Research

Epidemiological surveillance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in extensively raised pigs in the south of Spain

Preventive Veterinary Medicine publish this investigation article

The role of domestic pigs in the epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) is considered to be limited due to the characteristics of intensive production systems. However, in southwestern Spain, Iberian pigs are usually raised under extensive management systems, sharing their habitat with other domestic and wild species, some of which may act as reservoirs of MTC. Our objective was to determine the seroprevalence, risk factors, spatial distribution and spoligotypes of MTC circulating in extensively farmed pigs in Andalusia (southern Spain), a region with a high prevalence of tub… Leer más

Use of processing fluids and serum samples to characterize porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus dynamics in 3 day-old pigs

Investigation published in Veterinary Microbiology

Collection of serum samples of pigs at weaning to monitor for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has become a common practice to determine PRRSV herd infection status. Diagnostic sensitivity of this practice is low in herds undergoing PRRSV elimination once prevalence of infection is near zero. Thus, the goal of this study was to characterize the dynamics of PRRSV infection in 3 day-old pigs overtime using serum and serosanguineous fluids obtained as part of castration and tail docking practices (processing fluids (PF)). Secondary goal was to estimate sensitivity and s… Leer más

Current concepts and contents of Veterinary Public Health and Veterinary Health Polic

Revista española de Salud Pública publish this investigation article

Human and veterinary medicine obviously share most concepts and contents. However, both academic and scientific issues and the daily practice of many health disciplines can differ largely between human and veterinary medicine. Such differences can easily go unnoticed among other healthcare collectives or the general public. The aim of the present work was to provide an update, as well as some definitions of what we understand under the terms Veterinary Public Health and Veterinary Health Policy… Leer más

Ant(6)-I genes encoding aminoglycoside O-nucleotidyltransferases are widely spread among streptomycin resistant strains of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli

Frontiers in Microbiology publish this investigation article

Thermotolerant Campylobacter species C. jeuni and C. coli are actually recognized as the major bacterial agent responsible for food-transmitted gastroenteritis. The most effective antimicrobials against Campylobacter are macrolides and some, but not all aminoglycosides. Among these, susceptibility to streptomycin is reduced by mutations in the ribosomal RPSL protein or by expression of ANT(6)-I aminoglycoside O-nucleotidyltransferases. The presence of streptomycin resistance genes was evaluated among streptomycin-resistant Campylobacter isolated from humans and animals by using PCR with degene… Leer más

Sensibilidad antibiótica de Pasteurella multicocida de ovino

Degree Final Project defended by Mónica Sánchez Cauce

Caracterización y detección genética de Enterobacterias resistentes a colistina en muestras de origen animal

Marta Valero Lorenzo defended this Degree Final Project

Justification. Colistin resistance poses a major Public Health concern. The first description of a plasmid mediated gene codifying for colistin resistance took place in 2015, since this year eight genes have been described. Those genes codify for colistin resistance by modifications in Lipid A, target of this antimicrobial in the bacterial cell wall. As a plasmid mediated genes, could imply horizontal transmission of resistance. Besides, colistin classification as “critically important antibiotic for human medicine” by the WHO, and the growth of colistin resistance, stablish the need to develo… Leer más

Prevalencia de la Hepatitis E en cerdo blanco en España

Degree Final Project defended by Sara Carral Irijoa

El virus de la hepatitis E (HEV) es responsable de casos, endémicos y epidémicos, de hepatitis aguda en humanos en todo el mundo. En países en desarrollo la transmisión es fundamentalmente a partir del consumo de agua contaminada. En países desarrollados la hepatitis E se considera una enfermedad zoonótica emergente, siendo el consumo de alimentos contaminados, principalmente del cerdo, la principal fuente de infección. Es un virus ARN, clasificado en la familia Hepeviridae, que incluye 7 genotipos, 4 principales (1-4), y un octavo genotipo que está propuesto. Los genotipos 1 y 2 sólo afectan … Leer más

Pathologic findings and causes of death of stranded cetaceans in the Canary Islands (2006-2012)

PLoS ONE publish this investigation article

This study describes the pathologic findings and most probable causes of death (CD) of 224 cetaceans stranded along the coastline of the Canary Islands (Spain) over a 7-year period, 2006-2012. Most probable CD, grouped as pathologic categories (PCs), was identified in 208/224 (92.8%) examined animals. Within natural PCs, those associated with good nutritional status represented 70/208 (33.6%), whereas, those associated with significant loss of nutritional status represented 49/208 (23.5%). Fatal intra- and interspecific traumatic interactions were 37/208 (17.8%). Vessel collisions included 24/… Leer más

Analysis of the cattle movement network and its association with the risk of bovine tuberculosis at the farm level in Castilla y Leon, Spain

Investigation article published in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases

Between-farm transmission of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) occurs mostly through fence-to-fence contact between neighboring farms, endemic infected wildlife or movement of infected animals. Unfortunately, bTB detection is frequently delayed and identification of the source of introduction is often difficult, particularly in endemic regions. Here, we characterized the cattle movement network of Castilla y Leon, a high bTB-prevalence (1.9% at the farm-level in 2015) region in Spain, over six years and analyzed the distribution of bTB to ultimately assess the likelihood of spatial and movement-mediat… Leer más

Response of goats to intramuscular vaccination with heat-killed Mycobacterium bovis and natural challenge

Investigation published in Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Caprine TB causes chronic disease with severe economic and health consequences. We assessed the effect of intramuscularly administered heat-inactivated Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) on 20 kid goats (10 vaccinated, 10 controls), naturally exposed to M. caprae through close contact with infected goats. At necropsy, visible TB-compatible lesions were recorded in all animals with the exception of 1 control and 2 vaccinated goats. The median of the total lesion score was 9 (IQR 3-13.5) and 5 (IQR 3-6.75) in control and vaccinated goats, respectively (median lesion reduction 44.4%, p = … Leer más