Research

Editorial: Tuberculosis in domestic ruminants: towards eradication of zoonotic tuberculosis

Investigation published in Frontiers in veterinary science

Tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonosis with a significant impact on human and animal health and it remains endemic in many countries around the world. Most cases of human TB are caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, whilst TB in wildlife and domestic ruminants is mainly caused by animal adapted mycobacterial species such as M. bovis and M. caprae. However, the impact of zoonotic TB (zTB) has been known for a long time and resulted in the implementation of milk pasteurization as a preventive public health measure in many countries. According to data published by the WHO, more than 140,000 people are i… Leer más

Evaluation of alternative antigens to PPDs for the diagnosis of caprine tuberculosis

Alberto Corroto Martín defended this Degree Final Project

Improving the sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) performance of official tuberculosis (TB) tests in goats is crucial as their limited performance leads to the existence of false positives and false negatives, with the associated economic, health and confidence implications. Therefore, great efforts have been devoted to the search and evaluation of new antigens that can replace classical PPDs, such as bovine PPD (PPDb) and avian PPD (PPDa), in order to improve the performance of official TB ante-mortem diagnostic tests. This study focuses on evaluating two new antigens, DST-F and P22, as re… Leer más

Detection of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in ticks obtained from wild animals

Degree Final Project defended by Inés Higueras Fernández

The Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is an infectious and zoonotic disease of viral etiology, transmitted by ticks of the genus Hyalomma. The increase in positive cases of in Spain since its first detection in 2010, along with the rising number of positive ticks detected, suggests the need for more thorough control over the actual circulation of this virus in the country. To date, various studies have been conducted focusing on detecting the circulation of CCHFV in regions of the national territory with a history of positive cases, omitting those areas where such precedents did not exist… Leer más

Estudio histopatológico e inmunohistoquímico en cerdos infectados por la cepa Pol/DP/OUT21 de peste porcina africana

Javier de Pablo Moreno defended this Degree Final Project

El virus de la peste porcina africana (PPA) induce una enfermedad letal tanto en cerdos domésticos como salvajes, provocando graves pérdidas económicas en la producción porcina. Las cepas que afectan actualmente a Europa pertenecen al genotipo II. Por tanto, es necesario realizar estudios patogénicos con diferentes cepas de PPA, debido a la variabilidad entre ellas. Se realizó un estudio anatomopatológico completo en 12 cerdos infectados por la cepa del virus de la PPA Pol16/DP/OUT21 con puntuaciones tanto macroscópicas como histológicas. El cuadro agudo-subagudo que indujo es compatible con l… Leer más

Geospatial analysis for strategic wildlife disease surveillance: African swine fever in South Korea (2019-2021)

PLoS ONE publish this investigation article

Since the confirmation of African swine fever (ASF) in South Korea in 2019, its spread, predominantly in wild boars, has been a significant concern. A key factor in this situation is the lack of identification of risk factors by surveillance bias. The unique orography, characterized by high mountains, complicates search efforts, leading to overlooked or delayed case detection and posing risks to the swine industry. Additionally, shared rivers with neighboring country present a continual threat of virus entry. This study employs geospatial analysis and statistical methods to 1) identify areas a… Leer más

Evaluación de la resistencia antimicrobiana en Salmonella y Escherichia coli en alimentos en puestos de control fronterizo de España (2021-2023)

Elena Fernández Cabrera defended this presentation at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Complutense University of Madrid in order to obtain the Master of Research

Escherichia coli y Salmonella son dos microorganismos pertenecientes a la familia Enterobacteriaceae que forman parte de la microbiota intestinal comensal de la mayoría de mamíferos, aunque también existen cepas patógenas capaces de causar infecciones. Estas bacterias pueden presentar una gran diversidad de mecanismos de resistencia antimicrobiana, siendo la producción de betalactamasas de espectro extendido (BLEEs) y betalactamasas tipo AmpC los más comunes y, en menor medida, las carbapenemasas, que a su vez es el mecanismo más preocupante. Estas enzimas confieren resistencia a los betalactá… Leer más

New perspectives in the study of mayor emerging diseases in cetaceans: advances in the understanding of Herpesviruses, Morbilliviruses and Brucella

PhD Thesis defense by Ignacio Vargas Castro at the VISAVET Centre of the Complutense University of Madrid

The importance of cetacean conservation in scientific research is increasingly prominent, giving rise to growing global concern due to the extinction threat faced by several cetacean species. The protection and preservation of these animals benefit the entire marine ecosystem, as they are considered umbrella species. Furthermore, their charisma and popularity make them flagship species, playing a significant role in raising awareness and promoting conservation among the general public. Additionally, they serve a crucial function as sentinels of ocean health. On the other hand, the "One Heal… Leer más

Study of factors affecting the diagnostic performance of cellular and humoral-based techniques for caprine tuberculosis

PhD Thesis defense by Javier Ortega Martín at the VISAVET Centre of the Complutense University of Madrid

Caprine tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic mycobacteriosis caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), mainly M. caprae and M. bovis. Due to its health and economic impact, this disease is subject to surveillance and eradication programs. In Spain, certain regions have been established specific eradication programs for those caprine herds epidemiologically related to cattle herds. In addition, caprine TB eradication programs have been implemented in some Autonomous Communities, also included in a specific manual of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Spain i… Leer más

Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in domestic goats in Southern Spain

Investigation published in Preventive Veterinary Medicine

Tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by bacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), which can affect a wide variety of domestic and wild animal species. Although the role of goats as a reservoir of MTC bacteria has been evidenced, information about the circulation of MTC strains in this species is still very scarce. The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence, spatial distribution, risk factors and MTC spoligotypes circulating in goats from Andalusia (Southern Spain), the Spanish region with the largest goat census and a hotspot… Leer más

- Las cabras pueden desempeñar un papel en el mantenimiento de la tuberculosis en el sur de España - diarioveterinario.com

Neuropathological lesions in intravenous BCG-stimulated K18-hACE2 mice challenged with SARS-CoV-2

Investigation article published in Veterinary Research

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, questions emerged about the potential effects of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine on the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, including the neurodegenerative diseases it may contribute to. To explore this, an experimental study was carried out in BCG-stimulated and non-stimulated k18-hACE2 mice challenged with SARS-CoV-2. Viral loads in tissues determined by RT-qPCR, histopathology in brain and lungs, immunohistochemical study in brain (IHC) as well as mortality rates, clinical signs and plasma inflammatory and coagulation bi… Leer más