In recent years, the trade in exotic and ornamental animals has undergone significant changes. In particular, the market of ornamental birds (parrots, parakeets, canaries etc.) is constantly expanding as these species are increasingly in demand both as pets and in amateur breeding for exhibitions and fairs. They could be affected by various microorganisms that produce even serious diseases. Among the causative agents of bacterial origin enterobacteria, staphylococci, streptococci, bacilli, mycoplasms are frequently isolated. In addition, these animals can transmit zoonoses such as clamidiosis (psittacosis/ornitosis). Ornamental birds are also susceptible to numerous viral diseases caused by herpesvirus, circovirus, papillomavirus, polyomavirus, paramyxovirus, arbovirus and others.
The rapid identification of infected subjects is essential to contain these infections on the farm, allowing the necessary biosecurity standards to be applied promptly and effectively, so as to avoid spreading not only inside, but also towards the outside (buy-sell, fairs, markets).
The activity of our research group focuses on epidemiological studies of some pathologies (psittacine beak and feathers disease from circovirus or PBFD, avian polyomavirus or APV, Pacheco disease from herpesvirus or PDV, clamidiosis) carried out both nationally and internationally (e.g. Guatemala, Belise). In addition, genetic characterisation studies are conducted to understand the phylogenetic relationships between different strains. The laboratory activity also includes the development of diagnostic tests for the main infectious diseases.

• Robino P., Ferrocino I., Rossi G., Dogliero A., Alessandria V., Grosso L., Galosi L., Tramuta C., Cocolin L., Nebbia P. - Changes in gut bacterial communities in canaries infected by Macrorhabdus ornithogaster - Avian Pathology. 2019. Vol. 48, 111-120.
• Rossi G., Galosi L., Berardi S., Piano M.A., Robino P., Rose T., Calabrò M.L. - Neck Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma in a Fischer's lovebird (Agapornis fischeri) - Research in Veterinary Science. 2016. Vol. 106, 112-115.
• Robino P., Grego E., Rossi G., Bert E., Tramuta C., Stella MC., Bertoni PF., Nebbia P. - Molecular analysis and associated pathology of beak and feather disease virus isolated in Italy from young Congo African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) with an “atypical peracute form” of the disease - Avian Pathology. 2014. 333–344.
• Attili A.R., Linardi M., Rossi G., Robino P., Nebbia P., Garcia A.R., Ponce S.G., Guerra L., Buxton N., Paquet-Durand I., Joiner L., Cuteri V., Dahlhausen R.D. - Antimicrobial resistance patterns in psittacine birds in Central America - Exoticscon. 2020. Denver (USA).
• Rossi G., Angorini A., Vincenzetti S., Attili A.R., Robino P., Nebbia P., Galosi L. - A new ELISA method to evaluate the humoral host response to Macrorhabdus ornithogaster proventricular infection in birds - XI Yaboumba Congress 2018. Paris (F). 72.
• Dogliero A., Nebbia P., Robino P., Biasibetti E., Capucchio M.T. - Stunted Chick Syndrome in a psittacine species - a case report - 6th Mediterranean Poultry Summit (MPS). 2018. Turin (I). 121.
• Bert E., Soto C., Robino P., Nebbia P., Tramuta C., Rossi G. - A case of PDD associated to ESBL Escherichia coli infection in an African Grey Parrot (Psittacus e. erithacus) - 3° International Conference on Avian heRpetological and Exotic mammal medicine (ICARE). 2017. Venezia (I). 528.
• Galosi L., Robino P., Perrucci S., Paquet-Durand I., Buxton N., Garcia A.R., Ponce S.G., Merida M., Joyner L., Nebbia P., Orosz S., Dorrestein G., Rossi G. - Health assessment of free-ranging psittacine birds in Guatemala and Belize - 3° International Conference on Avian heRpetological and Exotic mammal medicine (ICARE). 2017. Venezia (I). 476.
• Galosi L., Robino P., Garcia A.R., Lepe M., Joyner L., Ponce S.G., Penados B.A., Nebbia P., Orosz S., Dorrestein G., Rossi G. - Health evaluation of free-ranging scarlet macaws (Ara Macao Cyanoptera) in the Maya biosphere reserve, Guatemala: preliminary results - XXIV Congreso Panamericano de Ciencias Veterinarias (PANVET). 2014. La Habana (Cuba). 73.

• Laboratori microbiologia DSV Grugliasco, Turin
• Laboratori di Patologia sbmv.unicam

• Prof. Giacomo Rossi (School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Matelica (MC), Italy)
• Dr. Ilario Ferrocino, Prof. Luca Cocolin (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Science, University of Turin, Grugliasco (TO), Italy)