Research

Non-Invasive Method to Detect Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex in Wild Boar by Measurement of Volatile Organic Compounds Obtained from Feces with an Electronic Nose System

Sensors publish this investigation article

More effective methods to detect bovine tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, in wildlife, is of paramount importance for preventing disease spread to other wild animals, livestock, and human beings. In this study, we analyzed the volatile organic compounds emitted by fecal samples collected from free-ranging wild boar captured in Doñana National Park, Spain, with an electronic nose system based on organically-functionalized gold nanoparticles. The animals were separated by the age group for performing the analysis. Adult (>24 months) and sub-adult (12–24 months) animals were anestheti… Leer más

Use of Epidemiological Analytic Tools and Molecular Characterization Techniques to Inform Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Programs

PhD Thesis defense by Pilar Pozo Piñol at the VISAVET Centre of the Complutense University of Madrid

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an infectious disease with a complex epidemiology at the human-animal-environment interface which, despite the application of extensive control measures, is still prevalent in livestock and wildlife in several regions of Spain. The disease, caused by Mycobacterium bovis (and to a lesser extent M. caprae), remains a concern due to its negative impact on animal health and welfare, together with the important consequences for production and animal trade that its presence imposes. Eradication programs of bTB in cattle in Spain are based on a combination of regular test… Leer más

Distinct African Swine Fever Virus Shedding in Wild Boar Infected with Virulent and Attenuated Isolates

Vaccine publish this investigation article

Abstract: Since the reappearance of African swine fever virus (ASFV), the disease has spread in an unprecedented animal pandemic in Eurasia. ASF currently constitutes the greatest global problem for the swine industry. The wild boar (Sus scrofa) in which the pathogen has established wild self-sustaining cycles, is a key reservoir for ASFV, signifying that there is an urgent need to develop an effective vaccine against this virus. Current scientific debate addresses whether live attenuated vaccines (LAVs), which have shown promising results in cross-protection of susceptible hosts, may be feasi… Leer más

Primary and promiscuous functions coexist during evolutionary innovation through whole protein domain acquisitions

Investigation published in eLife

Abstract Molecular examples of evolutionary innovation are scarce and generally involve point mutations. Innovation can occur through larger rearrangements, but here experimental data is extremely limited. Integron integrases innovated from double-strand- toward single-strand-DNA recombination through the acquisition of the I2 a-helix. To investigate how this transition was possible, we have evolved integrase IntI1 to what should correspond to an early innovation state by selecting for its ancestral activity. Using synonymous alleles to enlarge sequence space exploration, we have retrieved 13… Leer más

Evaluation of new vaccines against tuberculosis in goats and advances in their immunological diagnosis

PhD Thesis defense by Álvaro Roy Cordero at the VISAVET Centre of the Complutense University of Madrid

Tuberculosis in goats is a zoonotic mycobacteriosis, mainly caused by M. caprae and M. bovis, which leads to important economic losses for the goat producers and may represent a reservoir of tuberculosis for other domestic and wild animal species, as well as humans. At the European level, the active diagnosis of tuberculosis in goats is limited to goat herds coexisting or having epidemiological links with infected cattle or when raw milk and products made from raw milk are intended for human consumption (European Regulation EC 853/2004). However, specific eradication programs have been impleme… Leer más

- Análisis y eficacia de las técnicas de diagnóstico ante la tuberculosis caprina - interempresas.net

- Evalúan los últimos test y vacunas de tuberculosis caprina - animalshealth.es

Global emergence and evolutionary dynamics of bluetongue virus

Investigation published in Scientific reports

Bluetongue virus (BTV) epidemics are responsible for worldwide economic losses of up to US$ 3 billion. Understanding the global evolutionary epidemiology of BTV is critical in designing intervention programs. Here we employed phylodynamic models to quantify the evolutionary characteristics, spatiotemporal origins, and multi-host transmission dynamics of BTV across the globe. We inferred that goats are the ancestral hosts for BTV but are less likely to be important for cross-species transmission, sheep and cattle continue to be important for the transmission and maintenance of infection between… Leer más

Histopathological and microbiological study of porcine lymphadenitis: contributions to diagnosis and control of the disease

Investigation article published in Porcine Health Management

Tuberculosis like lesions (TBL) in free-range pigs are characterised by presenting a marked heterogeneity in pathology and microbiology features, with a notorious role of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), Trueperella pyogenes and different Streptococcus species. However, the capacity of these microorganism to spread to different organic cavities leading to a generalised disease is unknown. Therefore, this study evaluated the organic distribution of these agents in free-range pig carcasses whole condemned due to generalised TBL.A total of 37 totally condemned animals were analysed, and … Leer más

Molecular detection of extended spectrum B-lactamase genes in Escherichia coli clinical isolates from diarrhoeic children in Kano, Nigeria

PLoS ONE publish this investigation article

The increase in antimicrobial resistance in developed and developing countries is a global public health challenge. In this context β-lactamase production is a major contributing factor to resistance globally. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of phenotypic and genotypic extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) in 296 E. coli isolates recovered from diarrhoeic children younger than five years in Kano whose susceptibility profile against 7 antimicrobials had been determined. The E. coli isolates were subjected to double disc synergy test for phenotypic ESBLs detectio… Leer más

Computer Vision Applied to Detect Lethargy through Animal Motion Monitoring: A Trial on African Swine Fever in Wild Boar

Investigation article published in Animals

Early detection of infectious diseases is the most cost-effective strategy in disease surveillance for reducing the risk of outbreaks. Latest deep learning and computer vision improvements are powerful tools that potentially open up a new field of research in epidemiology and disease control. These techniques were used here to develop an algorithm aimed to track and compute animal motion in real time. This algorithm was used in experimental trials in order to assess African swine fever (ASF) infection course in Eurasian wild boar. Overall, the outcomes showed negative correlation between motio… Leer más

A one health framework to estimate the cost of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control publish this investigation article

Objectives/purpose: The costs attributable to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remain theoretical and largely unspecified. Current figures fail to capture the full health and economic burden caused by AMR across human, animal, and environmental health; historically many studies have considered only direct costs associated with human infection from a hospital perspective, primarily from high-income countries. The Global Antimicrobial Resistance Platform for ONE-Burden Estimates (GAP-ON€) network has developed a framework to help guide AMR costing exercises in any part of the world as a first step… Leer más