Author Archives: Grupo MVeIT

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Serum collagen type II cleavage epitope and serum hyaluronic acid as biomarkers for treatment monitoring of dogs with hip osteoarthritis

Volume 11, Issue 2, February 2016, Article number e0149472
Vilar, J.M., Rubio, M., Spinella, G., Cuervo, B., Sopena, J., Cugat, R., Garcia-Balletb, M., Dominguez, J.M., Granados, M., Tvarijonaviciute, A., Ceron, J.J., Carrillo, J.M.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of serum type II collagen cleavage epitope and serum hyaluronic acid as biomarkers for treatment monitoring in osteoarthritic dogs. For this purpose, a treatment model based on mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue combined with plasma rich in growth factors was used. This clinical study included 10 dogs with hip osteoarthritis. Both analytes were measured in serum at baseline, just before applying the treatment, and 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. These results were compared with those obtained from force plate analysis using the same animals during the same study period. Levels of type II collagen cleavage epitope decreased and those of hyaluronic acid increased with clinical improvement objectively verified via force plate analysis, suggesting these two biomarkers could be effective as indicators of clinical development of joint disease in dogs. © 2016 Vilar et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.


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The impact of the climate on the epidemiology of Dirofilaria immitis in the pet population of the Canary Island

Vet Parasitol. 2016; 216: 66-71. . doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.12.005. Epub 2015 Dec 15.

Montoya-Alonso J, Carretón E, Morchón R, Silveira-Viera, L, Falcón Y y Simón F.

Cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis (heartworm) is a zoonotic vector borne disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis which affects domestic dogs and cats. Two of the seven Canary Islands are historically hyperendemic areas of dirofilariosis, although no epidemiological study has ever been carried out which includes the other islands. The aim of the study was to complete the epidemiological status of cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis in the canine and feline population throughout all the Canary Islands. 1643 client-owned dogs and 707 client-owned cats were tested for D. immitis antigens (dogs), and anti-D. immitis and anti-Wolbachia antibodies (cats). The prevalence of canine dirofilariosis in the Canary Islands was 15.7%, and the seroprevalence of feline dirofilariosis was 18.1%. A remarkable disparity was found when evaluating the results by island separately, which ranged from from 0% in Lanzarote and El Hierro, low prevalences and seroprevalences in Fuerteventura (1.8% and 2.5% in dogs and cats, respectively), to higher prevalences on the other 4 islands; ranging between 15.7% (dogs) and 14.3% (cats) in La Palma 22.5% (dogs) and 24.1% (cats) in Tenerife. In addition, prevalences and seroprevalences were very variable within each island, these differences being associated to local climate conditions. The distribution and prevalence of dirofilariosis in the Canary Islands is heterogeneous and related to climate, demographic factors and management of pets in the studied areas. Dirofilariosis remains hyperendemic in 4 of the 7 Islands. Since D. immitis is a zoonosis, veterinary and health authorities should be aware of the current prevalence and seroprevalence of animal dirofilariosis. The results show the need for awareness raising campaigns to promote the implementation of prophylactic measures in pets, in order to achieve a decrease in the prevalence of animal dirofilariosis in the Canary Islands.

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The atomic structure of the phage Tuc2009 baseplate tripod suggests that host recognition involves two different carbohydrate binding modules

MBio. 2016 Jan 26;7(1):e01781-15. doi: 10.1128/mBio.01781-15. 

Synchrotron Soleil, L’Orme des Merisiers, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, Aix-Marseille Université, Campus de Luminy, Marseille, France
Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Campus de Luminy, Marseille, France

School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain
APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

Abstract

The Gram-positive bacterium Lactococcus lactis, used for the production of cheeses and other fermented dairy products, falls victim frequently to fortuitous infection by tailed phages. The accompanying risk of dairy fermentation failures in industrial facilities has prompted in-depth investigations of these phages. Lactococcal phage Tuc2009 possesses extensive genomic homology to phage TP901-1. However, striking differences in the baseplate-encoding genes stimulated our interest in solving the structure of this host’s adhesion device. We report here the X-ray structures of phage Tuc2009 receptor binding protein (RBP) and of a “tripod” assembly of three baseplate components, BppU, BppA, and BppL (the RBP). These structures made it possible to generate a realistic atomic model of the complete Tuc2009 baseplate that consists of an 84-protein complex: 18 BppU, 12 BppA, and 54 BppL proteins. The RBP head domain possesses a different fold than those of phages p2, TP901-1, and 1358, while the so-called “stem” and “neck” domains share structural features with their equivalents in phage TP901-1. The BppA module interacts strongly with the BppU N-terminal domain. Unlike other characterized lactococcal phages, Tuc2009 baseplate harbors two different carbohydrate recognition sites: one in the bona fide RBP head domain and the other in BppA. These findings represent a major step forward in deciphering the molecular mechanism by which Tuc2009 recognizes its saccharidic receptor(s) on its host. IMPORTANCE Understanding how siphophages infect Lactococcus lactis is of commercial importance as they cause milk fermentation failures in the dairy industry. In addition, such knowledge is crucial in a general sense in order to understand how viruses recognize their host through protein-glycan interactions. We report here the lactococcal phage Tuc2009 receptor binding protein (RBP) structure as well as that of its baseplate. The RBP head domain has a different fold than those of phages p2, TP901-1, and 1358, while the so-called “stem” and “neck” share the fold characteristics also found in the equivalent baseplate proteins of phage TP901-1. The baseplate structure contains, in contrast to other characterized lactococcal phages, two different carbohydrate binding modules that may bind different motifs of the host’s surface polysaccharide. © 2016 Legrand et al.

ISSN: 21612129Source Type: Journal Original language: English
DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01781-15 Document Type: Article
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology

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Serum acute phase proteins in Dirofilaria immitis and Wolbachia seropositive cats

J Feline Med Surg. 2016 Jan 18: 1-4 pii: 1098612X15625435. [Epub ahead of print]PMID:26783021

Ana C Silvestre-Ferreira, Lisete Vieira, Hugo Vilhena, Jose J Cerón, Asta Tvarijonaviciute, José A Montoya-Alonso, Elena Carretón and Josep Pastor.

Abstract

Objectives The aim of this study was to characterise the response of acute phase proteins (APPs) in cats seropositive for Dirofilaria immitis and to its endosymbiont bacterium Wolbachia. Methods The APP serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp) and ceruloplasmin (Cp) were measured in 25 seropositive cats and in 16 healthy seronegative cats.Results SAA and Cp concentrations were significantly higher in animals with D immitis seropositivity that exhibited clinical signs related to the disease, and Hp was elevated in all D immitis-seropositive animals. There was no significant correlation between APPs and D immitis or Wolbachia species antibody titres. Conclusions and relevance An association between feline seropositivity to D immitis and APP response was demonstrated. Increases in serum SAA and Cp concentrations were related to D immitis-associated clinical signs, whereas Hp increased in all seropositive animals.

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Biomechanic characteristics of gait of four breeds of dogs with different conformations at walk on a treadmill

Volume 44, Issue 1, 1 January 2016, Pages 252-257
Vilar, J.M. , Rubio, M., Carrillo, J.M., Domínguez, A.M., Mitat, A., Batista, M.

Abstract

Principle of dynamic similarity is frequently applied in biomechanic research as a tool to extrapolate data between animals from the same species, but, in dogs, different breeds entail different conformations. For that reason, comparison of dynamic parameters among dogs of different breeds should not be only based in weight and relative velocity. By means of the use of force platform and high-speed videography in 12 dogs corresponding with four breeds of different conformations, we showed how most of kinetic and kinematic variables are highly independent of weight or relative velocity and other factors as morphometric values and ratios are determinant.


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Influence of the dietary inclusion of Gracilaria cornea and Ulva rigida on the biodiversity of the intestinal microbiota of Sparus aurata juveniles

Aquaculture International 29 December 2015, Pages 1-20
Rico, R.M., Tejedor-Junco, M.T., Tapia-Paniagua, S.T. , Alarcón, F.J., Mancera, J.M., López-Figueroa, F., Balebona, M.C., Abdala-Díaz, R.T., Moriñigo, M.A.

Abstract

Partial substitutions of fish meal by 5, 15, or 25 % of Gracilaria cornea or Ulva rigida in experimental diets were evaluated to study their effects on biodiversity of intestinal microbiota composition in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) juveniles. The diets were offered to duplicate groups of 15 juvenile fish (14.0 ± 0.5 g) for 70 days, and at the end of the experiment the intestinal microbiota from four specimens of each treatment was analysed by denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis.Results showed that the substitution of fish meal by algae meal induced important modifications in the intestinal microbiota community, as a big reduction of the biodiversity when the highest percentage (25 %) of U. rigida was included. On the contrary, an increase on the number of species was detected when a 15 % of algae was included. Various Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies were selectively stimulated when G. cornea was included in the feed, and other bacterial species, such as those included in the Vibrio genus, were reduced


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Presence of Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) in goats on the Canary Islands: Current status

Small Ruminant Research, Volume 134, January 2016, Pages 62-64
María Teresa Tejedor-Junco, Margarita González, Juan Alberto Corbera, Carlos Gutiérrez

 

Abstract
The Canary Islands have been considered as Q fever endemic territory for humans and livestock, but those studies were carried out 20 years ago. In order to evaluate the current status of the disease in livestock, a cross-sectional survey was performed evaluating 22 milking goat farms and 550 goats throughout all the 7 Canary Islands. A questionnaire to collect epidemiological data was also included. Blood sera were analyzed using a commercial Q fever antibody ELISA test kit. The overall animal seroprevalence was 42%, with significant differences among the islands, their climate zones, and local particularities. These findings would confirm the endemic character of the disease 20 years later and would indicate the need to implement an urgent control plan as well as surveillance measures by the Official Veterinary Services.

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Presence of antibodies but no evidence for circulation of MERS-CoV in dromedaries on the Canary Islands, 2015

Eurosurveillance
Volume 20, Issue 37, 1 September 2015, 4p
Gutiérrez, C. , Tejedor-Junco, M.T., González, M., Lattwein, E., Renneker, S.

Abstract

In 2012, a new betacoronavirus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), was identified in humans. Several studies confirmed dromedary camels to be a potential reservoir and a source for human infection. Camels located on the Canary Islands were included in those studies and ca 10% of them were positive for MERS-CoV-specific antibodies. However, these findings could not be correctly interpreted because epidemiological information was not provided. Thus, further investigations were necessary to clarify these results. A total of 170 camels were investigated in this survey, of which seven (4.1%) were seropositive by ELISA. Epidemiological information revealed that all seropositive camels had been imported from Africa 20 or more years prior. We conclude that seropositive camels had contact with MERS-CoV in Africa and that there is no shedding of the virus among camels or people around the farms on the Canary Islands. However, the presence of antibodies in the camel herds should be monitored. © 2015, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).


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Seroprevalence of heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in feline and canine hosts from central and northern Portugal.

J Helminthol. 2015 89,625-629 doi:10.1017/S0022149X14000352

Vieira L, Silvestre-Ferreira AC, Fontes-Sousa AP, Balreira AC, Morchón R, Carretón E, Vilhena H, Simón F, Montoya-Alonso JA.

Abstract

Dirofilaria immitis is endemic in Portugal. Several studies have reported the presence of canine heartworm disease, although no previous studies on feline infections have been published. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of D. immitis in cats and dogs from central and northern Portugal. Blood samples from 434 cats were tested for circulating anti-D. immitis and anti-Wolbachia antibodies. Furthermore, 386 dogs were tested for circulating D. immitis antigens. Overall feline seroprevalence was 15%, while canine prevalence was 2.1%. The highest feline seroprevalences of 18.7% and 17.6% were found in Aveiro and Viseu, respectively, while the highest canine prevalences of 8.8% and 6.8% were found in Coimbra and Aveiro, respectively. Cats and dogs showing respiratory signs presented higher prevalences of 24.4% and 17%, respectively, while 50% of cats with gastrointestinal signs were seropositive. The present study confirms the seropositivity of D. immitis in the feline population in central and northern Portugal, and suggests the importance of including heartworm disease in the list of differential diagnoses of cats and dogs showing clinical signs compatible with the disease.

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First case reported of bronchoconstriction in feline aelurostrongylosis by using barometric whole-body plethysmography

Journal of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society. Volume 66, Issue 2, 2015, Pages 101-105

García-Guasch, L. , Manubens, J., Laporta, M., Carretón, E., Montoya-Alonso, J.A.

Abstract

Symptomatic cats infected by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus show non-specific and respiratory clinical signs, often misdiagnosed as other diseases more prevalent among feline population, such as allergic respiratory disease or heartworm associated respiratory disease (HARD). Clinical signs are due to the pulmonary inflammatory response caused by the eggs shed by the adult females and the migration of the first-stage larvae up the bronchial tree. Barometric whole-body plethysmography (BWBP) is a non-invasive pulmonary function test that allows a dynamic study of breathing patterns by placing the patient within an unrestrained Plexiglas chamber. This is the first report that determines the degree of bronchoconstriction caused by A. abstrusus infection in a cat by using BWBP, showing an increase of baseline measurements of bronchoconstriction indexes (Enhanced pause and Pause) in response to severe bronchial reactivity, a consequence of the airway inflammation caused by the presence of A.