established and directed by outstanding
veterinary scientists and veterinarians. Today,
they represent our most important scientific
institutions (apart from schools), where our main
experimental and diagnostic activity is carried
out, especially in the immunological field.
Both overseas and in our country, these
institutions are highly regarded by the medical
class. (Zooprofilassi, 1949)
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• In thirty years time 10 Institutes were
  established
  

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• Historical background (14)
• The increase of the zootechnic livestock
  resources on a worldwide level involved
  
• the presence of new animal diseases or
  infections, zoonosis
  
• (such as infections caused by poultry Salmonella
  enteritidis, brucelllosis, tubercolosis),
  
• (Zooprofilassi, 1949)

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The national livestock appeared completely
renewed after the war period

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• Livestock Health Situation (1)
• The infectious diseases trend recorded at the
  end of the World War II show that Italy was still
  fighting against livestock serious diseases
  
• (Zooprofilassi, 1950)

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Livestock health situation (2)
From Zooprofilassi 1949
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• Livestock health situation (3)
• The deteriorated health situation urged the
  II.ZZ.SS. to their complete development, through
  the subdivision that allowed the Istitutes to
  serve the entire nation
• District breakdown
• the Institute of Torino, together with the
  Genoas centre, provides for Piemonte and Liguria
  regions
  
• The Institute of Brescia, with Milano and
  Reggio Emilia Diagnostic sites, provides for
  Lombardia and Emilia
  
• The Institute of Padova provides for Veneto,
  Friuli and Trentino-Alto Adige
  

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• The Institute of Rome, together with Pisa,
  Florence and other 6 diagnostic centres, provides
  for Toscana and Lazio
  
• The Institute of Perugia, with the centre of
  Ancona, provides for Umbria and Marche
  
• The Institute of Teramo provides for Abruzzo
• The Institute of Foggia provides for Puglia and
  Molise
  
• The Institute of Portici, together with the
  Catanzaros centre, provides for Campania,
  Lucania and Calabria
  
• The Institute of Palermo provides for Sicily
• The Institute of Sassari, together with the
  Cagliaris centre, provides for Sardinia.
  

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• "The organization pattern was so well designed
  that each Institute was able to accomplish the
  several tasks concerning Italian Zootechnics and
  Public Health, using its own equipment and
  qualified staff"
• (Zooprofilassi, 1950)

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• Since the beginning of the 50s, the Istituti
  Zooprofilattici have gathered many functions that
  used to be developed by other institutions,
  acquiring a important role in the National
  Veterinary Public Health.
• In August 1950, the General Direction of the
  Veterinary Services started a cooperation with
  the II.ZZ.SS. Since this very moment, II.ZZ.SS.
  have represented the first framework for
  Veterinary Public Health and food security
  throughout the country

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• A synthetic description of the main activities
  provided by each institute will be sketched as in
  1950 the II.ZZ.SS covered the whole Italian
  country and were up to establish a network
• The screening and research functions carried
  out by the Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali
  were heterogeneous and complex
  

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EXPERIMENTAL STATION FOR CATTLE INFECTIVE
DISEASES IN THE PROVINCE OF BRESCIA
The Experimental Station of Brescia is due to
Brescias breeders initiative thanks to the
financial support of different Institutions.
This institution took place the 19th of March 19
21, when the Experimental Station for cattle
infective diseases in the province of Brescia
was set up. Since 1923, the new Institute started
its activities. The institute intervention are
a included all provinces of Lombardia and Emilia.
The main diseases represented a direct cause of
permanent stalling foot-and-mouth diseases,
classical swine fever, Newcastle diseases, bovine
brucellosis, salmonellosis, neonatal diseases.
The tasks entrusted to the Institute concern the
study of animal contagious diseases and the
preparation of immune products, the diagnostic
activity, the application of bacteriological
tests of animal meats slaughtered under
necessity the organization of the struggle
against classical swine fever through serum and
virus simultaneous inoculation, both for a
preventive task and for emergency intervention in
pigsties already affected the organization of
the struggle against bovine sterility.

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SOUTH EXPERIMENTAL ZOOPROFILATTICA STATION
NICOLA MIRAGLIA

• The origins date back to 1908, when the
  Istituto di Incoraggiamento of Naples, decided
  its institution in order to enhance health
  safeguard action of the livestock in Southern
  Italy.
• To operate in this large jurisdiction area,
  in 1925 the sections of Foggia, Catanzaro, Reggio
  Calabria, Cosenza, Potenza and Taranto were
  established.
• Porticis Institute, characterised by a very
  active in diagnostic activity, stands out for the
  divulgation action for zootechnic hygiene and
  basic prophylactic rules. The examined documents
  report all the important data on serum production
  against classical swine fever, antiapthous
  vaccine and rabies.
• Studies and researches were targeted on
  artificial sterility and insemination, food
  health control, equines and other domestic
  animals meningo-encephalomyelitis, Piroplasmosis,
  bovine tuberculosis prophylaxis and immunization
  against classical swine fever.

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• ISTITUTO ZOOPROFILATTICO SPERIMENTALE OF PIEMONTE
  AND LIGURIA
  
• This Institute was established by the Comizio
  Agrario of Torino and started its activity in
  1913.
  
• It operates over all the provinces of
  Piemonte and Liguria.
  
• The Institute, since the early years,
  performed its activities in the following
  fields
  
• diagnostics, production of immune defence,
  vaccines for Newcastle disease, neonatal
  diseases poultry, fish and bee diseases
  Brucellosis Trichomoniasis bovine sterility
  production of adsorbed vaccines against viruses
  production of the vaccine against foot-and-mouth
  diseases vaccine against Newcastledisease
  brucellosis therapy equine infectious anemia
  artificial insemination of domestic animals
  immunology and serology of foot-and-mouth
  disease qualifying courses in sterility care and
  execution of domestic animals artificial
  insemination.

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ISTITUTO ZOOPROFILATTICO SPERIMENTALE DELLE
REGIONI LAZIO E TOSCANA

• In 1935, IZS-Lazio e Toscana, established in
  1918, was changed into Stazione Zooprofilattica
  Sperimentale of Rome
  
• in 1951 its jurisdiction was extended to the
  provinces of Tuscany
  
• In the 50s, its activity concerned
• Diagnostic activity
• preparation of immune defences
• Sterility and artificial insemination,
  scientific research activity.
  

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• ISTITUTO ZOOPROFILATTICO SPERIMENTALE OF FOGGIA
• It was established in 1921 as a separated
  station from the Experimental Station of Portici
  with the specific task of struggling against
  sheeppox (a disease extinguished in 1949)
• As the years passed through, the laboratory
  started dealing also with other infectious
  diseases that affected the animals of the
  province of Foggia. It was the necessity to build
  a local experimental station
• It operates in Puglia and Molise where the
  half-wild breeding encouraged the presence of
  diseases due to sporogenic or parasitic
  (helminthiasis and piroplasmosis)
• agents

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STAZIONE ZOOPROFILATTICA SPERIMENTALE OF SARDINIA

• After the I World War, in Italy, it was vital
  to preserve the zootechnic livestock resources as
  an income source for a large part of the
  population. On the 10th of November 1922 the
  first local board in Sassari was held and the
  Statute was approved, stating the tasks and goals
  of the Institution. One year later the Provincial
  Commission of Sassari established in Sassari an
  Experimental Station for cattle infectious
  diseases, with jurisdiction over the entire
  island. On the 4th of January, the Station,
  through its first verdict, started its activity
• At that time Sardinia used to have a wide
  livestock resource (sheep and goat) that amounted
  to 33.3 of the national sheep livestock
  resources.
• The main activities of the centre included
  struggle against parasitic diseases by means of
  studies, research, therapy and breeders
  involvement diagnostic tests that allowed to
  trace and prove the nature of infectious diseases
  in Sardinia meat microbiological examination
  breeding techniques serums and vaccines
  production together with other diagnostic
  materials struggle against diseases concerning
  the reproductive apparatus and artificial
  insemination experimental research

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• ISTITUTO ZOOPROFILATTICO DELLE TRE VENEZIE
• The first project for a Zooprophilactic
  Station dates back to1924, but its only in 1926
  that it was established in Padova and, in 1929,
  it started to be operative. The range of action
  included all the provinces of Veneto, Friuli and
  Trentino.
• The diseases in the area of the Institute
  were
  
• Actinobacillosis, Mal rossino, Brucellar
  abortion, Trichomoniasis, Turkey Enterohepatitis,
  Neonate bull calf dysentery, Classical Swine
  Fever, Symptomatic carbuncle, Rabbit hemorrhagic
  septicaemia, Chicken pseudo pest, Hare pseudo
  tuberculosis, Bovine pasteurellosis, Sheep
  contagious ecthyma, Catarrhal malignant fever,
  Bovine babesiosis, Aujeszky disease.
• There was an important production of serum
  against swine mal rosso, distribution of serum
  anti-aphtha, production of anti-aphtha adsorbed
  vaccine, vaccine against systematic carbuncle,
  vaccine against fowl cholera, multivalent
  antisepticaemic serum, vaccine against fowl
  diphtheria, vaccine against pseudo pest.
  Activities included the field of diseases
  concerning the reproductive apparatus.

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• ISTITUTO ZOOPROFILATTICO SPERIMENTALE OF PERUGIA
  
  
• The first negotiations about its foundation
  date back to 1933 by the Chamber of Commerce and
  the local University, but they reached a
  agreement only in 1939
• Its jurisdiction includes Umbria and Marche,
  and it carries out activities on diagnostics,
  Zooiatric assistance and health information
  campaigns, production of serums and vaccines for
  Mal rossino, Classicsal swine fever,
  Foot-and-mouth disease, Newcastle disease, Anti
  rabies vaccine following the Mirri technique
  experimental research in sterility and diseases
  of the reproductive apparatus, parasitology and
  food inspection.
• Research works are also carried out on
  enterotoxic staphylococcus in food milk, fresh
  meat, ice-cream, as well as studies on bovine
  echinococcosis Rickettsia burnetii and studies
  on tuberculosis.

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• Each Institute also carries on with success more
  specific scientific research and the great
  importance of this work in the development
  reached in Veterinary Science its clear
• (I. Altara, 1954)

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• Scientific studies and publications represent
  the documental livestock resources available in
  our Institutions
  
• hereafter, a summary schedule is reported,
  underlining, not only the number of scientific
  publications on national and international
  reviews, but also the topics studied
• (Altara, 1954)

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PORTICI
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• RESULTS
• This historical study carried out on a
  documental basis has highlighted the Istituti
  Zooprofilattici Sperimentali AID and SUPPORT in
  the prophylaxis of infectious and contagious
  diseases,
• studying pathologies which were once hardly
  investigated in our country, such as neonatal and
  foot-and-mouth diseases
  

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• CONCLUSIONS
• This paper focuses on the historical period
  from 1900 to 1950
  
• and it is the result of the work accomplished by
  the librarians of Istituti Zooprofilattici
  Sperimentali, who at present make up a real
  cooperation network
• In order to give an exhaustive collection of so
  many documents, (most of them out of commerce),
  and in reorganizing archives and libraries,
  
• the IZS librarians are challenging to keep their
  roots alive
  
• but they are also endeavouring to
• RETRIEVE AND LOCATE A LARGE AMOUNT OF SCIENTIFIC
  INFORMATION to be available to the users,
  
• since these documents can be considered
  essential for research but also for practical
  applications in the sanitary field
  
• Documental sources this work refers to, can be
  accessed in each above-mentioned Institute
  

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• REFERENCES
• 1. Zooprofilassi, attualità, 1949 n. 5, p.278
• 2. Il Moderno Zooiatro, 1909 n. 9, p. 454
• 3. Il Moderno Zooiatro, 1909 n. 17, p. 867
• 4. Il Moderno Zooiatro, 1909 n. 19, p. 956
• 5. Altara I. Gli Istituti Zooprofilattici
  Sperimentali rassegna delle attività, 1954 p.
  VIII
  
• 6. Zooprofilassi, 1949 n.4, p.21
• 7. Zooprofilassi, 1949 n. 11, p.31
• 8. Zooprofilassi, 1950 n.4, p.250
• 9. Zooprofilassi, 1950 n.8, p.437
• __________________________________________________
  _________Fig. 1 title Istituti Zooprofilattici
  of Italy / file IZSItaly_001.jpg
  

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Thank You for Your kind attention!!