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Available methods to census exophilic tick populations have limitations in estimating true population size due to their inability to capture a high proportion of the actual tick population. We currently ignore the efficacy of these methods to capture questing Hyalomma spp. ticks, vectors of the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. To address the need of accurately estimating questing densities of Hyalomma spp., we designed a field experiment to test the efficacy of blanket dragging, blanket flagging, CO2-baited traps, and an ad hoc designed method, absolute surface counts, in capturing adult Hyalomma lusitanicum ticks from known numbers of preset fluorescent-marked ticks. The experiment was designed in 2 stages to estimate the point (1-day sampling) and cumulative (3-day serial sampling) efficacy of the methods under varying sampling effort and habitat. Tick survival, host interference, and weather effects on efficacy were controlled for in multiple regression models. There was high variability in method efficacy for capturing ticks, which was also modulated by effort, habitat, tick density, hosts, and soil temperature. The most effective method was absolute surface counts for both point estimates (39%) and cumulative efficacy (83%). CO2-baited traps reached a maximum efficacy of 37%, while blanket dragging and blanket flagging captured a maximum of the 8% of the marked ticks. Our results reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the different tick capture methods applied to adult H. lusitanicum and lay the groundwork for more accurate inferences about the true size of exophilic tick populations.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus (CCHFV) is a tick-borne zoonotic pathogen that can cause a lethal haemorrhagic disease in humans. Although the virus appears to be endemically established in the Iberian Peninsula, CCHF is an emerging disease in Spain. Clinical signs of CCHFV infection are mainly manifested in humans, but the virus replicates in several animal species. Understanding the determinants of CCHFV exposure risk from animal models is essential to predicting high-risk exposure hotspots for public health action. With this objective in mind, we designed a cross-sectional study of Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Spain and Portugal. The study analysed 5,291 sera collected between 2006 and 2022 from 90 wild boar populations with a specific double-antigen ELISA to estimate CCHFV serum prevalence and identify the main determinants of exposure probability. To do so, we statistically modelled exposure risk with host- and environment-related predictors and spatially projected it at a 10 × 10 km square resolution at the scale of the Iberian Peninsula to map foci of infection risk. Fifty-seven (63.3 %) of the 90 populations had at least one seropositive animal, with seroprevalence ranging from 0.0 to 88.2 %. Anti-CCHFV antibodies were found in 1,026 of 5,291 wild boar (19.4 %; 95 % confidence interval: 18.3–20.5 %), with highest exposure rates in southwestern Iberia. The most relevant predictors of virus exposure risk were wild boar abundance, local rainfall regime, shrub cover, winter air temperature and soil temperature variation. The spatial projection of the best-fit model identified high-risk foci as occurring in most of western and southwestern Iberia and identified recently confirmed risk foci in eastern Spain. The results of the study demonstrate that serological surveys of CCHFV vector hosts are a powerful, robust and highly informative tool for public health authorities to take action to prevent human cases of CCHF in enzootic and emergency set

To estimate the determinants of spatial variation in Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) transmission and to create a risk map as a preventive public health tool, we designed a survey of small domestic ruminants in Andalusia, Spain. To assess CCHFV exposure spatial distribution, we analyzed serum from 2,440 sheep and goats by using a double-antigen ELISA and modeled exposure probability with environmental predictors by using generalized linear mixed models. CCHFV antibodies detected in 84 samples confirmed low CCHFV prevalence in small domestic ruminants in the region. The best-fitted statistical model indicated that the most significant predictors of virus exposure risk were cattle/horse density and the normalized difference vegetation index. Model validation showed 99.7% specificity and 10.2% sensitivity for identifying CCHFV circulation areas. To map CCHFV exposure risk, we projected the model at a 1 × 1-km spatial resolution. Our study provides insight into CCHFV ecology that is useful for preventing virus transmission.

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) virus serotype 8 (EHDV-8) emerged in Spain in autumn 2022. In this study, we aimed to (1) characterize the clinical and lesional presentation of EHDV infection in European red deer (Cervus elaphus), and (2) study the spatial spread of the virus in wild ruminants in Spain after its introduction, in 2022/2023. We confirmed EHDV infection in two clinically compatible sick red deer by PCR and detection of anti-EHDV specific antibodies. EHDV infection occurred in red deer with hyperacute to acute clinical signs and lesions associated to vascular changes leading to death of the animals. Partial sequences of variable segment 2 (VP2) and segment 5 (NS1) genes of the detected viruses had >99% nucleotide identity with EHDV-8 sequences from Tunisia and Italy. In a cross-sectional serological study of EHDV in 592 wild ruminants, mainly red deer (n=578), in southwestern Spain, we detected anti-EHDV antibodies in 37 of 592 samples (6.3%; 95% confidence interval: 4.3–8.2), all from red deer and from the localities where clinical cases of EHD were confirmed in red deer. We conclude that EHDV-8 infection causes severe EHD in European red deer. The serosurvey revealed a limited spread of EHDV-8 in Spanish wild ruminant populations in the first year of virus detection in Spain.

Over time, the office spaces of authorities have evolved, with external influences like pandemics accelerating the transition towards flexible, activity-based workplaces. Despite resistance, attitudes are slowly becoming positive towards modern, adaptable offices. This transformation is driven by value creation, efficiency improvements, market condition shifts, and changing norms within public and private sectors. The office space design within authorities has transitioned from reflecting organizational hierarchies to open office spaces. Optimal space requirement has become complex due to flexible work arrangements. Sustainability is a guiding principle in office space design, highlighting social trends shaping institutional norms and practices. The increasing demand for security within authorities presents a conflict between maintaining openness for citizens and ensuring information security. Security and confidentiality have become influential factors affecting work methods, digital tool utilization, and physical premise design. The Swedish government's digitalization ambition significantly influences authorities' work processes and organizational structures. With remote work adoption and reduced business travel, authorities offering flexible work solutions are seen as attractive employers. Geographical location remains important, with central places like Stockholm's main station still considered desirable. Despite that, A key trend is authorities choosing locations in Solna and Sundbyberg over central Stockholm, adapting to market conditions with surging rents., Över tid har myndigheters kontorsutrymmen utvecklats, påverkade av yttre faktorer som pandemi som påskyndar övergången mot flexibla, aktivitetsbaserade arbetsplatser. Trots motstånd håller attityderna mot aktivitetsbaserade kontor på att långsamt bli mer positiva inom myndigheterna. Denna förändring drivs av värdeskapande, effektivitetsförbättringar, förändringar i marknadsförhållandena samt skiftande normer inom den offentliga och privata sektorn. Kontorsutformningen inom myndigheter har övergått från att spegla organisationshierarkier till öppna kontorslandskap. Att fastställa optimalt utrymmesbehov har blivit komplext på grund av flexibla arbetsarrangemang. Hållbarhet är en vägledande princip i utformningen av kontorsutrymmen, vilket belyser hur sociala trender formar institutionella normer och praxis. Den ökande efterfrågan på säkerhet inom myndigheter skapar en konflikt mellan att upprätthålla öppenhet för medborgare och att säkerställa informationssäkerhet. Säkerhet och konfidentialitet har blivit inflytelserika faktorer som påverkar arbetsmetoder, användning av digitala verktyg och utformningen av fysiska lokaler. Regeringens ambitioner kring digitalisering påverkar myndigheters arbetsprocesser och organisatoriska strukturer avsevärt. Med möjlighet till stor andel distansarbete och minskade affärsresor betraktas myndigheter som attraktiva arbetsgivare när de erbjuder flexibla arbetslösningar. Geografiskt läge förblir viktigt, närhet till Stockholms Centralstation betraktas fortfarande som attraktivt. Trots detta är en nyckeltrend att myndigheter väljer platser i Solna och Sundbyberg framför centrala Stockholm, för att anpassa sig till marknadsförhållanden med stigande hyror.

Triazoles are a major group of azole fungicides commonly used in agriculture, and veterinary and human medicine. Maternal exposure to certain triazole antifungal medication causes congenital malformations, including skeletal malformations. We hypothesized that triazoles used as pesticides in agriculture also pose a risk of causing skeletal malformations in developing embryos. In this study, teratogenic effects of three commonly used triazoles, cyproconazole, paclobutrazol, and triadimenol, were investigated in zebrafish, Danio rerio. Exposure to the triazole fungicides caused bone and cartilage malformations in developing zebrafish larvae. Data from whole-embryo transcriptomics with cyproconazole suggested that exposure to this compound induces adipogenesis while repressing skeletal development. Confirming this finding, the expression of selected bone and cartilage marker genes were significantly downregulated with triazoles exposure as determined by quantitative PCR. The expression of selected adipogenic genes was upregulated by the triazoles. Furthermore, exposure to each of the three triazoles induced adipogenesis and lipid droplet formation in vitro in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocyte cells. In vivo in zebrafish larvae, cyproconazole exposure caused lipid accumulation. These results suggest that exposure to triazoles promotes adipogenesis at the expense of skeletal development, and thus they expand the chemical group of bona fide bone to fat switchers., QC 20230710

The incidence of West Nile fever (WNF) is highly variable in emerging areas, making it difficult to identify risk periods. Using clinical case records has important biases in understanding the transmission dynamics of West Nile virus (WNV) because asymptomatic infections are frequent. However, estimating virus exposure in sentinel species could help achieve this goal at varying spatiotemporal scales. To identify the determinants of inter-annual variation in WNV transmission rates, we designed a 15-year longitudinal seroepidemiological study (2005–2020) in five environmentally diverse areas of southwestern Spain. We modeled individual annual area-dependent exposure risk based on potential environmental and host predictors using generalized linear mixed models. Further, we analyzed the weight of predictors on exposure probability by variance partitioning of the model components. The analysis of 2418 wild ungulate sera (1168 red deer - Cervus elaphus - and 1250 Eurasian wild boar - Sus scrofa) with a highly sensitive commercial blocking ELISA identified an average seroprevalence of 24.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 23.2–26.7%). Antibody prevalence was slightly higher in wild boar (27.5%; CI: 25.1–30.1%) than in deer (22.2%; CI: 19.8–24.7%). We observed a spatial trend in exposure, with higher frequency in the southernmost areas and a slight, although area-dependent, increasing temporal trend. Host-related predictors were important drivers of exposure risk. The environmental predictor with the highest weight was annual cumulative precipitation, while temperature variations were also relevant but with less weight. We observed a coincidence of spatiotemporal changes in exposure with the notification of WNF outbreaks in horses and humans. That indicates the usefulness of wild ungulates as sentinels for WNV transmission and as models to understand its spatiotemporal dynamics. These results will allow the development of more accurate predictive models of spatiotemporal va