Research

Evaluation of four molecular detection assays for the diagnosis of Chlamydia pecorum infection in Victorian koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) using Bayesian latent class analysis

Investigation published in Preventive Veterinary Medicine

Chlamydiosis poses a significant threat to koala health and population viability. Accurate diagnosis of chlamydial infection in koalas at veterinary hospitals informs patient prognosis, biosecurity and determines treatment. However, there is no standardised approach to the diagnosis of chlamydiosis in wildlife hospitals. The performance of available diagnostic tests has not previously been rigorously assessed, and there is a lack of sufficient well-characterised reference samples. This study aimed to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of four molecular detection assays for Chlamydia pecorum infe… Leer más

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

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

Evaluation of trained immunity as a potential strategy for a universal Streptococcus suis vaccine using immunogenic proteins in a murine model

Investigation article published in BMC Veterinary Research

Background: Universal vaccine against Streptococcus suis (S. suis) remains a challenge due to the high number of serotypes/strains, the absence of cross-protection among them and the existence of different immune escape strategies. In this study, the immunomodulatory potential of live and inactivated porcine derived Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (dpB) in combination with specific immunogenic proteins S. suis is evaluated in murine model. Results: Results revealed different immune responses depending on dpB formulation. Live-dpB administered intravenously induced consistent results with trained im… 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