Publicaciones científicas SCI 2024
Cytokines as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis infection in Mediterranean buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)
Frontiers In Veterinary Science 11:1512571.
Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) is the primary agent of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in Mediterranean buffalo, which has a negative economic impact on buffalo herds. Improving TB diagnostic performance in this species represents a key step to eradicate efficiently this disease. We have recently shown the utility of the IFN-γ assay in the diagnosis of M. bovis infection in Mediterranean buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), but other cytokines might be useful immunological biomarkers of this infection. We therefore investigated the utility of key immune cytokines as diagnostic biomarkers of M. bovis infection in this species. Thirty-six Italian Mediterranean buffaloes were used in this study: healthy animals (N = 11), infected (IFN-γ test positi… Leer más
Franzoni G., Signorelli F., Mazzone P., Donniacuo A., De Matteis G., Grandoni F., Schiavo L., Zinellu S., Dei Giudici S., Bezos J., De Carlo E., Galiero G., Napolitano F. y Martucciello A .
African swine fever from Kenya to five continents: the role of wild boar
Revue Scientifique Et Technique SE 2024:53-57.
African swine fever (ASF) is currently the largest threat to world pork production. The complexity of the virus, its persistence in the environment, the particular immune response it elicits without significant neutralising antibodies, its capacity for transmission by several routes and the presentation of different clinical forms, from acute with high mortality to attenuated to chronic, all pose significant challenges. This article provides an overview of the epidemiological situation of ASF across five continents, the role of wild boar in virus transmission, the development of new immunological tools that aim to enhance protection against this complicated virus in wild boar, and the protection studies that are under way… Leer más
Shaken, not stirred: magnetic bead DNA extraction as a rapid and effective method for the scaling up of bovine tuberculosis diagnosis
BMC Veterinary Research 20(1):568.
Background: The growing use of real-time PCR (qPCR) as a diagnostic method for bovine TB (bTB) requires rapid and effective DNA extraction methods, which are crucial for its success. Automated DNA extraction methods based on magnetic beads are a promising alternative to conventional silica column-based protocols (COL protocol) due to their high throughput capacity and reduced hands-on time. This study aimed to assess the performance of the MagMax CORE Nucleic Acid Purification kit and the KingFisher Flex instrument (KF protocol) as an alternative for scaling up the use of qPCR in bTB diagnosis.
Methodology: Performance was evaluated with two different real-time PCR (qPCR) protocols, based on the IS6110 element and the QuantiFast and … Leer más
Lorente-Leal V., Gómez-Buendía A., Gutierrez A., de Juan L., Bezos J. y Romero B..
Epidemiological cutoff values and genetic antimicrobial resistance of Lactococcus garvieae and L. petauri
Aquaculture (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 593:741340.
Lactococcus garvieae and L. petauri are etiological agents of lactococcosis, which cause significant losses in trout aquaculture at elevated water temperatures. Optimizing antimicrobial dosage regimens and identifying the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) are important prerequisites for determining clinical breakpoints and effective antimicrobial use. In the present study, epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) were established for 14 antimicrobials using L. garvieae (n = 32) and L. petauri (n = 78), isolated from rainbow trout farms in Türkiye, Spain, Italy, and Greece. The provisional ECVs were calculated using the ECOFFinder and normalized resistance interpretation (NRI) approaches. Furthermore, gene cassettes, capsule gene clusters, a… Leer más
Cagri-Ozturk R., Ustaoglu D., Ture M., Bondavalli F., Colussi S., Pastorino P., Vela AI., Kotzamanidis C., Fernandez-Garayzabal JF., Bitchava K., Terzi Y., Volpatti D. y Altinok I.
Double Deletion of EP402R and EP153R in the Attenuated Lv17/WB/Rie1 African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) Enhances Safety, Provides DIVA Compatibility, and Confers Complete Protection Against a Genotype II Virulent Strain
Vaccines 12(12):1406.
Background/Objectives: African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a devastating disease affecting domestic and wild suids and causing significant economic losses in the global pig industry. Attenuated modified live virus (MLV) vaccines are the most promising approaches for vaccine development. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of four recombinant ASFV genotype II strains, derived from the non-hemadsorbing (non-HAD) attenuated isolate Lv17/WB/Rie1, through the single or simultaneous deletion of virulence-associated genes. Methods: Recombinant viruses were engineered by deleting the UK, EP402R, and EP153R genes, either individually or in combination. Four recombinant strains were evaluated for safety and efficacy in domestic pigs … Leer más
Gallardo C., Meszaros I., Soler A., Fernandez-Pinero J., van den Born E., Simon A., Casado N., Nieto R., Perez C., Aldea-Ramos I., Lopez-Chavarrias V., Goltl E., Olasz F., Magyar T., Zadori Z., Sanchez-Vizcaino JM. y Arias M.
A high titer antibody response against P22 protein immunocomplex is not correlated with protection in naturally tuberculosis-infected goats
The Veterinary Quarterly 44(1):16-30.
Caprine livestock are significant reservoirs of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), contributing to tuberculosis (TB) transmission among animals and humans. The P22 protein immunocomplex (P22PI), derived from bovine tuberculin, shows immunostimulating capacity and is used for TB diagnosis. This study assessed the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of P22PI in two groups of goats: 24 naïve goats (12 immunised, 12 controls) from a TB-free herd, and 24 infected goats (12 immunised, 12 controls), referred to as pre-infected animals, from a M. bovis-infected herd. Both were exposed for 5 months to M. bovis-naturally infected goats. Reactors to single and comparative intradermal tuberculin (SIT and SCIT, respectively) tests and int… Leer más
Ortega J., Agullo-Ros I., Roy A., Moreno I., Gómez-Buendía A., Romero B., Ferreras-Colina E., de Juan L., Dominguez M., Dominguez L., Risalde MA. y Bezos J..
Escherichia coli from six European countries reveals differences in profile and distribution of critical antimicrobial resistance determinants within One Health compartments, 2013 to 2020
Eurosurveillance 29(47):2400295.
BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat. Monitoring using an integrated One Health approach is essential to detect changes in AMR occurrence.AimWe aimed to detect AMR genes in pathogenic and commensal Escherichia coli collected 2013-2020 within monitoring programmes and research from food animals, food (fresh retail raw meat) and humans in six European countries, to compare vertical and horizontal transmission.MethodsWe whole genome sequenced (WGS) 3,745 E. coli isolates, detected AMR genes using ResFinder and performed phylogenetic analysis to determine isolate relatedness and transmission. A BLASTn-based bioinformatic method compared draft IncI1 genomes to conserved plasmid references from Europe.ResultsResistance gene… Leer más
Kaspersen HP., Brouwer MSM., Nunez-Garcia J., Cardenas-Rey I., Abuoun M., Duggett N., Ellaby N., Delgado-Blas JF., Hammerl JA., Getino M., Serna C., Naas T., Veldman KT., Bossers A., Sunde M., Mo SS., Jorgensen SB., Ellington M., Gonzalez-Zorn B., La Ragione R., Glaser P. y Anjum MF.
Oxidative Stress in Canine Diseases: A Comprehensive Review
Antioxidants 13(11)1396.
Oxidative stress (OS), defined as a disruption in redox balance favoring oxidants, has emerged as a major contributor to numerous diseases in human and veterinary medicine. While several reviews have explored the implication of OS in human pathology, an exhaustive review of the canine species is lacking. This comprehensive review aims to summarize the existing literature on the role of OS in canine diseases, highlighting its potentially detrimental effect on various organs and systems. Some inconsistencies among studies exist, likely due to varying biomarkers and sample types. However, there is substantial evidence supporting the involvement of OS in the development or progression of numerous canine disorders, such as cardiovascular, oncolo… Leer más
Perez-Montero B., Fermin-Rodriguez ML., Miro G. y Cruz F..
Evaluating the ability of non-tuberculous mycobacteria to induce non-specific reactions in bovine tuberculosis diagnostic tests in guinea pigs and cattle
Veterinary Microbiology 298:110250.
Limitations in diagnostic test performance are one of the major challenges hampering the eradication of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are considered one of the main causes of non-specific reactions in the intradermal tuberculin test, the most widely used bTB diagnostic test. To determine the role of NTMs in bTB misdiagnosis in Spain, an experimental study including the NTM species most commonly found in bTB-positive animals from bTB-free farms in the country (M. avium subsp. avium (Maa), "Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis" (Mah), M. bourgelatii, M. intermedium, M. kansasii and M. nonchromogenicum) was carried out on guinea pigs and cattle. First, guinea pigs were sensitized with the selected NTMs, and si… Leer más
Gómez-Buendía A., Ortega J., Diez-Guerrier A., Rendahl A., Saez-Llorente JL., Bezos J., Romero B. y Alvarez J..
Multiplex PCR assay for the accurate and rapid detection and differentiation of Lactococcus garvieae and L. petauri
Journal Of Fish Diseases 47(11):e14004.
Lactococcosis is a common bacterial fish disease caused by Lactococcus garvieae, L. petauri and L. formosensis. Although there are different PCR-based techniques to identify the etiological agent, none of these can differentiate these two bacteria without sequencing PCR-amplified fragments. In the present study, we developed a multiplex PCR assay for simultaneous detection and differentiation of L. garvieae and L. petauri. The specificity of the primers was validated against the bacterial DNA of the targeted and non-targeted bacteria. The sizes of the PCR amplicons were obtained as 204 bp for the DUF1430 domain-containing protein gene of L. garvieae, 465 bp for the Lichenan permease IIC component gene of L. petauri, and 302 bp for the teich… Leer más
Ustaoglu D., Ozturk RC., Ture M., Colussi S., Pastorino P., Vela AI., Kotzamanidis C., Volpatti D., Acutis PL. y Altinok I.
One Health Farming: Noninvasive monitoring reveals links between farm vertebrate richness and pathogen markers in outdoor hoofstock
One Health 19:100924.
Outdoor farming contributes to biodiversity conservation and enhances animal welfare, but also raises biosafety concerns due to livestock contact with potentially infected wildlife. Thus, there is a need to assess the balance between vertebrate species richness on farms, visits by wildlife species posing a biosafety risk, and pathogen circulation in open-air farming systems. We explored these links in a pilot study involving 15 open-air hoofstock farms (6 cattle, 5 small ruminant, and 4 pig farms), where we conducted interviews and risk point inspections and used two noninvasive tools: short-term camera trap (CT) deployment and environmental nucleic acid detection (ENAD). CTs were deployed to assess the richness of birds and mammals, as wel… Leer más
Herrero-Garcia G., Perez-Sancho M., Barroso P., Herranz-Benito C., Relimpio D., Garcia-Seco T., Perello A., Diez-Guerrier A., Pozo P., Balseiro A., Dominguez L. y Gortazar C.
The expression of integron arrays is shaped by the translation rate of cassettes
Nature Communications 15(1):9232.
Integrons are key elements in the rise and spread of multidrug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. These genetic platforms capture cassettes containing promoterless genes and stockpile them in arrays of variable length. In the current integron model, expression of cassettes is granted by the Pc promoter in the platform and is assumed to decrease as a function of its distance. Here we explored this model using a large collection of 136 antibiotic resistance cassettes and show the effect of distance is in fact negligible. Instead, cassettes have a strong impact in the expression of downstream genes because their translation rate affects the stability of the whole polycistronic mRNA molecule. Hence, cassettes with reduced translation rates d… Leer más
Carvalho A., Hipolito A., Trigo de Roza F., Garcia-Pastor L., Vergara E., Buendia A., Garcia-Seco T. y Escudero JA..
Herpesvirus surveillance in stranded striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from Italy with emphasis on neuropathological characterization
PLoS ONE 19(10):e0311767.
Herpesvirus (HV) is widely distributed among cetacean populations, with the highest prevalence reported in the Mediterranean Sea. In this study, a comprehensive analysis was conducted, including epidemiological, phylogenetic, and pathological aspects, with particular emphasis on neuropathology, to better understand the impact of HV in these animals. Our results show a higher presence of HV in males compared to females, with males exhibiting a greater number of positive tissues. Additionally, adults were more frequently affected by HV infection than juveniles, with no infections detected in calves or neonates. The affected species were striped (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). The highest positivity rates … Leer más
Vargas-Castro I., Giorda F., Mattioda V., Goria M., Serraca L., Varello K., Carta V., Nodari S., Maniaci MG., dell´Atti L., Testori C., Pussini N., Iulini B., Battistini R., Zoppi S., Di Nocera F., Lucifora G., Fontanesi E., Acutis P., Casalone C., Grattarola C. y Peletto S.
Whole-genome sequencing of toxigenic Clostridioides difcile reveals multidrug resistance and virulence genes in strains of environmental and animal origin
BMC Veterinary Research 20(1):479.
Background
Clostridioides difficile has been recognized as an emerging pathogen in both humans and animals. In this context, antimicrobial resistance plays a major role in driving the spread of this disease, often leading to therapeutic failure. Moreover, recent increases in community-acquired C. difficile infections have led to greater numbers of investigations into the animal origin of the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic similarities between 23 environmental and animal isolates by using whole-genome sequencing and to determine antimicrobial resistance and virulence factor genes in toxigenic C. difficile strains to provide important data for the development of diagnostic methods or treatment guidelines.
Tercero-Guerrero D., Blanco JL., Hernandez M., Torre-Fuentes L., Alvarez J. y Garcia ME.
Chromosomal integrons are genetically and functionally isolated units of genomes
Nucleic Acids Research 1-7.
Integrons are genetic elements that increase the evolvability of bacteria by capturing new genes and stockpiling them in arrays. Sedentary chromosomal integrons (SCIs) can be massive and highly stabilized structures encoding hundreds of genes, whose function remains generally unknown. SCIs have co-evolved with the host for aeons and are highly intertwined with their physiology from a mechanistic point of view. But, paradoxically, other aspects, like their variable content and location within the genome, suggest a high genetic and functional independence. In this work, we have explored the connection of SCIs to their host genome using as a model the Superintegron (SI), a 179-cassette long SCI in the genome of Vibrio cholerae N16961. We have … Leer más
Blanco P., Trigo de Roza F., Toribio-Celestino L., Garcia-Pastor L., Caselli N., Moron A., Ojeda F., Darracq B., Vergara E., Amaro F., San Millan A., Skovgaard O., Mazel D., Loot C. y Escudero JA..
Identifying sites where wild boars can consume anthropogenic food waste with implications for African swine fever
PLoS ONE 19(8):e0308502.
Wild boar population dynamics promote the increase in numbers and distribution of the species in Eurasia, leading to a rise in the interaction with human activities, as well as generating problems with the management of certain infectious diseases, most notably African swine fever (ASF). ASF virus possesses high stability in several contaminated pork and pork products that can be a source of indirect transmission to susceptible hosts habituated to anthropogenic food waste. This transmission route is a concerning threat for the dispersion of the disease, primarily into unaffected areas given the worldwide widespread distribution of the disease and the increase of wild boar contact with humans. Thus, in this study, a straightforward tool to a… Leer más
Aguilar-Vega C., Sanchez-Vizcaino JM. y Bosch J.
Challenging boundaries: is cross-protection evaluation necessary for African swine fever vaccine development? A case of oral vaccination in wild boar
Frontiers In Immunology 15.
African swine fever (ASF) poses a significant threat to domestic pigs and wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations, with the current epidemiological situation more critical than ever. The disease has spread across five continents, causing devastating losses in the swine industry. Although extensive research efforts are ongoing to develop an effective and safe vaccine, this goal remains difficult to achieve.
Among the potential vaccine candidates, live attenuated viruses (LAVs) have emerged as the most promising option due to their ability to provide strong protection against experimental challenges. However, ASF virus (ASFV) is highly diverse, with genetic and phenotypic variations across different isolates, which differ in virulence. This… Leer más
Cadenas-Fernández E., Barroso-Arevalo S., Kosowska A., Diaz-de Frutos M., Gallardo A., Rodriguez-Bertos A., Bosch BJ., Sanchez-Vizcaino JM. y Barasona JA..
Novel Epidemiologic Features of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Virus A H5N1 2.3.3.4b Panzootic: A Review
Transboundary And Emerging Diseases 1-13.
Avian influenza is one of the most devastating avian diseases. The current high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) A virus H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b epizootic began in the 2020–2021 season, and has caused a panzootic, considered one of the worst ever reported. The present panzootic has novel epidemiological features that represent a challenge for its prevention and control. This review examines key epidemiological changes of the disease such as seasonality, geographic spread, and host range. The seasonality of the virus has changed, and contrary to previous avian influenza epizootics, this subclade was able to persist during boreal summer. Its geographic range has expanded, with reports in all continents except Australia. During this epizootic,… Leer más
Sacristan C., Ewbank AC., Ibanez-Porras P., Perez-Ramirez E., de la Torre A., Briones V. y Iglesias C.
Stream of revelation: detection of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in urine during myeloencephalopathy outbreaks
Equine Veterinary Journal 56(S60)67-67.
Background: The detection of EHV-1 by real-time PCR in nasal swabs (NS), whole blood, brain, and spinal cord samples has been extensively described. However, there remains a notable gap in understanding the excretion of the virus in urine, the patterns of DNA detection, and the potential role of urine in viral dissemination during an outbreak.
Objectives: To ascertain 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 design: Prospective clinical study.
Methods: During the hospitalisation of twenty-one horses involved in two EHV-1 myeloencephalopathy outbreaks in Spain in 2021 and 2023, urine, who… Leer más
Velloso-Alvarez A., Cunilleras EJ., Dorrego-Rodriguez A., Santiago-Llorente I., Cuesta M., Troya-Portillo L., Rivera B., de Juan L. y Cruz F..
Genomic comparison between Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium microti and in silico analysis of peptide-based biomarkers for serodiagnosis
Frontiers In Veterinary Science 11:1446930.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of reported cases of Mycobacterium microti infection in various animals, which can interfere with the ante-mortem diagnosis of animal tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis. In this study, whole genome sequencing (WGS) was used to search for protein-coding genes to distinguish M. microti from M. bovis. In addition, the population structure of the available M. microti genomic WGS datasets is described, including three novel Belgian isolates from infections in alpacas. Candidate genes were identified by examining the presence of the regions of difference and by a pan-genome analysis of the available WGS data. A total of 80 genes showed presence-absence variation between the two spe… Leer más
Moens C., Bogaerts B., Lorente-Leal V., Vanneste K., Keersmaeecker SCJ., Roosens NHC., Mostin L., Fretin D. y Marche S.
Comparative SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 variant and D614G-Wuhan strain infections in ferrets: insights into attenuation and disease progression during subclinical to mild COVID-19
Frontiers In Veterinary Science 11.
Introduction: As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve and new variants emerge, it becomes crucial to understand the comparative pathological and immunological responses elicited by different strains. This study focuses on the original Wuhan strain and the Omicron variant, which have demonstrated significant differences in clinical outcomes and immune responses.
Methods: We employed ferrets as an experimental model to assess the D614G variant (a derivative of the Wuhan strain) and the Omicron BA.5 variant. Each variant was inoculated into separate groups of ferrets to compare disease severity, viral dissemination, and immune responses.
Results: The D614G variant induced more severe disease and greater viral spread than the … Leer más
Barroso-Arevalo S., Sánchez-Morales L., Porras N., Diaz-de Frutos M., Barasona JA., Isla J., López-Gutiérrez D., Gortazar C., Dominguez L. y Sanchez-Vizcaino JM..
The Importance of Genomic Context in Interpreting Fosfomycin Resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae
International Journal Of Antimicrobial Agents 64(2):107210.
Dear Editor,
In recent years, we have witnessed advancements in sequencing technologies that allow rapid sequencing of numerous bacterial samples, creating an extensive database of genomes. This information is used nowadays to understand the epidemiological status and trends of resistance, contributing to the change of therapeutic guidelines in the use of antimicrobial agents. For example, the emergence of fosfomycin resistance is of major clinical interest, as this antibiotic is increasingly used, particularly in the treatment of urinary tract infections and sepsis caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. Recently, new fosfomycin resistance genes have been identified, including novel Glutathione-S-transferases. Since their identifica… Leer más
Kieffer N. y Guzman-Puche J.
Time, temperature and media: the three keys to improve the recovery of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis from preputial bull samples
Veterinary Research Communications 48(4):2109-2119.
The isolation of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv) from clinical samples is the gold standard for confirming cases of bovine genital campylobacteriosis, an important cause of infertility in cattle and a potential public health concern. Furthermore, isolation is also necessary for the development of autologous vaccines, characterization of strains for antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, etc. Nevertheless, the sensitivity of culture methods is usually low, and there is no standardized protocol to maximize the recovery of Cfv from clinical samples. The aim of the current study is to design a protocol for the culture of Cfv from preputial samples by evaluating the combination of different transport, enrichment and culture media con… Leer más
Polo C., Garcia-Seco T., Garcia N., Fernandez-Benito V., Briones V., Diez-Guerrier A., Alvarez J., Dominguez L. y Perez-Sancho M..
Detection of caprine paratuberculosis (Johne`s disease) detection in pre-and post-vaccinated herds: morphological diagnosis with lesion grading and bacterial identification
Frontiers In Veterinary Science 11:1395928.
Samples from mesenteric lymph nodes (MS LNs) and ileocecal valve (ICV) of 105 goats (61 non-vaccinated and 44 vaccinated anti-Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP)) with subclinical infection from a farm with confirmed history of paratuberculosis (PTB) were collected at slaughter. PTB-compatible lesions were graded separately in MS LNs and in ICV lamina propria (LP) and Peyer´s patches (PPs). Furthermore, the load of acid-fast bacilli was quantified by Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN), MAP antigens by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and MAP DNA by PCR targeting the IS900 sequence. Gross PTB-compatible lesions were detected in 39% of the goats, 31.72% were vaccinated (V) and 68.29% were non-vaccinated (nV). Histopathological MAP-induced lesions… Leer más
Plamenova-Stefanova E., Sierra E., Fernandez A., Quesada-Canales O., Paz-Sanchez Y., Colom-Rivero A., Espinosa de los Monteros A., Herraez-Thomas P., Dominguez L., Bezos J., Perez-Sancho M., Moreno I., Risalde MA. y Andrada M.
Histopathologic evaluation system of African swine fever in wild boar infected with high (Arm07) and low virulence (Lv17/WB/Riel) isolates
Veterinary Pathology 3009858241266944.
To understand the clinicopathological forms of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar, it is crucial to possess a basic knowledge of the biological characteristics of the currently circulating ASF virus isolates. The aim of this work is to establish an accurate and comprehensive histopathologic grading system to standardize the assessment of the ASF lesions in wild boar. The study evaluated the differences between animals infected with a high virulence genotype II isolate (Arm07) (HVI) through intramuscular (IM) (n = 6) and contact-infected (n = 12) routes, alongside those orally infected with a low virulence isolate (Lv17/WB/Riel) (LVI) (n = 6). The assessment included clinical (CS), macroscopic (MS), and histopathologic (HS) scores, as we… Leer más
Porras N., Sanchez-Vizcaino JM., Barasona JA., Gómez-Buendía A., Cadenas-Fernández E. y Rodriguez-Bertos A..
Farm management practices and host species richness associated with higher likelihood of tuberculosis positive farms in Western Spain
European Journal Of Wildlife Research 70:81.
Despite enormous efforts, complete animal tuberculosis (TB) eradication has only been achieved in few regions. Epidemiological analyses are key to identify TB risk factors and set up targeted biosecurity measures. Here, we conducted an in-depth characterization of 84 extensive beef cattle farms from a high TB prevalence region in Western Spain, and assessed how farm management and wildlife presence on farms contribute to cattle TB risk. Twenty-six out of 84 variables were associated with cattle farm TB positivity. Farm management variables associated with TB positivity included older cattle, larger herd size, highly fragmented farm structure and greater connectivity between farms. TB-positive farms provided supplemental feed over a higher n… Leer más
Herrero-Garcia G., Vaz-Rodrigues R., Pozo P., Barroso P., Relimpio D., Nacar J., Grau A., Minguez O., Garcia-Rodriguez A., Balseiro A. y Gortazar C.
Editorial: Tuberculosis in domestic ruminants: towards eradication of zoonotic tuberculosis
Frontiers In Veterinary Science 11:1453876.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonosis with a significant impact on human and animal health and it remains endemic in many countries around the world. Most cases of human TB are caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, whilst TB in wildlife and domestic ruminants is mainly caused by animal adapted mycobacterial species such as M. bovis and M. caprae. However, the impact of zoonotic TB (zTB) has been known for a long time and resulted in the implementation of milk pasteurization as a preventive public health measure in many countries. According to data published by the WHO, more than 140,000 people are infected and more than 12,000 die every year due to zTB, particularly in the African and Southeast Asian regions. Zoonotic M. bovis transmission repres… Leer más
Boschiroli ML., Salguero FJ., Jones G. y Bezos J..
Communicating and disseminating One Health: successes of the One Health European Joint Programme
Journal Of Medical Microbiology 73(7):001842.
The application of a One Health approach recognizes that human health, animal health, plant health and ecosystem health are intrinsically connected. Tackling complex challenges associated with foodborne zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging threats is imperative. Therefore, the One Health European Joint Programme was established within the European Union research programme Horizon 2020. The One Health European Joint Programme activities were based on the development and harmonization of a One Health science-based framework in the European Union (EU) and involved public health, animal health and food safety institutes from almost all EU Member States, the UK and Norway, thus strengthening the cooperation between public, medical an… Leer más
Taylor AJ., Artursson K., Busani L., Callegari A., Cantlay J., Canica M., Campling E., Gavier-Widen D., van de Giessen A., Itier D., Imberechts H., Roest HJ., Jestin A., de Juan L., Jokelainen P., Kaesbohrer A., Lindberg A., Mantovani A., Molbak K., van der Poel WHM., Poirier AC., Sepe LP., Morabito S., Whitehouse J., Horton DL. y La Ragione R.
Geospatial analysis for strategic wildlife disease surveillance: African swine fever in South Korea (2019-2021)
PLoS ONE 19(6):e0305702.
Since the confirmation of African swine fever (ASF) in South Korea in 2019, its spread, predominantly in wild boars, has been a significant concern. A key factor in this situation is the lack of identification of risk factors by surveillance bias. The unique orography, characterized by high mountains, complicates search efforts, leading to overlooked or delayed case detection and posing risks to the swine industry. Additionally, shared rivers with neighboring country present a continual threat of virus entry. This study employs geospatial analysis and statistical methods to 1) identify areas at high risk of ASF occurrence but possibly under-surveilled, and 2) indicate strategic surveillance points for monitoring the risk of ASF virus entry … Leer más
Ito S., Bosch BJ., Aguilar-Vega C., Jeong H. y Sanchez-Vizcaino JM..
Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in domestic goats in Southern Spain
Preventive Veterinary Medicine 227:106204.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by bacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), which can affect a wide variety of domestic and wild animal species. Although the role of goats as a reservoir of MTC bacteria has been evidenced, information about the circulation of MTC strains in this species is still very scarce. The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence, spatial distribution, risk factors and MTC spoligotypes circulating in goats from Andalusia (Southern Spain), the Spanish region with the largest goat census and a hotspot area of TB in both cattle and wild ungulates. A total of 2155 serum samples from 80 goat flocks were analyzed by an in-house ELISA using the P22 prot… Leer más
Jimenez-Martin D., Garcia-Bocanegra I., Risalde MA., Napp S., Dominguez M., Romero B., Moreno I., Martinez R. y Cano-Terriza D.
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated with surgical resection, toceranib phosphate and firocoxib in a dog: a case report
Veterinary Research Communications 48(3):1921-1927.
Exocrine pancreatic carcinomas are rarely reported in dogs. A ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma in a 10-year-old intact beagle is described in this report. The diagnosis was made based on clinical signs, imaging (abdominal ultrasound and CT scan) and histopathology. Treatment consisted of partial right lobe pancreatectomy followed by adjuvant therapy with toceranib phosphate (Palladia®) and firocoxib (Previcox®) for six months. The treatment was well tolerated, and the survival time was 445 days. To our knowledge, this is the longest survival reported in the literature for a dog diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The results described here may contribute to provide a better understanding about this neoplasia and potential tre… Leer más
Fuertes-Recuero M., Vazquez-Fernandez E., Lizasoain-Sanz G., Arroba-Alonso A., Sanchez-Lopez A., Martinez-de Merlo E., Suarez-Redondo M. y Ortiz-Diez G.
Neuropathological lesions in intravenous BCG-stimulated K18-hACE2 mice challenged with SARS-CoV-2
Veterinary Research 55(1):71.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, questions emerged about the potential effects of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine on the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, including the neurodegenerative diseases it may contribute to. To explore this, an experimental study was carried out in BCG-stimulated and non-stimulated k18-hACE2 mice challenged with SARS-CoV-2. Viral loads in tissues determined by RT-qPCR, histopathology in brain and lungs, immunohistochemical study in brain (IHC) as well as mortality rates, clinical signs and plasma inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers were assessed. Our results showed BCG-SARS-CoV-2 challenged mice presented higher viral loads in the brain and an increased frequency of neur… Leer más
Sánchez-Morales L., Porras N., Garcia-Seco T., Perez-Sancho M., Cruz F., Chinchilla-Rodríguez B., Barroso-Arevalo S., Diaz-de Frutos M., Buendia A., Moreno I., Briones V., Risalde MA., de la Fuente J., Juste R., Garrido J., Balseiro A., Gortazar C., Rodriguez-Bertos A., Dominguez M. y Dominguez L..
Bovine tuberculosis in San Luis Potosi, Mexico: spatial analysis and risk factors
Veterinaria Italiana 60:4.
A better understanding of the bovine tuberculosis (bTB) spatial distribution and the factors associated with increased risk is required to implement more effective control measures in Mexico. A cross-sectional study based on bTB testing on >1,600 herds in two regions of San Luis Potosi state, Altiplano and Huasteca, during 2018-2021 was conducted for the identification of spatial clustering and of bTB risk factors using the spatial scan statistic test and multivariable logistic regression models. The proportion of herds with at least one reactor was 17.9% in Altiplano and 38.6% in Huasteca, with one high risk cluster (HRC) present in each region. Larger herds (>20 animals) and those included in the HRC were exposed to a significantly increa… Leer más
Ruiz-Gil AK., Alvarez-Fuentes G., Fonseca-Rodriguez O., Gómez-Buendía A., Pozo P., Hernandez-Arteaga LES., Ballesteros-Rodea G., Perez-Portilla L. y Alvarez J..
Editorial: Pathogen transmission at the domestic-wildlife interface: a growing challenge that requires integrated solutions
Frontiers In Veterinary Science 11:1415335.
Wildlife has coexisted with domestic animals in dynamic systems over thousands of years. Domestic-wildlife interfaces are intricate, encompassing physical spaces where wild and domestic species overlap and potentially interact, posing risks of pathogen transmission. The nature of this interface has changed over time and across landscapes, leading to continuous emergence of different conflicts. In addition, human processes that alter ecosystems have led to more interconnected interfaces and increased opportunities for the emergence and spread of shared pathogens (1).
The main goal of this Research Topic was to promote integrative research at domestic-wildlife interfaces globally to characterize and better understand specific eco-epide… Leer más
Jiménez-Ruiz S., Santos N., Barasona JA., Fine AE. y Jori F.
Neurobrucellosis (Brucella ceti) in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba): Immunohistochemical studies on immune response and neuroinflammation
Veterinary Pathology 17:3009858241250336.
Neurobrucellosis is a shared condition of cetaceans and humans. However, the pathogenesis and immune response in cetacean neurobrucellosis has not been extensively studied. In this multicentric investigation, 21 striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) neurobrucellosis (Brucella ceti) cases diagnosed over a 10-year period (2012-2022) were retrospectively evaluated. For each case, morphological changes were assessed by evaluating 21 histological parameters. Furthermore, the immunohistochemical expression of Brucella antigen, glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), and a selection of inflammatory cell (IBA-1, CD3, and CD20) and cytokine (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α], interferon-gamma [IFN-γ], interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-2, and … Leer más
Rebollada A., Giorda F., Pumarola M., Martino L., Gómez-Buendía A., Romani-Cremaschi U., Casalone C., Mattioda V., Di Nocera F., Lucifora G., Petrella A., Dominguez L., Domingo M., Grattarola C. y Rodriguez-Bertos A..
Non-invasive surveillance of shared pathogens in the Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos) human interface
One Health 18:100746.
Multi-host communities are perfect scenarios for the emergence and spread of pathogens, threatening the recovery of endangered, isolated, or inbred populations, such as the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in northwestern Spain. The population recovery in recent years has forced bears to occupy highly anthropized areas, increasing their interaction with human and domestic animals, with potential consequences for global health. During 2022-2023 a survey of parasites, bacteria and viruses shared between wildlife, domestic animals and humans was performed in this population using non-invasive surveillance, i.e., bear fecal samples (n = 73) and sponge-based sampling of trees (n = 42; 14 rubbed trees and 28 control trees). Pathogen detection rates were… Leer más
Herrero-Garcia G., Barroso P., Dashti A., Gonzalez-Barrio D., Naves J., Fernandez-Gil A., Ugarte-Ruiz M., Perez-Sancho M., Royo JL., Carmena D., de Miguel A., Garcia-Rodriguez A., Gortazar C., Dominguez L. y Balseiro A.
Detection of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in urine samples during outbreaks of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy
Equine Veterinary Journal 56(3):456-463.
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 design: Descriptive study of natural infection.
Methods: Urine and whole blood/NS samples were collected at different time points dur… Leer más
Velloso-Alvarez A., Jose-Cunilleras E., Dorrego-Rodriguez A., Santiago-Llorente I., de las Cuesta-Torrado M., Troya-Portillo L., Rivera B., Vitale V., de Juan L. y Cruz F..
Active surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in companion animals: A pilot study in a Spanish Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Comparative Immunology, Microbiology And Infectious Diseases 108:102169.
The role of small animal veterinary hospitals in the onset and dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AMROs) is still not clear, and the implementation of an internal surveillance systems is a cost-effective tool to better understand their impact. The aim of this study was to describe a pilot program of active surveillance in a Spanish Veterinary Teaching Hospital, developed to estimate the detection frequency of AMROs in the commensal flora of patients and in the environment. Surveillance was focused on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococci (MRS), third generation cephalosporins resistant gram-negative bacteria (3GCR-GNB), and carbapenems-resistant gram-negative bacteria (CR-GNB). Oral and perirectal swabs were collected in the … Leer más
Scarpellini R., Leal Velez de Mendizábal L., Quevedo-Caraballo S., Blanco JL., Garcia ME., Perez-Sancho M., Portero-Fuentes M., Penelo S., Esposito E., Mondo E. y Piva S.
Forensic findings in urban red fox mortality in the metropolitan area of Madrid, 2014-2022
Journal Of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 36(4):510-514.
The expanding presence of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in urban and suburban regions could potentially lead to increased instances of human aggression towards this species. We studied 10 deceased red foxes that were submitted by law enforcement agencies in the metropolitan area of Madrid in 2014-2022 because of suspected abuse. Forensic autopsies were performed to establish the cause and manner of death. In 4 of the 10 cases, the cause of death was deemed unnatural, involving blunt-force trauma (n = 2), asphyxia resulting from hanging (n = 1), and firearm injury (n = 1). Among the remaining cases, most had succumbed to natural causes (n = 4), often marked by severe emaciation and a high burden of parasites, primarily Sarcoptes scabiei. In 2 ca… Leer más
Rebollada A., Barcena C., Porras N., Dominguez L. y Rodriguez-Bertos A..
Tertiary lymphoid organs in wild boar exposed to a low-virulent isolate of African swine fever virus
The Veterinary Quarterly 44(1):1-13.
Despite the great interest in the development of a vaccine against African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar, the immunological mechanisms that induce animal protection are still unknown. For this purpose, tertiary lymphoid organs (TLOs) of wild boar were characterised and compared with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALTs) by histopathology, histomorphometry and immunohistochemistry (CD3, CD79, PAX5, LYVE1, fibronectin). In addition, real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (p72) were used to evaluate the presence of ASF virus (ASFV) in blood and tissues samples, respectively. TLOs were observed in animals infected with a low-virulent ASFV isolate (LVI), animals co-infected with low and high-virulent ASFV isola… Leer más
Porras N., Sanchez-Vizcaino JM., Rodriguez-Bertos A., Kosowska A. y Barasona JA..
First Report of Lactococcus petauri in the Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) from Candia Lake (Northwestern Italy)
Fishes https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9040117.
Lactococcus petauri has emerged as a pathogen affecting farmed fish. In this case report, L. petauri was isolated from Lepomis gibbosus captured in Lake Candia, located in Piedmont, Northwestern Italy. Initially identified as L. garvieae using conventional methods like RAPID 32 ID STREP and MALDI-TOF, molecular analysis based on sequencing of the 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) confirmed it as L. petauri. The study also assessed the isolated strain’s pathogenicity by examining hemolysin and capsule cluster genes, revealing only hemolysin 2 amplicon; notably, the fish exhibited no lesions or pathological alterations. The L. petauri strain from this study displayed resistance to several antibiotics, being sensitive only … Leer más
Bondavalli F., Colussi S., Pastorino P., Zanoli A., Bezzo Llufrío T., Fernandez-Garayzabal JF., Luigi Acutis P. y Prearo M.
Molecular detection of herpesvirus in a skin lesion of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) from the Western Mediterranean Sea
European Journal Of Wildlife Research 70:31.
Herpesvirus has the potential to infect a wide variety of animal species. In cetaceans, Alpha- and/or Gammaherpesvirinae have been identified in eight families of odontocetes, and one family of mysticetes. In May 2022, an adult humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) was found stranded in Valencia, Spain. The whale was emaciated, in poor body condition, with multiple lacerations on the dorsal fin and a high number of epibionts of the Cyamidae family, known as whale lice. The individual had been previously released from a ghost net entanglement 5 days before becoming stranded. In a closer examination, various skin lesions were observed, including chronic, proliferative, and erosive dermatitis and a large ulcer extending to the deep dermis. A… Leer más
Vargas-Castro I., Crespo-Picazo JL., Jimenez-Martinez MA., Munoz-Baquero M., Marco-Cabedo V., Garcia-Parraga D. y Sanchez-Vizcaino JM..
Application of machine learning with large-scale data for an effective vaccination against classical swine fever for wild boar in Japan
Scientific Reports 14(1):5312.
Classical swine fever has been spreading across the country since its re-emergence in Japan in 2018. Gifu Prefecture has been working diligently to control the disease through the oral vaccine dissemination targeting wild boars. Although vaccines were sprayed at 14,000 locations between 2019 and 2020, vaccine ingestion by wild boars was only confirmed at 30% of the locations. Here, we predicted the vaccine ingestion rate at each point by Random Forest modeling based on vaccine dissemination data and created prediction surfaces for the probability of vaccine ingestion by wild boar using spatial interpolation techniques. Consequently, the distance from the vaccination point to the water source was the most important variable, followed by elev… Leer más
Ito S., Aguilar-Vega C., Bosch J., Isoda N. y Sanchez-Vizcaino JM..
Evaluation of the Effect of a Recent Comparative Intradermal Tuberculin Test on the Humoral Diagnosis of Paratuberculosis Using Serum and Milk Samples from Goats
Veterinary Sciences 11(3):105.
Paratuberculosis (PTB) and tuberculosis (TB) are two mycobacterial diseases with a severe economic and health impact on domestic ruminants. The ante mortem diagnosis of PTB is hampered, among other factors, by the limited sensitivity of all the available diagnostic techniques. Since TB-infected goats subjected to the comparative intradermal tuberculin test (CITT) may experience a booster effect on their antibody titer and a potential enhancement to the sensitivity of humoral techniques for tuberculosis, in the present study we aimed to evaluate this diagnostic strategy on the humoral diagnosis of PTB in serum and milk samples collected from a caprine herd that was TB free and PTB infected. The results from 120 goats indicated a significant … Leer más
Velasco-Reinaldos C., Ortega J., Gómez-Buendía A., Grau A., Lopez M., Alvarez J., Romero B., de Juan L. y Bezos J..
Phenotypic and genetic characterization of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis isolates from humans and animals in Spain from 2006 to 2021
The Journal Of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 79(4):790-800.
Objectives
While an increase in the levels of MDR in Salmonella enterica sevorar Choleraesuis has been reported in Europe, little is known about the situation in Spain. Therefore, we first aimed to assess the phenotypic resistance profile and to determine the presence of genetic determinants of resistance of S. Choleraesuis isolates collected in animal and human. Our second objective was to identify and characterize clusters of highly related isolates.
Methods
We analysed 50 human and 45 animal isolates retrieved from 2006 to 2021 using the disc diffusion method and performed WGS followed by analyses of genetic determinants and phylogenetic analysis.
Results
All isolates were of ST145 and c… Leer más
Jacqueline C., Samper-Cativiela C., Monzon S., Ugarte-Ruiz M., Cuesta I., Alvarez J. y Herrera-Leon S.
Landscape connectivity for predicting the spread of ASF in the European wild boar population
Scientific Reports 10;14(1):3414.
African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious and highly fatal disease affecting wild and domestic swine, which is unstoppably spreading worldwide. In Europe, wild boars are one of the main drivers of spread, transmission, and maintenance of the disease. Landscape connectivity studies are the main discipline to analyze wild-species dispersal networks, and it can be an essential tool to predict dispersal-wild boar movement routes and probabilities and therefore the associated potential ASF spread through the suitable habitat. We aimed to integrate wild boar habitat connectivity predictions with their occurrence, population abundance, and ASF notifications to calculate the impact (i.e., the capacity of a landscape feature to favor ASF spread) an… Leer más
Goicolea T., Cisneros-Araujo P., Aguilar-Vega C., Sanchez-Vizcaino JM., Mateo-Sanchez MC. y Bosch J.
Forensic investigations of suspected livestock depredation by vultures: scientific tools for compensation programmes
Journal Of Comparative Pathology 209:22-30.
Human–wildlife conflicts may have devastating consequences for fauna due to targeting by humans of wildlife populations suspected to have predated livestock. Suspicion of depredation of extensively raised livestock by vultures in Europe has triggered public administration-led forensic investigations intended to distinguish between predation and scavenging in order to compensate farmers for attacks on their livestock. In this study, gross and histological analyses were carried out on suspected cases of domestic animal depredation by griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) over a 1-year period. Fifty-eight animals were affected (n = 41, suspected depredation), including domestic cattle (75.9%), sheep (22.4%) and a goat (1.7%). All the adults affected … Leer más
Rebollada A., Gómez-Buendía A., Dominguez L. y Rodriguez-Bertos A..
Effect of a recent intradermal test on the specificity of P22 ELISA for the diagnosis of caprine tuberculosis
Frontiers In Veterinary Science 11:1-7.
Caprine tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic disease caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. TB eradication programs in goats are based on the single and comparative intradermal tuberculin tests (SITT and CITT, respectively). Antibody-based diagnostic techniques have emerged as potential diagnostic tools for TB. P22 ELISA has been previously evaluated using samples collected after the intradermal tuberculin tests to maximize the sensitivity, a phenomenon known as booster effect. However, there is no information available on whether the use of this diagnostic strategy could lead to a decrease of its specificity (Sp). The aim of the present study was to elucidate the interference effect of a recent CITT on the Sp of the P22 EL… Leer más
Velasco-Reinaldos C., Ortega J., Rincón-Fernández de la Puente J., Romero B., de Juan L., Dominguez L., Dominguez M., Moreno I., Alvarez J. y Bezos J..
Non-tuberculous mycobacteria: occurrence in skin test cattle reactors from official tuberculosis-free herds
Frontiers In Veterinary Science 11:1361788.
Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are considered a relevant cause of non-specific reactions to the most widely applied bovine tuberculosis (bTB) test, the intradermal tuberculin test. In order to establish which NTM species might act as a potential source of such diagnostic interference, a collection of 373 isolates obtained from skin test positive cows from 359 officially tuberculosis-free (OTF) herds, culled in the framework of the bTB eradication campaign in Spain, were identified at the species level through PCR and Sanger sequencing of the 16S rDNA, hsp65 and rpoB genes. Of the 308 isolates for which a reliable identification was achieved, 32 different mycobacterial species were identified, with certain species being most represented:… Leer más
Gómez-Buendía A., Alvarez J., Bezos J., Mourelo J., Amado J., Saez-Llorente JL., de Juan L. y Romero B..
Detection of Brucella in Dermacentor ticks of wild boar with brucellosis
Transboundary And Emerging Diseases 2024:5517000, 12 pag.
Brucellosis is a sanitary and economically relevant disease affecting humans, livestock, and wildlife. Ticks have been suggested as vectors, long-term carriers, and amplifiers of Brucella. In this study, ticks from wildlife ungulate hosts living in hunting reserves of a central region of Spain were collected during a 6-year period, pooled, and screened for Brucella spp. by PCR. Aiming to correlate Brucella spp. DNA presence in ticks with Brucella spp. infections in wildlife ungulate hosts, liver samples from deceased wildlife ungulates coming from the hunting reserves showing a positive result for Brucella in ticks were tested using a commercial ELISA. In total, 229 tick pools from wild boar (Sus scrofa, n = 176; 76.8%, 95% CI 7… Leer más
Rebollada A., Martinez I., Duque C., Garcia-Seco T., Escacena C., Dominguez L., Rodriguez-Bertos A. y Garcia N..
The association of Lactococcus petauri with lactococcosis is older than expected
Aquaculture (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 578(740057):1-7.
Lactococcosis is a globally prevalent infectious disease that has a significant economic and sanitary impact on the rainbow trout industry. Lactococcus garvieae has traditionally been considered the only species implicated in the etiology of this disease, but Lactococcus petauri, a new species, has recently been implicated as another etiological agent. Both species cannot be distinguished by routine methods commonly used in diagnostic laboratories, resulting in their misidentification. In the present study, the identification of 48 isolates initially identified as L. garvieae was studied by determining their in-silico DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values using pairwise comparisons of their whole genome s… Leer más
Vela AI., Blanco MM., Colussi S., Kotzamanidis C., Prearo M., Altinok I., Acutis P., Volpatti D., Alba P., Feltrin F., Ianzano A., Dominguez L. y Fernandez-Garayzabal JF..
Identification of promoter activity in gene-less cassettes from Vibrionaceae superintegrons
Nucleic Acids Research 52(6):2961-2976.
Integrons are genetic platforms that acquire new genes encoded in integron cassettes (ICs), building arrays of adaptive functions. ICs generally encode promoterless genes, whose expression relies on the platform-associated Pc promoter, with the cassette array functioning as an operon-like structure regulated by the distance to the Pc. This is relevant in large sedentary chromosomal integrons (SCIs) carrying hundreds of ICs, like those in Vibrio species. We selected 29 gene-less cassettes in four Vibrio SCIs, and explored whether their function could be related to the transcription regulation of adjacent ICs. We show that most gene-less cassettes have promoter activity on the sense strand, enhancing the expression of downstream cassettes. Ad… Leer más
Blanco P., Hipolito A., Garcia-Pastor L., Trigo de Roza F., Toribio-Celestino L., Ortega AC., Vergara E., San Millan A. y Escudero JA..
Heat-inactivated mycobacteria activate the toll-like receptor 2 and 4 pathways in the zebrafish model of tuberculosis
Vaccine S0264-410X(23)01544-X.
Based on previous evidence demonstrating the efficacy of inactivated mycobacteria for the control of fish mycobacteriosis, we explored the protective efficacy of two inactivated Mycobacterium bovis administered via parenteral and mucosal routes against Mycobacterium marinum infection mimicking natural conditions in the zebrafish model of tuberculosis. Although we did not observe a clear effect of any of the immunostimulants on mycobacterial burden, the results showed a significant increase in TLR2 and TLR4 gene expression levels in fishes parenterally immunized with inactivated Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). Our findings demonstrated that the TLR2 and the TLR4 signaling pathways are involved in the immune response elicited by inactivated m… Leer más
Ferreras E., Contreras M., Risalde MA., Sevilla IA., Delgado E., Dominguez L., Gortazar C. y de la Fuente J.
