Research

Development of an in situ hybridization assay for the diagnosis of Mycobacteriaceae infections of veterinary importance

Investigation published in Veterinary Pathology

Mycobacteria (Mycobacteriaceae family) comprise five genera (Mycobacterium, Mycolicibacterium, Mycolicibacter, Mycolicibacillus, and Mycobacteroides), which include relevant animal and human pathogens. Histology is a rapid method for preemptively diagnosing mycobacteriosis, contributing to surveillance, control, and eradication. A constraint on histology is the limited sensitivity and specificity of acid-fast stains, as the number of detectable bacilli in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue varies and other microorganisms are acid-fast positive. Immunohistochemistry has low specific… Leer más

Histological and Immunohistochemical Characterization of a Histiocytic Sarcoma Associated With a Follicular Lymphoma in a Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta)

Veterinary Medicine and Science publish this investigation article

A 20-year-old neutered male ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) diagnosed with an intrathoracic mass died during surgical excision. Morphological characteristics of the mass during necropsy were consistent with a mediastinal abscess in the left hemithorax. Histological examination identified a disseminated histiocytic sarcoma involving spleen, kidneys, multiple lymph nodes, diaphragm and parietal pleura, as well as a concurrent follicular lymphoma in a separate lymph node. A mixed metastatic infiltrate composed of both neoplasms was found within the capsule of the intrathoracic abscess. Immunohist… Leer más

Exploring specific biomarkers in blood for in vitro diagnosis of caprine tuberculosis

Frontiers in Microbiology publish this investigation article

Introduction: Caprine tuberculosis (cTB) is a zoonotic disease with significant implications for animal and public health and economic impact. Therefore, accurate ante-mortem diagnosis is essential. Diagnosis in goats rely on the single and comparative intradermal tuberculin test (SITT and CITT, respectively), both of which showing limited diagnostic performance. The aim of the study was to characterize the immune and physiological responses to cTB in naturally infected goats and to identify potential in vitro biomarkers that could improve the reliability of cTB diagnosis. Methodology: The s… Leer más

Editorial: One Health approach to mycobacterial infections in veterinary science

Investigation published in Frontiers in veterinary science

Quantitative epidemiology for the characterization of the performance of diagnostic tests used in the frame of the Spanish bovine tuberculosis eradication program

PhD Thesis defense by Alberto Gómez Buendía at the VISAVET Centre of the Complutense University of Madrid

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), a notifiable zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, poses a significant risk to public and animal health. The European Union regulatory framework requires Member States to implement control, surveillance, and eradication programs. Several countries have achieved this objective, but Spain has not yet reached disease eradication despite its efforts. However, many provinces have obtained the officially bTB-free (OTF) status or have very low prevalences, a situation that poses new challenges. These include maintaining the efficienc… Leer más

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

Editorial: Pathogen transmission at the domestic-wildlife interface: a growing challenge that requires integrated solutions, volume II

Frontiers in veterinary science publish this investigation article

Domestic-wildlife interfaces constitute dynamic and heterogeneous systems in which ecological, epidemiological, and socio-economic processes converge, creating opportunities for pathogen transmission between wildlife, domestic animals, humans, and the shared environment. These interfaces evolve in response to several factors including land-use change, agricultural intensification, wildlife population recovery, animal trade, globalization, or human mobility, among others, all of which reshape pathogen transmission pathways across spatial and temporal scales (1, 2). Volume I emphasized the need… Leer más

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

Towards Integrated Surveillance of Marine Brucellosis: Diagnostic and Phylogenetic Assessment of Brucella ceti in Stranded Dolphins of the Western Mediterranean Sea

Investigation article published in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases

Reports of brucellosis in free-ranging cetaceans are increasing worldwide, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea. To enhance diagnostic accuracy and epidemiological understanding of cetacean brucellosis in the Western Mediterranean Sea, we analyzed bacteriological, serological, and molecular data from 30 cetaceans belonging to three different species stranded along the coast of the Valencian Community (Spain) between 2011 and 2021. Brucella ceti infection was confirmed by bacteriological isolation in 14 animals (46.7%) and by genus-specific qPCR in 15 cases (50%), with some discrepancies betwe… Leer más