Publications by authors named "Dominguez Lucas"

Tuberculosis (TB) is a notifiable zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) that affects a multitude of domestic and wild species. The main lesions caused by these mycobacteria are tuberculous granulomas, which determine the organism's immune response to the disease. Although TB pathogenesis in cattle has been extensively studied, information regarding its progression in other species of interest for the maintenance and transmission of TB such as goats remains limited.

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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).

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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.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study examined mesenteric lymph nodes and ileocecal valves from 105 goats (61 non-vaccinated, 44 vaccinated) with a history of paratuberculosis (PTB) to assess the presence of subclinical infections and lesions.
  • Results revealed that 39% of the goats had gross PTB-compatible lesions, with a higher prevalence in non-vaccinated goats compared to vaccinated ones.
  • The research highlighted the importance of using both histopathological assessments and laboratory techniques to accurately diagnose PTB, but calls for further research to improve sampling methods for subclinical cases in goats.
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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.

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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 () neurobrucellosis () cases diagnosed over a 10-year period (2012-2022) were retrospectively evaluated.

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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 () 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.

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Article Synopsis
  • Isolation of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv) is critical for diagnosing bovine genital campylobacteriosis, which affects cattle fertility and poses a public health risk.
  • Current culture methods have low sensitivity, and there is no standard protocol for maximizing Cfv recovery, prompting this study to evaluate different transport, enrichment, and culture media.
  • The study found that using modified Lander's transport medium and storing samples for 24 hours at 21°C improved recovery rates, with Preston medium being the most effective for enrichment and microaerophilic conditions enhancing culture success.
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The expanding presence of red foxes () 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.

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Caprine tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic disease caused by members of the 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.

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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.

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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 mycobacteria in the zebrafish model of tuberculosis and support the use of inactivated mycobacteria in vaccine formulations for the control of mycobacteriosis.

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To date, susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in domestic animals including cats and dogs has been described. However, it is important to carry out passive surveillance of these animals to be aware of any changes in the outcomes of the disease in these species that may occur. In this study, we have performed a retrospective study in which we analyzed sera ( = 1,640) from random animals: dogs ( = 1,381) and cats ( = 259) belonging to both homes ( = 1,533) and animal protection centers ( = 107) in the Community of Madrid, Spain.

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spp. are zoonotic pathogens that can affect both terrestrial and marine mammals. has been identified in various cetacean species, but only one sequence type (ST27) has been reported in humans.

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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 maintenance communities where several wild and domestic species and the environment contribute to pathogen maintenance. Regarding the global situation of animal TB, many industrialized countries have reached the Officially Tuberculosis Free status.

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is one of the major threats to world aquaculture, causing fish furunculosis and high mortality rates in cultured fish, particularly salmonids. Although spp. is a thoroughly studied pathogen, little is known regarding aeromoniasis in sturgeons.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the possible genotypic differences between commensal isolates from apparently healthy animals (AHA) at the time of entry to feedlots and those from BRD-affected animals (BRD-AA). A total of 20 batches of beef calves in seven feedlots were followed-up during the fattening period. was isolated from 28.

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The apparition of new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and lineages is constantly happening because of the high viral mutation rate. Since numerous reverse zoonosis events have been reported so far, genomic surveillance should be conducted in susceptible species to evaluate potential adaptations that may trigger the apparition of new variants. Here, we evaluate the evolution of the infection in a cat naturally infected in parallel with its owner, performing a comparative phylogenetic analysis.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigated if oral immunization with heat-inactivated Mycobacterium bovis (HIMB) could protect mice from a Leishmania amazonensis infection by comparing an immunized group against a control group.* -
  • Results showed that 55.55% of immunized mice had positive spleen cultures for the parasite, compared to 100% in the control group, and the immunized group had significantly lower numbers of amastigotes and mature granulomas in the liver.* -
  • The findings suggest oral HIMB immunization may enhance immune response by increasing certain macrophages while reducing T lymphocytes, potentially limiting the spread of the parasite and supporting the concept of trained immunity.*
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Article Synopsis
  • Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a significant zoonotic disease affecting health and economies, prompting long-term eradication efforts in many countries, including those in the EU.
  • The manuscript emphasizes the situation in the EU, particularly Spain, detailing epidemiological trends and the various control tools like diagnostic tests and slaughterhouse surveillance.
  • It also discusses the Spanish bTB eradication program's evolution, outlining improvements and studies aimed at achieving eradication by the target year of 2030.
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  • The study focuses on understanding antimicrobial resistance in the pathogen contributing to pneumonic pasteurellosis in sheep by analyzing lung isolates from slaughtered sheep.* -
  • Researchers tested 256 isolates for resistance to 12 different antimicrobials, revealing low resistance levels for most, but a high resistance rate for tylosin at 89.1%.* -
  • Genetic analysis showed that some isolates carried resistance genes, emphasizing the necessity for ongoing monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility in livestock to inform treatment strategies.*
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Ovine brucellosis is an infectious disease that causes alterations in the reproductive tract in ram and abortion in ewes. Their negative economic impact in ovine production warrants a thorough understanding the interactions between B. ovis and the host.

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Flavobacterium psychrophilum affects many cultured fish species and is considered one of the most important bacterial pathogens causing substantial economic losses in salmonid aquaculture worldwide. Here, F. psychrophilum was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and nested PCR as the aetiological agent causing mortality in diseased juvenile Siberian sturgeons (Acipenser baerii) reared on a freshwater fish farm.

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SARS-CoV-2 can infect domestic animals such as cats and dogs. The zoonotic origin of the disease requires surveillance on animals. Seroprevalence studies are useful tools for detecting previous exposure because the short period of virus shedding in animals makes detection of the virus difficult.

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Background: Escherichia coli is an opportunistic pathogen which colonizes various host species. However, to what extent genetic lineages of E. coli are adapted or restricted to specific hosts and the genomic determinants of such adaptation or restriction is poorly understood.

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