Last scientific dissertations
April 4th, 2024
Vía publiDB
Evolutionary Dynamics of Integron Resistance Cassettes. A Deeper Look into the Integron Model
PhD Thesis defense by Alberto Hipólito Carrillo de Albornoz at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Complutense University of Madrid
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the major global health concerns of the 21st century. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics, among other factors, has led to an exponential increase in antimicrobial- resistant bacteria in recent decades. It is estimated that every year between 1.5 and 5 million people die due to infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. These data highlight the need to take urgent measures to tackle this threat, with a priority on understanding the forces that govern the success of multidrug-resistant bacteria.
The exceptional ability of bacteria to evolve and ad…
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March 21st, 2024
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Strategies for African swine fever prevention
PhD Thesis defense by Carolina Muñoz Peréz at the VISAVET Centre of the Complutense University of Madrid
African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating infectious disease of swine, which is listed as notifiable to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). In the last few years, the disease has spread worldwide. Nowadays, this pandemic spread poses the greatest threat to the global swine industry. In view of this situation, this doctoral thesis entitled: “Strategies for African swine fever prevention”, aims to develop epidemiological knowledge regarding the most important risk factors for ASF entry into an ASF-free area, in particular, the natural movement of wild boar populations and the inter…
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January 18th, 2024
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Immunological aspects of ovine pulmonary tuberculosis: histological and immunohistochemical study
Degree Final Project defended by Enni Amanda Ramirez Vuori
Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MBC) species are capable of infecting a wide range of hosts, including sheep, which can act as reservoirs. Our objective was to characterize histologically and immunohistochemically the pulmonary granulomas caused by three species of MTC (M. bovis, M. caprae and M. tuberculosis) in sheep (Ovis orientalis aries). Twelve animals experimentally inoculated via hematogenous route were included in a retrospective study. Granulomas were classified, quantified and described using hematoxylin-eosin and Masson`s trichrome stains. Histological study of the lesions reve…
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November 14th, 2023
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Brucellosis (Brucella suis, B. ovis, B. ceti) in domestic animals and wildlife: New aspects of epidemiology, immune response, and pathology
PhD Thesis defense by Agustín Miguel Rebollada Merino at the VISAVET Centre of the Complutense University of Madrid
Brucellosis (Brucella spp.) is a reemerging zoonotic notifiable disease. It is subject to surveillance, control, and eradication programs worldwide. Most Member States of the European Union are considered free of the disease, but brucellosis is endemic in developing countries, limiting their economy, and causing disease in humans. Despite the relevance of many of these Brucella species, there are some unknown aspects. The main objective of this PhD Thesis has been to explore new aspects of the epidemiology, immune response, and pathology of Brucella infection in domestic and wild animals to im…
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October 2nd, 2023
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Identification and characterization of colistin resistant bacteria from food-producing animals in Spain. Assessment of its persistance and possible dissemination
PhD Thesis defense by Pedro Miguela Villoldo at the VISAVET Centre of the Complutense University of Madrid
Colistin is a cationic polypeptide whose use as antibiotic was withdrawn since the 1970s because of its toxicity, but was reintroduced later in human medicine to treat infections caused by multi-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, being categorised as a "last resort antimicrobial". Colistin has been used in veterinary medicine since its discovery for the treatment of infections in animals, especially post-weaning diarrhoea caused by E. coli in piglets and calves and colibacillosis in poultry.
Traditionally, colistin was linked exclusively to chromosome mutations in the two-component systems g…
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September 18th, 2023
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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…
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September 14th, 2023
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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).…
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September 14th, 2023
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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…
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September 6th, 2023
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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 …
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July 20th, 2023
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Epidemiology of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) and AmpC-Producing E. coli in Production Animals in Spain During the Period 2014-2018
Degree Final Project defended by Irene del Corral Medina
Escherichia coli is a microorganism found as part of the commensal intestinal microbiota of mammals but can also cause infections with clinical consequences. This bacterium can harbor a large diversity of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, with the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), AmpC beta-lactamases, and carbapenemases being among the most concerning. These enzymes confer resistance to beta-lactams, one of the most widely used antimicrobial families in human and veterinary medicine. The increasing presence of ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli in humans and animals has led …
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