A Practical Framework for Environmental Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring in Freshwater Ecosystems.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) and contamination are critical public and environmental health issues. In the last years, the environmental component of AR has acquired much interest due to its potential links with the human resistome. In particular, freshwater ecosystems are considered strategic sites for environmental AR surveillance, since they can act as both reservoirs and transmission routes for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes.

Combination of serology and PCR analysis of environmental samples to assess infection status in small ruminant farms.

, the causative agent of Q fever, accumulates on dust of farm premises with infected animals, but the interpretation of PCR detection on dust is challenging. To investigate whether bacterial load in environmental dust together with the within-flock seropositivity could be indicative of the infection status in small-ruminant flocks, 249 farms (202 sheep, 18 goats, and 29 sheep-goat mixed) in the Balearic Islands were investigated. Dust samples were analyzed by real-time PCR targeting IS, and loads (genome equivalents/mg dust) were estimated by quantitative real-time PCR amplification of to categorize the farms into four levels.

Exploring Inhibition of Bacterial Conjugation Coupling Protein TrwB: Novel Ligands to Fight Antimicrobial Resistance Spread.

Bacterial conjugation is the most sophisticated mechanism for horizontal gene transfer. Conjugative plasmids allow the recipient bacterium to acquire new traits from the donor, such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Among the proteins involved in the plasmid transfer machinery, the Type IV Coupling Protein (T4CP) links the relaxosome and the Type IV Secretion System (T4SS).

Detection of abortifacient agents in domestic ruminants, with a specific focus on .

Q fever is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium, . In ruminants, can cause abortions, stillbirths, premature births, and weak offspring. As part of the EU-funded Q-Net-Assess International Coordination of Research on Infectious Animal Diseases (ICRAD)-project, aimed at generating the most comprehensive understanding of genetic variation to date and determining the implications of this genetic variation for zoonotic risk, pathogenicity and control of infection, we have reviewed the protocols reported by the different project partners and/or countries to diagnose abortion in domestic ruminants.

Assessing the spatio-temporal risk of Aedes-borne arboviral diseases in non-endemic regions: The case of Northern Spain.

Arboviral diseases represent a growing global health challenge. While dengue cases surge in endemic regions, non-endemic areas in southern Europe are seeing a rise in imported cases of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, along with the first autochthonous dengue transmissions. The expanding Aedes mosquito populations, influenced by climate change, and increased international travel introducing viremic cases further elevate the risk of outbreaks.

Dual effects of probiotic administration prior to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection are associated with immunological and microbiota shifts.

Paratuberculosis (PTB) is a chronic granulomatous enteritis caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map). Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective tools for PTB control, although alternative treatments like the probiotic Dietzia have been explored with promising results.

Tick Species Identification and Zoonotic Bacteria Detection from Healthcare-Extracted Specimens from Humans in the Basque Country, Northern Iberian Peninsula.

Hard ticks are vectors of a wide range of pathogens, with tick-borne bacteria being among the most frequently detected. This study presents a first approach to the identification of human-biting ticks in the Basque Country (northern Iberian Peninsula), where previous research has mainly focused on ticks from vegetation and domestic and wild animals. The aim of this study was (i) to identify tick species collected in hospitals and health centres and (ii) to determine the presence and identify of pathogenic bacteria that they may carry using PCR, RLB and sequencing methods.

Effect of primary structural variation on cervid prion protein in flexibility, stability, and spontaneous misfolding propensity.

Protein misfolding is central to numerous neurodegenerative disorders, collectively known as proteinopathies, which include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and prion diseases, among others. In many cases, specific polymorphisms of the proteins associated with these diseases influence their misfolding. However, the precise ways in which these polymorphisms affect protein integrity and how they contribute to misfolding propensity remain unclear.

The Biogeography of Soil Bacteria in Australia Exhibits Greater Resistance to Climate Change Than Fungi.

Soil microorganisms are crucial to ecosystem health, and their composition and distribution are shaped by a range of environmental factors. However, the effects of accelerating climate change on soil microbiomes remain under-explored. This study examines the continental-scale factors controlling soil microbiomes and evaluates their responses to climate change.

Exposure to Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in Wild Ungulates in the Basque Country, Northern Iberian Peninsula.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) causes a serious human tick-borne disease. In animals, CCHFV infections are mainly subclinical. The circulation of the virus has received little attention in areas where the main vector ( spp.

Conservation of strain properties of bank vole-adapted chronic wasting disease in the absence of glycosylation and membrane anchoring.

Prion disease phenotypes (prion strains) are primarily determined by the specific misfolded conformation of the cellular prion protein (PrP). However, post-translational modifications, including glycosyl phosphatidyl inositol (GPI) membrane anchoring and glycosylation, may influence strain characteristics. We investigated whether these modifications are essential for maintaining the unique properties of bank vole-adapted Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD-vole), the fastest known prion strain.

Forecasting invasive mosquito abundance in the Basque Country, Spain using machine learning techniques.

Background: Mosquito-borne diseases cause millions of deaths each year and are increasingly spreading from tropical and subtropical regions into temperate zones, posing significant public health risks. In the Basque Country region of Spain, changing climatic conditions have driven the spread of invasive mosquitoes, increasing the potential for local transmission of diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. The establishment of mosquito species in new areas, coupled with rising mosquito populations and viremic imported cases, presents challenges for public health systems in non-endemic regions.

Mapping acrylamide content in potato chips using near-infrared hyperspectral imaging and chemometrics.

This study investigated the potential of near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) for the prediction of acrylamide content in potato chips. A total of 300 tubers from two potato varieties (Agria and Jaerla) grown in two seasons and processed under the same frying conditions were analysed. Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) and Support Vector Machine Regression (SVMR), combined with a logarithmic transformation of the acrylamide levels, were applied to develop predictive models.

A One Health approach for the genomic characterization of antibiotic-resistant isolates using Nanopore whole-genome sequencing.

In response to the growing threat posed by the spread of antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic , a One Health approach was used to examine the genomic diversity, phylogenomic relationships, and the distribution of genetic determinants of resistance (GDR) in and isolates from humans, animals (ruminants, swine, and chickens), and avian food products collected during a regionally (Basque Country, Spain) and temporally (mostly 2021-2022) restricted sampling. Eighty-three and seventy-one isolates, most exhibiting resistance to ciprofloxacin and/or erythromycin, were whole-genome sequenced using Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-fragment sequencing (ONT). Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis identified a high genomic diversity among isolates.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Unraveling the Elusive Biology Behind Anti-TNF Response During Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: Recent studies hint at mitochondrial genes influencing UC patient response to anti-TNF treatment. We evaluated this hypothesis by following a targeted strategy to identify gene expression that captures the relationship between mitochondrial dysregulation and response to treatment. Our objective was to initially examine this relationship in colon samples and subsequently assess whether the resulting signal persists in the bloodstream.

Cofactors facilitate bona fide prion misfolding in vitro but are not necessary for the infectivity of recombinant murine prions.

Prion diseases, particularly sporadic cases, pose a challenge due to their complex nature and heterogeneity. The underlying mechanism of the spontaneous conversion from PrPC to PrPSc, the hallmark of prion diseases, remains elusive. To shed light on this process and the involvement of cofactors, we have developed an in vitro system that faithfully mimics spontaneous prion misfolding using minimal components.

Dose-dependent effect of spent coffee grounds on intake, apparent digestibility, fermentation pattern, methane emissions, microbial protein supply, and antioxidant status in Latxa sheep.

Spent coffee grounds (SCG), a byproduct rich in polyphenols, can form part of enteric CH4 mitigation strategies while promoting the circular economy. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 3 levels of SCG inclusion in the concentrate on enteric CH4 production, feed intake, apparent digestibility, ruminal fermentation pattern, microbial protein supply, and gene expression of immune and antioxidant markers in peripheral blood of dry dairy ewes. In a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design, 8 nonproductive Latxa ewes were assigned to a concentrate that differed in the level of SCG: Control (0 g/kg DM), SCG100 (100 g/kg DM), SCG150 (150 g/kg DM) and SCG200 (200 g/kg DM).

Culicoides biting midges in urban areas of northern Spain.

Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are known vectors of multiple arboviruses of veterinary and medical importance, as well as avian haemosporidian parasites. Despite their significant role as vectors, the distribution of Culicoides species in non-farmland habitats remains largely unknown. We conducted a study to assess the species community composition, abundance, and host feeding patterns of Culicoides biting midges in urban ecosystems in northern Spain.

Unravelling the complexity of bovine milk microbiome: insights into mastitis through enterotyping using full-length 16S-metabarcoding.

Background: Mastitis, inflammation of the mammary gland, is a major disease of dairy cattle and the main cause for antimicrobial use. Although mainly caused by bacterial infections, the aetiological agent often remains unidentified by conventional microbiological culture methods. The aim of this study was to test whether shifts in the bovine mammary gland microbiota can result in initiation or progression of mastitis.

Campylobacter fetus Plasmid Diversity: Comparative Analysis of Fully Sequenced Plasmids and Proposed Classification Scheme.

Campylobacter fetus is an animal pathogen that contains 2 mammal-associated subspecies: Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus (Cff) and Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv) including its biovar intermedius that exhibit different biochemical traits and differences in pathogenicity.

The potential of decision trees as a tool to simplify broiler chicken welfare assessments.

To simplify fast-growth broiler welfare assessments and use them as a benchmarking tool, decision trees were used to identify iceberg indicators discriminating flocks passing/failing welfare assessments as with the complete AWIN protocol. A dataset was constructed with data from 57 flocks and 3 previous projects. A final flock assessment score, previously not included in the dataset, was calculated and used as the benchmarking assessment classifier (pass/fail).

Prevalence and population genetic analyses of parasites in invasive Vespa velutina and native Hymenoptera.

Invasive species pose a threat to the ecological balance of the ecosystems they invade by altering local host-pathogen dynamics. To investigate these relationships and their potential consequences, we examined the prevalence and genetic diversity patterns of Trypanosomatidae, Lipotrophidae, and Nosematidae in a collection of sympatric isolates of the invasive hornet Vespa velutina and local Hymenoptera from two recently colonized areas: Europe and South Korea. Data were gathered through PCR amplification and massive parallel sequencing, and analyses were conducted using population genetics tools.

Effects of sulfamethazine and tetracycline at molecular, cellular and tissue levels in Eisenia fetida earthworms.

Soil contamination by antibiotics is a global issue of great concern that contributes to the rise of bacterial antibiotic resistance and can have toxic effects on non-target organisms. This study evaluated the variations of molecular, cellular, and histological parameters in Eisenia fetida earthworms exposed to sulfamethazine (SMZ) and tetracycline (TC), two antibiotics commonly found in agricultural soils. The earthworms were exposed for 14 days to a series of concentrations (0, 10, 100, and 1000 mg/kg) of both antibiotics.