Article
Microbiology
Miriam Portero, Guadalupe Miro, Rocio Checa, Elena Martinez de Merlo, Cristina Fragio, Miguel Benito, Angel Sainz, Carmen Perez
Summary: The study aimed to test for Leishmania infantum infection in dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) in an endemic area, and found a significant difference in infection prevalence between control and MUO groups, suggesting that L. infantum may not play a major role in the aetiology of MUO.
Article
Microbiology
Carla Silva Lima, Sofia Esteves, Ines Costa, Hugo Brancal, Clara Lima, Celia Amorim, Luis Cardoso, Nuno Santarem, Anabela Cordeiro-da-Silva
Summary: Canine leishmaniosis is a disease caused by Leishmania infantum in dogs, which can result in non-specific clinical signs or a subclinical condition. This study evaluated the impact of using different antigens in a serological survey and proposed a serological score system to address complex serology results.
Article
Parasitology
Maria Magdalena Alcover, Jacobo Giner, Judit Rabasedas, Xavier Roca-Gerones, Maite Verde, Antonio Fernandez, Cristina Riera, Roser Fisa, Sergio Villanueva-Saz
Summary: The prevalence of L. infantum infection in domestic ferrets in the Valencia region of Spain was investigated using serological and molecular methods. The study found that a significant proportion of the ferrets were seropositive for L. infantum antibodies, indicating repeated exposure to the parasite. However, no parasite DNA was detected in the peripheral blood samples. Further studies are needed to determine whether domestic ferrets are accidental hosts or reservoir species capable of spreading the infection.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Hanne Quarsten, Tore Salte, Aslaug R. Lorentzen, Inger J. W. Hansen, Runar Hamre, Kristine J. N. Forselv, Oivind Oines, Christine Wenneras, Solvi Noraas
Summary: The occurrence of tick-borne pathogens in the blood of patients with autoimmune conditions requiring immunosuppressive treatment was evaluated, with a detection rate of 8.6%. The main pathogen detected was Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis, with potential thromboembolic complications if left untreated.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Cassia Moreira Santos, Gabrielle Cristini Del Rigo Santos Dias, Alexya Victoria Pinheiro Saldanha, Stephanie Bergmann Esteves, Adriana Cortez, Israel Barbosa Guedes, Marcos Bryan Heinemann, Amane Paldes Goncales, Bruno Alonso Miotto
Summary: Leptospirosis is an endemic zoonosis in Brazil with a significant impact on human and animal health. This study identified the causative agent for severe cases of canine leptospirosis through isolation and characterization of strains in a highly endemic area. Multiple diagnostic approaches were used to confirm acute canine leptospirosis, highlighting the importance of utilizing different methods for diagnosis.
BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Maria-Dolores Tabar, Javier Tabar, Carolina Naranjo, Laura Altet, Xavier Roura
Summary: This study failed to demonstrate a role of canine VBP in CCLR or the presence or different pattern of joint inflammation in pathogen-positive dogs.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Rafael Antonio Nascimento Ramos, Alessio Giannelli, Carlos Roberto Cruz Ubirajara-Filho, Carlos Alberto do Nascimento Ramos, Didier Betbder, Marcos Antonio Bezerra-Santos, Filipe Dantas-Torres, Leucio Camara Alves, Domenico Otranto
Summary: Dogs infected with Leishmania are more likely to be co-infected with other vector-borne pathogens. Testing Leishmania-infected dogs for other pathogens is crucial for treatment decisions and management.
VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Leticia G. T. M. Estevam, Laura B. Veloso, Geralda G. Silva, Carina C. Mori, Paula F. Franco, Ana C. V. M. Rocha Lima, Gabriela R. Assimos, Ilka A. Reis, Jose D. Andrade-Filho, Marcio S. S. Araujo, Vitor M. Ribeiro, Ana P. M. M. Almeida, Gustavo F. Paz
Summary: Canine visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in southeastern Brazil and this study found that the prevalence of L. infantum infection in dogs housed in animal shelters may exceed that in other CVL-endemic areas. Additionally, the study suggests that dogs may serve as potential reservoirs for L. amazonensis.
Article
Cell Biology
D. F. Durso, G. Silveira-Nunes, M. M. Coelho, G. C. Camatta, L. H. Ventura, L. S. Nascimento, F. Caixeta, E. H. M. Cunha, A. Castelo-Branco, D. M. Fonseca, T. U. Maioli, A. Teixeira-Carvalho, C. Sala, M. J. Bacalini, P. Garagnani, C. Nardini, C. Franceschi, A. M. C. Faria
Summary: Living in endemic areas for chronic infectious diseases results in remodeling of inflammaging and acceleration of epigenetic aging in individuals regardless of their infectious status.
MECHANISMS OF AGEING AND DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
David A. A. Forero-Pena, Fhabian S. Carrion-Nessi, Mary Lopez-Perez, Marisol Sandoval-de Mora, Ivan D. Amaya, Angel F. Gamardo, Melynar Chavero, Luisamy Figuera, Maria V. Marcano, Natasha A. Camejo-Avila, Mariana Hidalgo, Cariagne J. J. Arenas, Myriam Arevalo-Herrera, Socrates Herrera
Summary: The co-infections of viral and bacterial pathogens in malaria patients in Venezuela were found to be prevalent and associated with worse clinical outcomes. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of these findings.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF POVERTY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Jenny C. Cardenas, Sandra Y. Giraldo-Parra, Maria U. Gonzalez, Lady Y. Gutierrez-Silva, Lucy Jaimes-Villamizar, Alba L. Roa-Parra, Daisy J. Carvajal, Hugo O. Valdivia, Juan F. Sanchez, Tonya M. Colpitts, Berlin Londono-Renteria
Summary: Rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial for determining the clinical characteristics of a disease, improving vaccine development, tracking infections during clinical trials, and setting protection status. In certain regions endemic for diseases like dengue fever, limitations in facilities result in many cases being diagnosed solely based on clinical and hematological findings.
Article
Microbiology
Jana Kacirova, Miriam Sondorova, Aladar Madari, Eva Stykova, Rastislav Mucha, Radomira Nemcova, Nikola Marecakova, Jana Farbakova, Marian Madar
Summary: This study identified periodontal disease-related bacteria in dental plaque of dogs. P. gulae, T. forsythia, and T. denticola were commonly found in dogs with periodontal disease. T. putidum was positively correlated with P. gulae and T. forsythia, suggesting its involvement in periodontal disease development.
Article
Microbiology
Anna Beltrame, Maria Concetta Fargnoli, Charlotte Avanzi, Laura Sollima, Elena Pomari, Antonio Mori, Silvia Stefania Longoni, Lucia Moro, Pierantonio Orza, Mary Jackson, Francesca Perandin
Summary: This article reports a case of multibacillary leprosy in a 22-year-old Indian woman living in Italy. The patient presented with painful skin lesions and neurological symptoms. Diagnosis was confirmed through histopathology and molecular biology, and timely treatment was provided. Genotype analysis aided in identifying the possible source of infection.
Article
Immunology
Clover N. Truong, Michael D. Nailor, Rajat Walia, Lauren Cherrier, Aasya Nasar, Kellie J. Goodlet
Summary: This study examined the incidence of coccidioidomycosis among lung transplant recipients with lifelong azole antifungal prophylaxis in an endemic region, finding a low rate of infection and effectiveness in prevention.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Nara Santos dos Santos, Flaviane Alves de Pinho, Nicole Regina Capacchi Hlavac, Talyta Lins Nunes, Nadia Rossi Almeida, Manuela Silva Solca, Bruno Milen Varjao, Ricardo Wagner Portela, Jeronimo Nunes Rugani, Felipe Dutra Rego, Stella Maria Barrouin-Melo, Rodrigo Pedro Soares
Summary: Zoonotic leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum is a disease of One Health concern. This study detected and characterized L. infantum infection in domestic cats from areas with human and canine leishmaniasis cases. Results showed 7.8% of cats were infected, suggesting cats can be potential hosts in endemic areas. Monitoring, differential diagnosis, and clinical care for cats are recommended.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Marta Mari-Almirall, Clara Cosgaya, Cristina Pitart, Joaquim Vines, Laura Munoz, Irene Campo, Anna Cusco, Laura Rodriguez-Serna, Gemina Santana, Ana Del Rio, Olga Francino, Pilar Ciruela, Isabel Pujol, Frederic Ballester, Francesc Marco, Jose Antonio Martinez, Alex Soriano, Jordi Vila, Ignasi Roca
Summary: This study identified the inter-hospital dissemination of carbapenem-resistant high-risk clones of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli in Catalonia, Spain. The isolates were found to carry small transferable plasmids containing bla(NDM) genes, with most showing multidrug resistance and NDM production. The main clone belonged to ST147 and co-produced NDM-1 and CTX-M-15, with a few isolates also carrying bla(OXA-48).
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Dermatology
Anna Puigdemont, Sara D'Andreano, Laura Ramio-Lluch, Anna Cusco, Olga Francino, Pilar Brazis
Summary: The study analyzed the ear microbiome before and after treatment, showing a significant increase in fungal diversity and composition. The prednisolone plus pomegranate treatment effectively controlled the clinical signs of otitis.
VETERINARY DERMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Anna Cusco, Daniel Perez, Joaquim Vines, Norma Fabregas, Olga Francino
Summary: Long-read sequencing in metagenomics allows for the assembly of complete genomes from complex microbial communities, providing important biological information that is often missed by short-read sequencing. In this study, long-read metagenomics with Nanopore sequencing successfully retrieved eight high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (HQ MAGs) from a dog fecal sample, including crucial ribosomal genes and tRNAs. Additionally, high-molecular-weight DNA extraction improved assembly contiguity and recovery of rRNA operons, demonstrating the significance of long reads in metagenomics research.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Joaquim Vines, Anna Cusco, Sebastian Napp, Julio Alvarez, Jose Luis Saez-Llorente, Montserrat Rosas-Rodoreda, Olga Francino, Lourdes Migura-Garcia
Summary: Colistin, once discontinued in human medicine due to toxicity, is now being used as a last-resort antibiotic for treating hospital infections caused by multi-drug resistant Enterobacteriaceae. A study found that colistin-resistant E. coli isolates carrying mcr-1 were transmitted from livestock to a farmer through horizontal gene transfer. Additionally, virulence factors including Shiga toxin E. coli were detected, emphasizing the role of livestock as a reservoir for potential zoonotic pathogens.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Anna Cusco, Daniel Perez, Joaquim Vines, Norma Fabregas, Olga Francino
Summary: This study used nanopore long-read metagenomics and Hi-C proximity ligation to obtain high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (HQ MAGs) of the canine gut microbiome. The results provide detailed information on the bacteria present in the dog's gastrointestinal environment, which is important for studying the canine gut microbiome in the fields of veterinary medicine and animal nutrition.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Norma Fabregas, Daniel Perez, Joaquim Vines, Rocio Fonticoba, Anna Cusco, Lourdes Migura-Garcia, Lluis Ferrer, Olga Francino
Summary: In this study, 67 complete genomes of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius were de novo assembled, with an average size of 2.6 Mbp and a completeness of 99.43%. The data includes coding sequences, rRNAs, tRNAs, and noncoding RNAs. The release of these genomes, including both single-contig complete genomes and genomes with circular main contigs using Nanopore sequencing, provides valuable resources for future research.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Parasitology
Guadalupe Miro, Juliana Sarquis, Luis Cardoso, Patrick Bourdeau, Laia Solano-Gallego, Gaetano Oliva, Maria Grazia Pennisi, Christine Petersen, Lluis Ferrer, Gad Baneth
Summary: The organizers of the 1st congress on animal leishmaniosis (ALIVE) in Malaga, Spain, discuss the recent advances in the field presented during the meeting.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Joan Marti-Carreras, Marina Carrasco, Marcel Gomez-Ponce, Marc Noguera-Julian, Roser Fisa, Cristina Riera, Maria Magdalena Alcover, Xavier Roura, Lluis Ferrer, Olga Francino
Summary: The emergence of drug-resistant strains of Leishmania infantum poses an increasing threat to dogs and humans. By using nanopore sequencing and the LeishGenApp diagnosis platform, this study identified epidemiological, drug resistance, and pathogenicity biomarkers in L. infantum.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Joaquim Vines, Norma Fabregas, Daniel Perez, Anna Cusco, Rocio Fonticoba, Olga Francino, Lluis Ferrer, Lourdes Migura-Garcia
Summary: In this study, the correlation between phenotype and genotype regarding antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius from healthy dogs was assessed using Nanopore sequencing technology. Good correlation was observed for some antimicrobials, while correlation was low for others. Multiple antibiotic resistance genes were also found to be located on plasmids. This study provides important insights into the antimicrobial resistance of S. pseudintermedius from healthy dogs.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lara Urban, Albert Perlas, Olga Francino, Joan Marti-Carreras, Brenda A. Muga, Jenniffer W. Mwangi, Laura Boykin Okalebo, Jo-Ann L. Stanton, Amanda Black, Nick Waipara, Claudia Fontsere, David Eccles, Harika Urel, Tim Reska, Hernan E. Morales, Marc Palmada-Flores, Tomas Marques-Bonet, Mrinalini Watsa, Zane Libke, Gideon Erkenswick, Cock van Oosterhout
Summary: The degradation of natural systems and environmental changes have put our society at a crossroad with respect to our future relationship with the planet. The concept of One Health highlights the interdependence of human and environmental health, but many of these connections are not well-understood. This article discusses how real-time genomic analyses, particularly nanopore sequencing, can benefit One Health by enabling timely assessments of ecosystem health, and it showcases studies on zoonotic diseases, food security, environmental microbiome, emerging pathogens, and environmental health. The importance of equitable access to real-time genomics in the context of One Health is emphasized, along with practical, legal, and ethical considerations.
MOLECULAR SYSTEMS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Sergi Segarra, David Sanmiguel, Eliseo Zuriaga, Sophie Leclerc, Jesus Cabanas, Estelle Seigneuric, Aurelie Miquel, Ana Vazquez, Lluis Ferrer
Summary: Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a chronic skin disease. A new collar called Atopivet (®) collar was developed for CAD, containing a lipid extract (Biosfeen(& REG;)) that has been shown to benefit skin health. Studies showed that this collar effectively released the lipid extract, had good efficacy and safety, and improved clinical symptoms in dogs with CAD. It could be a useful therapy to consider in a multimodal approach to CAD.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
O. Francino, D. Perez, J. Vines, R. Fonticoba, S. Madronero, G. Meroni, P. Martino, S. Martinez, A. Cusco, N. Fabregas, L. Migura-Garcia, L. Ferrer
Summary: We de novo assembled and polished 61 Staphylococcus pseudintermedius genome sequences using Nanopore-only long reads. The completeness reached 99.25%, with an average genome size of 2.70 Mbp, containing various coding and noncoding sequences, as well as CRISPR arrays.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2021)
