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The effects of fish farming activities on the aquatic environment were evaluated by studying the water quality of twelve rivers located in northeast Spain. Two sampling sites were used for each river: the first sampling point was located just upstream from the fish farming facilities and the second one was downstream from fish farm effluent discharge point. In order to avoid any misinterpretation due to watershed location and seasonality, a stratified statistical analysis was performed. The results show significant decreases in pH and dissolved oxygen, in contrast to chemical oxygen demand, ammonia, phosphates and microbiological parameters, which significantly increased downstream from the fish farm discharges. Other significant variations were also found for conductivity and temperature. According to the European and local regulations concerning to support fish populations, our results fell within the allowable limits for salmonid waters. Nevertheless, we suggest that further investigations should be carried out to study the ecological interactions between farmed and wild fish populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii , the transmission of which has usually been attributed to ingestion of undercooked or raw meat. Epidemiological studies also mention cured meat products as a potential risk factor for acquiring toxoplasmosis. With the aim of contributing to the risk assessment process, 552 samples of commercial dry-cured hams/shoulders and dry-cured sausages of different trademarks from different localities in Spain were randomly purchased for analysis. These were, specifically, 311 dry-cured hams/shoulders and 241 dry-cured sausages (76 samples of chorizo , 75 samples of fuet / longaniza , and 90 samples of salchichón). Additionally, data featured on labels of each meat product were gathered with the purpose of studying the influence of curing time and salt content, among other parameters, on the viability of Toxoplasma. Real-time polymerase chain reaction technique (qPCR) was performed to detect T. gondii DNA in the samples, and infectivity was determined by mouse bioassay of positive qPCR samples. The presence of T. gondii was detected in 57 samples (10.3%), with a parasite load between 28.05 and 35.66 Ct. Bioassay test showed that 47 out of the 57 meat products in which the parasite has been detected produced mice seropositive response (IFA), which represents 8.5 of the total number of samples analyzed. Of those samples, DNA of Toxoplasma gondii in mice brain was detected in 6 meat products, indicating its viability (1.1%). Ct values obtained by qPCR in the brains of seropositive mice ranged from 33.10 to 36.04. According to product type, the parasite was viable in 3 dry-cured ham/shoulder samples and in 3 salchichón samples. Statistical analysis showed that none of the variables under consideration detailed on the meat product labels had a significant influence on the viability of the parasite. In conclusion, we found a low prevalence of the infective forms of Toxoplasma gondii in cured meat products, although the risk for consumers cannot be completely excluded. However, scientific monitoring of commercial meat products continues to be necessary in order to provide data for risk assessment of Toxoplasma gondii through the meat industry's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP-based self-control system). In order to ensure that consumers can make a safe choice among these ready-to-eat products, it is important for food labels to include information on those parameters which are relevant for the survival of the parasite, such as curing times, or freezing treatment of meat used as an ingredient. • Low T. gondii prevalence in commercial cured meat products but risk not excluded. • No variables indicated in labeling were statistically significant. • Risk population (YOPI) needs accurate information for a safe consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen that causes a major health problem in the pig production industry worldwide. Spain is one of the largest pig producers in the world. This work aimed to investigate the genetic and phenotypic features of invasive S. suis isolates recovered in Spain. A panel of 156 clinical isolates recovered from 13 Autonomous Communities, representing the major pig producers, were analysed. MLST and serotyping analysis revealed that most isolates (61.6%) were assigned to ST1 (26.3%), ST123 (18.6%), ST29 (9.6%), and ST3 (7.1%). Interestingly, 34 new STs were identified, indicating the emergence of novel genetic lineages. Serotypes 9 (27.6%) and 1 (21.8%) prevailed, followed by serotypes 7 (12.8%) and 2 (12.2%). Analysis of 13 virulence-associated genes showed significant associations between ST, serotype, virulence patterns, and clinical features, evidencing particular virulence traits associated with genetic clusters. The pangenome was generated, and the core genome was distributed in 7 Bayesian groups where each group included a variable set of over- and under-represented genes of different categories. The study provides comprehensive data and knowledge to improve the design of new vaccines, antimicrobial treatments, and bacterial typing approaches., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background : Animals and people in many Spanish regions are increasingly being affected by blackfly bites in the last decade. Because of blackflies, the city of Zaragoza has become in recent years a paradigm of discomfort in Europe, with thousands of citizens affected. The OMI-AP system (Stacks, Barcelona, Spain) implemented by the Government of Aragón, a software that manages the electronic medical history of all patients, has been evaluated in order to document the increase of insect bite recorded by the primary care consultations in Zaragoza after the first outbreak of blackflies occurred in 2011. Methods : An observational, ecological and longitudinal study of insect bites recorded at the primary care consultations was carried out in primary care during the period 2009-2015. Results : The incidence of medical consultations by insect bites in Basic Health Areas (BHA) near to rivers is higher than the furthest BHA. Rural BHA are more affected by insect bites than the urban ones. The increase of medical assistance due to insect bites in Zaragoza since 2011 is correlated with the blackflies bites. Conclusions : This tool was very useful to describe the initial stage of this public health problem. It could be used for guiding public health responses in terms of surveillance and management of this pest.

Canine leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by Leishmania infantum and is transmitted by Phlebotominae vectors. Despite numerous publications on the subject, some essential aspects of the epidemiology are not yet sufficiently clear. We proposed a stochastic model with the aim of identifying some important gaps in the current knowledge of leishmaniasis, such as the frequency of vector infection or a dog's life expectancy depending on their purpose and their health status. We only found that the purpose was a significant factor. Furthermore, we detected relationships among age, gender and habitat with the dogs' purposes that can affect the calculation of the overall seroprevalence of the analysed sample. The development of this model will allow us to discard potential confounding factors as gender, age, purpose or habitat., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The sandfly Phlebotomus perniciosus is the most widespread vector of Leishmania infantum in Spain. Laboratory colonisation represents the most feasible source of information on the biology of these insects, but in conducting any study, the density of individuals in the colony may drop to such an extent that it is sometimes difficult to recover the initial population levels. A new technique was tested for the recovery of sandfly eggs in three different colonies; the recovery rate was studied by comparing the standard method of mass rearing with this new method of colony management. The results demonstrate a mean increase of 18.4% in adult production, a growth in colony productivity that justifies the inclusion of this process in the routine maintenance of any colony of sandflies.

We report the prevalence of rotavirus and calicivirus infections, along with their respective association with diarrhoea in the porcine population of the region of northern Spain. A total of 221 samples were collected at random from different farms in the region and from the main slaughterhouse facility in the city of Zaragoza. Faecal samples were scored as diarrhoeic or normal and grouped into five groups to match general farm management and age criteria: group I (suckling 0-4 weeks), group II (weaning >4-8 weeks), group III (transition >8-16 weeks), group IV (fattening >16-24 weeks) and group V (adults >24 weeks). Group A rotavirus detection and caliciviruses were investigated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Conventional RT-PCR was performed using primers designed to detect rotavirus group A, caliciviruses and/or human noroviruses. A real-time RT-PCR was carried out using TaqMan probes for genogroups GI and GII of noroviruses. Rotaviruses and caliciviruses were detected with an overall prevalence of 16.7% and 12.2%, respectively. Rotavirus detection in faecal samples was associated with both age and faecal consistency, being more frequent in piglets aged <8 weeks with odds ratios (ORs) equal to 4.3 and 4.9, respectively. Calicivirus shedding in faecal samples was homogenously distributed in all ages, showing no significant association with age or faecal consistency (OR 0.87 and 0.99, respectively). A selection of rotavirus-positive stools were genotyped by multiplex nested PCR. G10, P[6], G12 P[8], G9 [p8] and G4 P[23] genotype combinations were found. Three isolates showed a G3 genotype, but their VP4 gene could not be amplified. It should be noted that the G9 genotype was the major G genotype circulating during that period in Spain. None of the porcine samples was positive for norovirus by real-time RT-PCR, despite the ability of this technique to detect at least 18 human norovirus genotypes. Our data indicate that human noroviruses are unlikely to be circulating in the porcine population; however, sapoviruses have been found. Contrary to rotavirus infection, Calicivirus infection is asymptomatic. Specific primers to detect porcine noroviruses are needed.

Presented here is the first report describing the detection of potentially diarrheal Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains isolated from cultured bivalves on the Mediterranean coast, providing data on the presence of both tdh- and trh-positive isolates. Potentially diarrheal V. parahaemolyticus strains were isolated from four species of bivalves collected from both bays of the Ebro delta, Spain.

The effects of fish farming activities on the aquatic environment were evaluated by studying the water quality of twelve rivers located in northeast Spain. Two sampling sites were used for each river: the first sampling point was located just upstream from the fish farming facilities and the second one was downstream from fish farm effluent discharge point. In order to avoid any misinterpretation due to watershed location and seasonality, a stratified statistical analysis was performed. The results show significant decreases in pH and dissolved oxygen, in contrast to chemical oxygen demand, ammonia, phosphates and microbiological parameters, which significantly increased downstream from the fish farm discharges. Other significant variations were also found for conductivity and temperature. According to the European and local regulations concerning to support fish populations, our results fell within the allowable limits for salmonid waters. Nevertheless, we suggest that further investigations should be carried out to study the ecological interactions between farmed and wild fish populations.

In this paper we describe a simple method, noncorrosive to pipes, for the eradication of Legionella pneumophila from potable water systems. This method is based on the systematic purging of the pipe networks with cold water containing 1-1.5 mg residual chlorine/L. In the hot water system, a new pipe bypassing the water heater was installed, whereas in the air conditioning system, the circuit is purged with water from the tap water system. The feasibility of this method was studied in two hotels in which the presence of Legionella was detected despite treatment of the water by the hyperchlorination method. The evolution of the presence of Legionella was studied by culture and polymerase chain reaction. Eighty samples from hotel A and sixty-seven samples from hotel B were analyzed during the time that the eradication method was applied. Our results showed that this method permitted the effective elimination of L. pneumophila after 5 months in hotel A and 7 months in hotel B.

This study investigates the role of water quality parameters as possible risk or protection factors in Aeromonas spp-affected rainbow trout hatcheries in northeastern Spain. The results revealed an association between oxygen concentration, ammonia concentration and total dissolved solids (TDS) with the prevalence of Aeromonas spp cases on the affected fish farms. The oxygen and ammonia concentrations acted as risk factors when their values were lower than 7.06 mg/L or higher than 0.05 mg/L, respectively, generating odds ratio (OR) values of 2.0 and 2.3. TDS levels, however, acted as a protective factor (OR = 0.39), from an epidemiological point of view but not statistically, when the values were outside the normal range, 199-261 mg/L. On a multivariate level, fish farms exposed to all the associated factors at the same time, had a risk of being affected by Aeromonas spp that was 1.74 times higher than farms with normal quality parameters; the risk increased when TDS had a normal value and it decreased when oxygen and/or ammonia concentrations had normal values.

The effect of Baypamun, a non-specific immune system stimulant, on the treatment and control of furunculosis was studied in experimentally infected rainbow trout. A statistically significant association between the Baypamun treatment and a reduction in cumulative incidence of the clinical symptoms of Furunculosis and the infection level, despite the presence of the bacteria in blood and organs was observed. A reduction in the mortality rate in Baypamun-treated fish was also observed but this was not statistically significant. The results suggest that the treatment of fish diseases with non-specific immune stimulants could be, in the future, a good defense strategy leading to a reduction in disease symptoms and a greater control of the asymptomatic carriers after an outbreak.