Research

Quantitative risk assessment of African swine fever introduction into Spain by legal import of swine products

Investigation article published in Research in Veterinary Science

African swine fever (ASF) is currently threatening the global swine industry. Its unstoppable global spread poses a serious risk to Spain, one of the world`s leading producers. Over the past years, there has been an increased global burden of ASF not only in swine but also swine products. Unfortunately, many pigs are not diagnosed before slaughter and their products are used for human consumption. These ASF-contaminated products are only a source for new ASF outbreaks when they are consumed by domestic pigs or wild boar, which may happen either by swill feeding or landfill access. This study p… Leer más

- Estudian el riesgo de introducción de peste porcina africana en España por importación legal de productos porcinos - animalshealth.es

Translating eco-evolutionary biology into therapy to tackle antibiotic resistance

Investigation published in Nature reviews. Microbiology

Antibiotic resistance is currently one of the most important public health problems. The golden age of antibiotic discovery ended decades ago, and new approaches are urgently needed. Therefore, preserving the efficacy of the antibiotics currently in use and developing compounds and strategies that specifically target antibiotic-resistant pathogens is critical. The identification of robust trends of antibiotic resistance evolution and of its associated trade-offs, such as collateral sensitivity or fitness costs, is invaluable for the design of rational evolution-based, ecology-based treatment a… Leer más

Hemolysis, icterus and lipemia interfere with the determination of two oxidative stress biomarkers in canine serum

BMC Veterinary Research publish this investigation article

Background: Oxidative stress has been proven to play a role in numerous human and canine diseases. Among the biomarkers of oxidative stress, Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) and Total Antioxidant Status (TAS) are two of the most widely used. Preanalytical factors are crucial for obtaining accurate results in these assays. Hemolysis, icterus and lipemia (HIL) are common sources of preanalytical errors in the laboratory; however, limited information is available regarding the considerations for canine specimens. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential … Leer más

Will we ever eradicate animal tuberculosis?

Investigation article published in Irish veterinary journal

Two characteristics of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) are particularly relevant for tuberculosis (TB) epidemiology and control, namely the ability of this group of pathogens to survive in the environment and thereby facilitate indirect transmission via water or feed, and the capacity to infect multiple host species including human beings, cattle, wildlife, and domestic animals other than cattle. As a consequence, rather than keeping the focus on certain animal species regarded as maintenance hosts, we postulate that it is time to think of complex and dynamic multi-host MTC mainte… Leer más

Primary Feline Tauopathy: Clinical, Morphological, Immunohistochemical, and Genetic Studies

Investigation published in Animals

Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the pathological aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons and glia. Primary tauopathies are not uncommon in humans but exceptional in other species. We evaluate the clinical, neuropathological, and genetic alterations related to tau pathology in 16 cats aged from 1 to 21 years with different clinical backgrounds. Interestingly, a 10-year-old female cat presented a six-year progressive history of mental status and gait abnormalities. The imaging study revealed generalized cortical atrophy. Due to the poor prognosis,… Leer más

Persistence of equine herpesvirus type 1 in urine

Abel Dorrego Rodríguez defended this presentation at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Complutense University of Madrid in order to obtain the Master of Research

Equine herpesvirus type 1 is a highly contagious virus distributed globally that causes respiratory, reproductive, and neurological disease in horses. It often presents itself in the form of outbreaks where rapid diagnosis is essential. The description of the virus`s presence in urine opens the door to its use as a diagnostic sample. This study was conducted in order to understand the behaviour of the virus in this fluid and to establish the most suitable preservation method. The virus was artificially inoculated into samples from 6 horses, assessing how the concentration varied over time and… Leer más

Evaluation of diagnostic tests for the detection of tuberculosis in cervids

Mónica Alonso Fernández defended this Degree Final Project

Tuberculosis is one of the infectious diseases with the greatest impact worldwide, caused by bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, capable of affecting both humans and animals. The first actions to establish control of bovine tuberculosis in Spain started in the middle of the 20th century, which has led to a decrease in the incidence and prevalence in animals. Wildlife is an important reservoir for domestic cattle, which makes eradication difficult. Cervids are one of the main reservoirs of tuberculosis for cattle, especially red deer (Cervus elaphus) and fallow deer (Dama dama).… Leer más

Surveillance of zoonotic pathogens in wild birds in the Community of Madrid

Daniel Peromingo Fernández defended this Degree Final Project

Wild birds are important reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens, although the risk of transmission to humans is quantitatively lower than for other mammalian host groups, due to their phylogenetic distance. The main epidemiological determinants of wild birds in relation to zoonoses include migratory movements and their association with emerging and re-emerging diseases, and their ability to adapt to urban environments, which is associated with increased exposure to humans. Both psittacosis and West Nile fever are zoonoses of great public health relevance and share their reservoir in birds. The aim o… Leer más

Detection of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in urine samples during outbreaks of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy

Equine veterinary journal publish this investigation article

Background: Real-time PCR is the diagnostic technique of choice for the diagnosis and control of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in an outbreak setting. The presence of EHV-1 in nasal swabs (NS), whole blood, brain and spinal cord samples has been extensively described; however, there are no reports on the excretion of EHV-1 in urine, its DNA detection patterns, and the role of urine in viral spread during an outbreak. Objectives: To determine the presence of EHV-1 DNA in urine during natural infection and to compare the DNA detection patterns of EHV-1 in urine, buffy coat (BC) and NS. Study de… Leer más

New approaches in the control of infectious fertility problems in extensive cattle

PhD Thesis defense by Coral Polo Vaquero at the VISAVET Centre of the Complutense University of Madrid

In Spain, extensive cattle farming is a sector characterized by its priority orientation towards beef production and whose main objective from a productive point of view is to maximize the number of calves per cow and year. Extensive exploitation systems may be able to use the natural resources of the environment, contributing to the maintenance of resilient ecosystems as long as they are properly managed. In 2020, Spain generated the 24 % of beef within the European Union (EU), being the third main beef producing country. However, the average annual fertility rates of this sector in Spain is … Leer más