Three hundred and ninety-seven randomly selected households were interviewed by telephone to determine the numbers and management of owned cats and dogs in the Teramo Province of Italy. The households were selected using stratified random sampling for each municipality; municipalities were combined into coastal, central hills and mountain regions for analysis. The interviews were completed duri...

The reproduction of the red fox Vulpes vulpes has been widely studied (Hayssen et al. 1993). Most features are highly variable, and reproductive output appears dependent on food availability at high latitudes (Englund 1970), whereas at lower latitudes it seems limited by social constraints (Macdonald 1980, Lindström 1989). No data on the reproduction of the red fox are available for the Mediter...

BACKGROUND Recent studies on geographic distribution of Echinococcus multilocularis in Europe show that it has a wider range than previously thought. It is unclear, however, if the wider distribution is due to its recent spreading or to a lack of previous data from the new areas. Italy, previously considered E. multilocularis-free, is now part of these new areas: infected foxes (the main defini...

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This study provides a preliminary agro-environmental, economic and energetic analysis to critically evaluate the biomass potential ofan area of central Italy (Tuscia Romana). This area is selected as representative foragro-forestry from its orographic characteristics, climatic conditions, land use and potential energy sources. Accordingly, the model we have obtained could be used forother simil...

BACKGROUND A survey relative to the use of plants for the cure of animals in Tunisia was conducted in order to make a comparison with the same species (or similar ones) in central and southern Italy. MATERIALS AND METHODS available bibliographical data both for Italy and for Tunisia were consulted. RESULTS Thirty-nine plants, representing 22 families, used in Tunisia in ethnoveterinary medi...

BACKGROUND High socioeconomic status and migration to a higher risk area have been linked to increased breast cancer risk. To evaluate the occurrence of breast cancer in women of different social class and residential history, we conducted a multicentre case-control study in Italy. METHODS A total of 2569 cases of incident breast cancer were ascertained in northern, central and southern Italy...