Bonfante Francesco

Dirigente IZSVe Role Veterinarian
Department/
Centre
SCS6 – Experimental Virology
EURL for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease
Phone +39 049 8084101-102
E-mail fbonfante@izsvenezie.it

Professional profile

Francesco Bonfante is Head of the Laboratory of Experimental Animal Models at the SCS6 – Experimental Virology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe).

He graduated in Veterinary medicine, University of Padova in 2009 and obtained a post graduate specialization in “Breeding, hygiene, pathology of aquatic species and control of derived products” from the University of Udine in 2013.

Since 2010, his research interests have pertained to the development and management of experimental studies aimed at developing novel vaccines and immune-therapies for the prevention and treatment of major viral zoonoses, both in the animal reservoirs and human beings. His research involves the study of pathogenesis, transmission patterns and virological factors driving the host-species jump of influenza A viruses, and his interest is also addressed to the phenotypic characterization of RNA viruses such as Newcastle disease (NDV), infectious bronchitis (IBV) and Infectious bursal disease IBD (Gumboro). Within this framework, several animal models have been validated and are available at IZSVe.

He has been involved in national and international projects such as FP7 PREDEMICS, FLUPIG, ANIHWA: NADIV. He is presently frontline involved in the Horizon 2020 – ZIKAction: “Preparedness, research and action network on maternal-paediatric axis of ZIKV infection in Latin America and the Caribbean” (n. 734857) and DELTA-FLU: Dynamics of avian influenza in a changing world (n. 722229).

He also collaborates with international organizations such as FAO and WOAH, contributing to the continuous monitoring of avian influenza viruses at both a national and international level, within the framework of the OFFLU network.

Publications

  • Bonfante et al., 2018. A G1-lineage H9N2 virus with oviduct tropism causes chronic pathological changes in the infundibulum and a long-lasting drop in egg production. Vet Res 49:83 doi:10.1186/s13567-018-0575-1
  • Bonfante et al., 2017. Synergy or interference of a H9N2 avian influenza virus with a velogenic Newcastle. Disease virus in chickens are dose dependent. Avian Pathol. 1–30. doi:10.1080/03079457.2017.1319904
  • Bonfante et al., 2016. Spillback transmission of European H1N1 avian-like swine influenza viruses to turkeys: A strain-dependent possibility? Vet. Microbiol. 186, 102–110. doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2016.02.025
  • Fusaro et al., 2016. Impact of host immunity in the mammalian adaptation of an H3N6 avian influenza virus. Int. J. Infect. Dis. 53, 104. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2016.11.261
  • Gardin et al., 2016. Experimental and Field Results Regarding Immunity Induced by a Recombinant Turkey Herpesvirus H5 Vector Vaccine Against H5N1 and Other H5 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus Challenges. Avian Dis. 232–237. doi: 10.1637/11144-050815-ResNote
  • Bonfante et al., 2014. Lethal nephrotropism of an H10N1 avian influenza virus stands out as an atypical pathotype. Vet. Microbiol. 173, 189–200. doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2014.07.023
  • Monne et al., 2013. Reassortant Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Viruses with H9N2-PB1 Gene in Poultry, Bangladesh. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 19, 1–5. doi:10.3201/eid1910.130534
  • Bonfante et al., 2013. Susceptibility and intra-species transmission of the H9N2 G1 prototype lineage virus in Japanese quail and turkeys. Vet. Microbiol. 165, 177–183. doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.03.014
  • Capua et al., 2013. Influenza A viruses grow in human pancreatic cells and cause pancreatitis and diabetes in an animal model. J. Virol. 87, 597–610. doi:10.1128/JVI.00714-12
  • Bonfante et al., 2012. Identification of APMV-1 associated with high mortality of collared doves (Streptoelia decaocto) in Italy. Vet. Rec. 171, 327. doi:10.1136/vr.100448