Research

Molecular Detection of Theileria equi, Babesia caballi, and Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Hippobosca equina from Horses in Spain

Investigation article published in Pathogens

The forest fly (Hippobosca equina) is an obligate haematophagous dipteran insect (order Diptera) that primarily infests horses and may contribute to the circulation of vector-borne pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Babesia caballi, and Theileria equi, important vector-borne pathogens of equids, in forest flies collected from horses in endemic areas of Spain. A total of 170 forest flies were collected from 39 equids across four geographical regions in Spain (Segovia, Madrid, Toledo, and Menorca) and blood samples wer… Leer más

- Alertan de la primera evidencia de piroplasmosis equina en moscas del caballo en España - diarioveterinario.com

Ineffective oral immunization of wild boar with the attenuated African swine fever virus NH/P68 grown in MA104 cell line

Investigation published in The Veterinary Journal

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and lethal hemorrhagic disease affecting domestic pigs and wild boar, with serious consequences for animal health, the swine industry, and socio-economic stability. Given the lack of effective treatments and the limited success of conventional control measures, live attenuated vaccines (LAVs) have emerged as the most promising option, particularly for oral administration in free-ranging wild boar. The naturally attenuated genotype I isolate NH/P68 has shown protective potential in domestic pigs but retains residual virulence and persistence risk… Leer más

Pathological and microbiological assessment of hemorrhagic septicemia in cultured juvenile Russian sturgeons (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii)

Investigation published in Aquaculture Reports

Aquaculture has experienced sustained growth, now surpassing capture fisheries in global production. Among cultured species, sturgeon aquaculture has likewise expanded recently, prompting increased research and surveillance of diseases affecting this taxon. In this context, fifteen farmed Russian sturgeons (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) were submitted for pathological investigation. A comprehensive study was conducted, encompassing autopsy, histopathology, parasitology, microbiology, and antimicrobial resistance analysis. Macroscopic examination revealed ulcerative lesions on the scutes, multiorg… Leer más

Molecular epidemiology of Pasteurella multocida in cats: First multilocus sequence typing (MLST)-based insights from Iran

Infection Genetics and Evolution publish this investigation article

Pasteurella multocida is a zoonotic bacterium commonly found in the oropharyngeal microbiota of cats; despite its clinical relevance, molecular data on feline isolates in Iran remain limited. This study aimed to provide molecular and phenotypic characterization of P. multocida isolates obtained from feline sources in Iran. This study characterized 18 P. multocida isolates recovered from oral swabs of cats previously sampled in Ahvaz, Iran. After polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmation targeting the kmt1 gene, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed using the Rural Industries Resea… Leer más

Abattoir Surveillance: Identifying Risk Factors Associated with Bovine Tuberculosis Lesion Detection in a Low Prevalence Region

Preventive Veterinary Medicine publish this investigation article

Abattoir surveillance is a key component in control and eradication programs against bovine tuberculosis (bTB). In low-prevalence or officially tuberculosis-free (OTF) regions in which active surveillance is typically limited or non-existent, postmortem inspection at the abattoir constitutes one of the main diagnostic tool to guarantee the absence of disease transmission. Here, we evaluated the performance of abattoir postmortem inspection in Galicia, a low-prevalence region in Spain (now OTF). Between 2014 and 2019, 1,784,261 animals were culled in 41 abattoirs, of which a small proportion (0… Leer más

Long-Term Surveillance of Chlamydia psittaci and West Nile Virus in Wild Birds from Central Spain (2013–2022)

Investigation published in Microorganisms

Wild birds are relevant reservoirs and sentinels for zoonotic pathogens such as Chlamydia psittaci and West Nile virus (WNV), both of which can affect animal and public health. Wildlife rehabilitation centers (WRCs) offer unique opportunities for passive surveillance of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, particularly in urban and peri-urban settings. From 2013 to 2022, a total of 1024 bird samples were collected upon admission to WRCs in the Community of Madrid, Spain. Oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs, as well as tissue samples, were tested using real-time PCR targeting the ompA ge… Leer más

Severe Generalized Tetanus in a Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Under Human Care: A Case Report from the Republic of Congo

Veterinary sciences publish this investigation article

Tetanus is a life-threatening disease that causes painful muscle stiffness and sudden spasms. We present the case of a young chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) that was rescued from the illegal wildlife trade and arrived at a sanctuary with deep, dirty wounds and signs of tetanus. This included difficulty opening his mouth, a rigid posture, and spasms triggered by noise or touch, all while he remained fully conscious. The veterinary team acted immediately, cleaning and removing dead tissue from the wounds, administering an antitoxin to neutralize the toxin, starting a vaccination programme to protec… Leer más

Characterization of Leishmania infantum Isolates from Wild Leporids in the Community of Madrid (Spain)

Investigation published in Veterinary sciences

Despite the public health implications of limited awareness regarding the biodiversity of Leishmania spp. and the persistence of human leishmaniasis outbreaks in endemic regions of Europe, there is still no consensus on a standardized molecular typing method for the surveillance of this parasite in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife reservoirs. Consequently, the development of a simple, rapid, effective, and cost-efficient typing approach remains an unmet need. The method proposed in this study, evaluated on a larger number of samples than in previous reports, may fulfill these criteria an… Leer más

- El brote de leishmaniosis de Madrid estaría vinculado a una cepa presente en conejos y liebres desde los años noventa - animalshealth.es

Evaluation of the reproducibility and performance characteristics of the Phagomagnetic separation-qPCR assay for rapidly detecting viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in bovine milk and feces

Investigation article published in Frontiers in veterinary science

Inter-laboratory trials were carried out to evaluate the reproducibility and estimate test performance characteristics of the Phagomagnetic separation (PhMS)-qPCR assay, a novel phage-based assay recently developed as a rapid alternative to culture for detecting viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in bovine milk and feces. Unique reagents and a detailed instruction manual required for the PhMS-qPCR assay were provided to five European veterinary diagnostic laboratories by Rapid-Myco Technologies Limited. Milk and feces test panels were prepared at NEIKER and distributed to… Leer más

Metabolomic signatures of tuberculosis and paratuberculosis in goats revealed by high-resolution and benchtop NMR spectroscopy

Veterinary Research publish this investigation article

Goats represent a significant reservoir for tuberculosis (TB) in animals, contributing notably to public and animal health challenges, causing economic repercussions. Ante mortem diagnosis of TB is hindered by the limited sensitivity of available techniques and false-positive results from other mycobacterial infections, such as paratuberculosis (PTB). Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics provides unique fingerprinting of the disease`s metabolic status, making it a promising diagnostic tool. However, conventional high-resolution NMR has limitations in veterinary practice, where h… Leer más