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This paper analyses current hybrid renewable en-ergy installations and initiatives, combining different energyresources and aiming to reduce emissions and fossil fuel de-pendence. In addition, it is also considered climatic conditionsof each location and maximum power ranges allowed by eachgeneration units. PV installations and wind power plants arethe most integrated renewable energy sources, mainly due totheir reliability and economic profitability. Nevertheless, in recentyears, the ambition for green hydrogen generation, free ofpolluting emissions, has become increasingly strong in hybridgeneration solutions. However, other energy sources that alsoreduce environmental pollution are often combined with PV andwind power plants to achieve more widespread generation andavoid downtime, with the aim of minimising dependence on fossilfuels and fulfil sustainable international agreements 2020-21

Background: A dynamic training approach close to clinical work and research is highly requested by health sciences students. The aim of this paper is to present the organizational model of a student-promoted and student-managed surgical congress that encourages the acquisition of transversal competencies among the students in charge of the organization of the Congress. Methods: A two-day surgical congress for medical students organized by themselves was held. Each day comprised two separate sections corresponding to different surgical specialties, sections included three types of activities: conferences, round tables with guest professors, and practical workshops. Once the Congress had finished, an online survey was carried out to evaluate 10 items scored from 1 to 4. To assess the acquisition of transversal competences among the students organizing the congress, three evaluations were carried out by the professor involved in the organization of the congress. Results: The congress had great acceptance among the students, filling 150 available places with an attendance rate of 100%. The survey showed a high assessment of the subjects (3.48/4), conferences (3.48/4) and workshops (3.27/4). Evaluation of the round tables was significantly lower (2/4). A total of 99% considered the congress to have been useful in its formation process and 100% would recommend it. The grade of transversal competences among the students organizing the congress showed a significant increase between the first and the third evaluation, being between 1.24 and 7.25 times higher. Conclusions: the student-led student surgical congress is a well-evaluated activity for medical students, and promotes, among its organizers, the acquisition of transversal competences.

El estudio se realizar´a en la zona noroeste de la Pen´ınsula Ib´erica, para la instalaci´on de un parque e´olico offshore, situado cerca de la costa espan˜ola, con el objetivo de incrementar la presencia de generaci´on el´ectrica en el mar, debido a sus grandes ventajas frente a la generaci´on onshore. La generaci´on el´ectrica offshore ofrece una mayor continuidad en la velocidad de viento y direcci´on, ya que no existe la gran cantidad de orograf´ıa terrestre, como en el caso de la generaci´on onshore, en la que se dificulta el avance del viento hacia la turbina e´olica, reduci´endose la velocidad y variando constantemente la direcci´on del viento. La informaci´on meteorol´ogica del viento (en este caso offshore), disposici´on y variabilidad del mismo, es el factor determinante en este tipo de instalaciones, por lo que disponer de fuentes de informaci´on fiables es imprescindible. Se analizar´an las fuentes de informaci´on meteorol´ogicas disponibles en la web, con la finalidad de obtener par´ametros actualizados y fiables, para optimizar los c´alculos e´olicos. Tambi´en se realizar´a una comparaci´on entre dichas fuentes, para determinar el tipo de informaci´on que ofrece cada una, como se podr´a comprobar en la secci´on 4.Ana´lisis de recursos. La implementaci´on de la informaci´on del viento en programas GIS, tambi´en influye en el c´alculo e´olico. Estos programas, permiten combinar diferente informaci´on, proyectando una visi´on m´as sencilla de los diferentes par´ametros que pueden influir en este tipo de proyectos, facilitando as´ı la toma de decisiones. Por ello, tambi´en se tendr´a en cuenta la compatibilidad con GIS en este an´alisis de recursos online (ver secci´on 5.Integraci´on en GIS).Energía eólica Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Industrial Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena

*Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa 48940,Bizkaia, Spain, †Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical School, Regional Center for BiomedicalResearch, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete 02008, Spain, and ‡Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Basurto University Hospital,Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Gurtubay s/n, Bilbao 48013, Spain

Wild boar are widely distributed throughout the Iberian Peninsula and can carry potentially virulent strains of Streptococcus suis. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of S.suis in wild boars from two large geographical regions of Spain. Serotypes 1, 2, 7 and 9 identified were further genetically characterised by virulence-associated genotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to determine the population structure of S.suis carried by these animals. Streptococcus suis was isolated from 39.1% of the wild boars examined serotype 9 was the most frequently isolated (12.5%), followed by serotype 1 (2.5%). Serotype 2 was rarely isolated (0.3%). Eighteen additional serotypes were identified indicating wide diversity of this pathogen within the wild boar population. This heterogeneity was confirmed by PFGE and MLST analyses and the majority of isolates exhibited the virulence-associated genotype mrp-/epf-/sly-. The results of this study highlight that the carriage of S.suis by wild boars is commonplace. However, MLST data indicate that these isolates are not related to prevalent clonal complexes ST1, ST16, ST61 and ST87 typically associated with infection of pigs or humans in Europe. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

In Scarpa neurons the cell and nuclear area increases and nuclear/cytoplasm ratio decreases with fetal age (p0.0001). There are statistically significant differences in cell area between all fetal groups, except for the interval 45-74 mm crown-rump-length (CRL). Displacement of a neuron within the internal auditory meatus (IAM) occurs from 9 weeks in the fetus until the neonate.A light microscopic histomorphometric study of the Scarpa ganglion in human fetuses from spontaneous abortions measuring 45, 74, 90, 134, 145 and 270 mm CRL and a from a 1-day-old neonate (360 mm) was carried out. Cell and nuclear area, ganglion area and distances from the Scarpa ganglion neurons to the endocranial porus of the IAM were measured.In the 45, 74, 90 and 134 mm CRL human fetuses the cartilaginous labyrinthine capsule appears divided by the facial nerve and the Scarpa ganglion into two compartments: rostral and dorsal. Ovoidal Scarpa ganglion in the 45 mm CRL lies within the IAM near its endocranial porus (15 µm). In the otic capsule of the 145 mm CRL fetus an endochondral ossification appears in the IAM base, where Scarpa ganglion neurons are displayed in two groups: superior and inferior divided by a vascular-connective septum. This anatomy remains from this specimen until the neonate specimen.

Biochemical and molecular genetic studies were performed on an unknown Gram-positive, catalase-negative, coccus-shaped organism isolated from clinical samples from pigs. On the basis of the results of cellular morphological and biochemical tests, the organism was identified as a streptococcal species. 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons confirmed its identification as a member of the genus Streptococcus, but the organism was distinct from any recognized species of this genus. The closest phylogenetic relative of the unknown organism corresponded to Streptococcus suis NCTC 10234(T) (97.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and this phylogenetic position was confirmed by analysis of rpoB and sodA sequences. DNA-DNA hybridization studies showed that the unidentified organism produced a DNA reassociation value of 36.6 % with respect to S. suis NCTC 10234(T). The novel bacterium was distinguished from S. suis and other Streptococcus species using biochemical tests. On the basis of phenotypic and phylogenetic data, the unidentified organism represents a novel species of the genus Streptococcus, for which the name Streptococcus plurextorum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 1956-02(T) (=CECT 7308(T)=CCUG 52972(T)).

We sought to analyze the predictive value of anthropometric, clinical and epidemiological parameters in the identification of patients with suspected OSA, and their relationship with apnoea/hypopnoea respiratory events during sleep. We studied retrospectively 433 patients with OSA, 361 men (83.37%) and 72 women (16.63%), with an average age of ±47, standard deviation ±11.10 years (range 18–75 years). The study variables for all of the patients were age, sex, spirometry, neck circumference, body mass index (BMI), Epworth sleepiness scale, nasal examination, pharyngeal examination, collapsibility of the pharynx (Muller Manoeuvre), and apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI). Age, neck circumference, BMI, Epworth sleepiness scale, pharyngeal examination and pharyngeal collapse were the significant variables. Of the patients, 78% were correctly classified, with a sensitivity of 74.6% and a specificity of 66.3%. We found a direct relationship between the variables analysed and AHI. Based on these results, we obtained the following algorithm to calculate the prediction of AHI for a new patient: AHI = −12.04 + 0.36 neck circumference +2.2286 pharyngeal collapses (MM) + 0.1761 Epworth + 0.0017 BMI × age + 1.1949 pharyngeal examinations. The ratio variance in the number of respiratory events explained by the model was 33% (r 2 = 0.33). The variables given in the algorithm are the best ones for predicting the number of respiratory events during sleep in patients studied for suspected OSA. The algorithm proposed may be a good screening method to the identification of patients with OSA.

Streptococcus suis is an important zoonotic pathogen associated with a wide range of diseases in pigs, but has also been isolated from wild animals such as rabbits and wild boars. In the current study, 126 S. suis isolates recovered from pigs (n = 85) and wild boars (n = 41) were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of nine virulence-associated genes. S. suis isolates from wild boars were differentiated by the lower detection rates of the epf, sly, mrp, sao and dltA genes (0%, 2.4%, 2.4%, 4.8% and 21.9%, respectively) compared with the isolates from pigs (56.5%, 75.3%, 56.5%, 88.2.0% and 88.2%, respectively). The differences in the content of these virulence-associated genes were statistically significant (P

Human ageing is associated with a gradual decline in the physiological functions of the body at multiple levels and it is a key risk factor for many diseases, including cancer. Ageing process is intimately related to widespread cellular senescence, characterised by an irreversible loss of proliferative capacity and altered functioning associated with telomere attrition, accumulation of DNA damage and compromised mitochondrial and metabolic function. Tumour and senescent cells may be generated in response to the same stimuli, where either cellular senescence or transformation would constitute two opposite outcomes of the same degenerative process. This paper aims to review the state of knowledge on the biomolecular relationship between cellular senescence, ageing and cancer. Importantly, many of the cell signalling pathways that are found to be altered during both cellular senescence and tumourigenesis are regulated through shared epigenetic mechanisms and, therefore, they are potentially reversible. MicroRNAs are emerging as pivotal players linking ageing and cancer. These small RNA molecules have generated great interest from the point of view of future clinical therapy for cancer because successful experimental results have been obtained in animal models. Micro-RNA therapies for cancer are already being tested in clinical phase trials. These findings have potential importance in cancer treatment in aged people although further research-based knowledge is needed to convert them into an effective molecular therapies for cancer linked to ageing.

In this work, we describe the biodiversity of cloacal and pharynx culture-based bacteria (commensal and pathogenic), in 75 Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) from two geographic areas. We address the question of whether the cultivable microbiota of vultures is organised into assemblages occurring by chance. In addition, we assess bacterial diversity in both anatomic regions and geographic areas. Bacterial diversity was represented by 26 Gram-negative and 20 Gram-positive genera. The most common genera were Escherichia, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, Clostridium and Lactococcus. Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis were the most common species in cloacal and pharyngeal samples. Staphylococcus and Erysipelothrix were isolated from the pharynx and Salmonella and Corynebacterium from the cloacae, and no Campylobacter was isolated from the cloacal swabs. Ten cloacal swabs were positive for Salmonella, of which five isolates were Salmonella enterica serotype 4,(5),12:i:-, one isolate was S. enterica serotype Derby, three isolates were S. enterica serotype 61:k:1,5,7 and one isolate was S. enterica serotype Infantis. The null modelling approach revealed that the commensal bacteria of vultures are not structured in assemblages. On the other hand, differences in bacterial genus and species richness between cloacal and pharyngeal samples or between geographic areas were clear, with the pharynx in vultures from both geographic areas being richer. The results of this study indicate also that vultures can serve as a reservoir of certain pathogenic zoonotic bacteria. The dissemination of these zoonotic pathogens in wildlife could be prevented by periodic sanitary surveys.

The normal nasal lymphatic drainage runs via the facial vessels into the neck lymphatic nodes of levels I-II and this drainage pattern was found in our patients with sinonasal tumors. We found only one true-positive sentinel lymph node (SLN). Our pathological material was very limited and so further investigations are required before any valid conclusions can be drawn concerning the clinical value of SLNs in nasal tumors. Objectives. To detect the lymph collection route of the nasal fossae and paranasal sinuses and to identify the first echelon in the tumor metastatic cascade in order to prevent the risk of occult metastases in N0 necks in patients with primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).Our control group comprised 30 patients (20 females; age range 19-50 years) suffering from chronic otitis media who had an anatomically normal nose and a cNO neck on palpation. The pathological group comprised 6 patients (2 females; age range 40-85 years) suffering from sinonasal tumors: 3 SCC, 1 recurrent melanoma, 1 ameloblastoma and 1 inverted papilloma. All had a clinically staged cNO neck on palpation and CT. In the control group, lymphoscintigraphy was carried out by means of unilateral injection of radioactive gold into the head of the inferior turbinate. The tracer was identified using a gamma camera 3 and 6 h after the injection. In the pathological group the chosen tracer was technetium, which was administered 1 day prior to surgery by means of injections into the heads of the inferior and middle turbinates, into the nasal septum and into the retromaxillary gingival mucosa. The tracer was identified transcutaneously using a navigator probe in the gamma camera at 15 min, 30 min and 1 h post-injection. A mark was drawn on the skin corresponding to the hot spot of the SLN. The study was repeated 30 min before surgery. The neck incision was selected according to the location of the SLN. A hand-held gamma probe was used in the operating theatre to detect in situ the radioactivity of the surgical excisional nasal area and the cervical SLN. Once the SLN was excised its radioactivity was confirmed ex situ, taking into account that the activity counts were at least three times greater than background. Postoperatively, all SLNs were histopathologically examined and cytokeratin staining was carried out immunohistochemically using the monoclonal antibody cocktail AE1/AE3. Results. In the control group, intense activity at the injection tracer site and lower activity in the submandibular area (level I) were detected in 26.6% of cases. Nasal radioactivity persisted for 6 h post-injection and submandibular radioactivity increased, also reaching the area corresponding to neck node level II (70%). In two cases (6.6%), radioactivity was observed in the retropharyngeal nodes. In the pathological group, the SLN was found in the submandibular area (level I) in three cases, and in the ameloblastoma patient three SLNs were found at levels I-II. Three cases were false positives, and no metastases were detected using any of the histopathological procedures. The only one true positive corresponded to a female with an SCC of the maxillary infrastructure with invasion of the gingival mucosa. The histopathological code was 1 and a metastasis was detected on hematoxylin-eosin examination. In the other two cases no SLNs were detected.

To examine electrophysiological data from auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in chickens following acoustic overstimulation.A total of 15 white 15-day-old Leghorn chickens were used. The animals were anesthetized with Equithensin, and placed with their heads in a special holder. Click stimuli were generated by a Nicolet CA1000 device and ABRs were recorded subcutaneously using three stainless-steel electrodes. An ILO 92/DP analyzer was used to determine DPOAEs. The noise was generated by a Promax GB 212 device. The acoustic exposure was provoked with a 2-kHz pure tone at 120 dB SPL for 24 h. ABRs and DPOAEs were determined before and immediately post-exposure and 5, 15, 21 and 30 days after the traumatic exposure.In our control DPgram response, the maximum amplitudes (dB SPL) occurred at 1, 1.5, 2, 3 and 4 kHz and the minimum amplitudes at 0.7, 5 and 6 kHz. Immediately following acoustic overstimulation an amplitude loss in all frequencies was detected (p0.001). Five days after noise exposure only the amplitude loss at 3 kHz remained. Three waves with positive and negative peaks appeared in our control ABR recordings. An important threshold shift was detected in the ABR response immediately after acoustic overstimulation. Its complete recovery occurred 15 days after the acoustic trauma.Recovery of the DPgram response was detected 5 days after acoustic overstimulation, whereas the normal ABR threshold appeared on the 15th day.

To compare the toughening effects in rats induced by pure tones and a broadband noise (BBN).Sprague-Dawley female albino rats (n = 148; 8-10 weeks old) were used. Three experimental groups were established as follows. Toughening only: 38 rats, divided into 3 subgroups, were exposed to different conditioning sounds (2 and 4 kHz and a BBN of 0.25-6 kHz, respectively) at 75-85 dB sound pressure limit (SPL) for 8 h/day for 10 days. Acoustic trauma only: 54 rats, divided into 3 subgroups, were exposed to different conditioning sounds as above for 24 h at 100-110 dB SPL. Toughening plus acoustic trauma: 56 rats, divided into 3 subgroups, were exposed to different conditioning sounds as above, followed 8 h later by traumatic exposure to the conditioning sound at 110 dB SPL for 24 h. 2f1-f2 distortion-product (DP) otoacoustic emission measurements were obtained from the right ear of each animal pre-exposure, immediately post-exposure and after 8 h of the traumatic or conditioning exposure.In our control DPgram response, the maximum amplitude occurred at the highest frequencies (2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 kHz). No statistical differences between the control DPgram and the DP toughening (2 and 4 kHz and BBN)responses were found. Only 2 and 4 kHz frequencies induced a protective effect against traumatic sound exposures to the same frequencies, and this finding was statistically significant.The toughening phenomenon induced using 2 and 4 kHz pure tones and BBN in rats does not modify the DPgram response. Nevertheless, only 2 and 4 kHz frequencies induce a protective effect against traumatic sound exposures to the same frequencies.

Resumen Con el presente estudio se pretende realizar una confirmacion objetiva de la eficacia de la sutura mecanica en el cierre del defecto faringeo tras laringectomia total, frente a la sutura convencional manual con material reabsorbible. Para ello hemos estudiado tres grupos aleatorios de pacientes: en el primero incluimos aquellos a los que se realizo sutura manual del defecto postlaringectomia total (n=50), en el segundo aquellos en los que se practico sutura mecanica con tecnica cerrada (n=38), y en el tercero aquellos a los que se realizo sutura mecanica con tecnica abierta (n=12). Hemos comprobado que el empleo de la sutura mecanica con tecnica cerrada mejora significativamente los tiempos de intervencion (212 minutos), inicio de la ingesta oral (10,73 dias) y estancia hospitalaria (13,5 dias) respecto a los otros tipos de sutura. Asi mismo, este tipo de sutura mecanica disminuye la incidencia de complicaciones como faringostomas (5,26%), infeccion (0%) y hemorragia (0%).

Biochemical and molecular genetic studies were performed on four unknown Gram-stain-positive, catalase-negative, coccus-shaped organisms isolated from tonsils (n = 3) and nasal samples (n = 1) of four wild rabbits. The micro-organism was identified as a streptococcal species based on its cellular morphological and biochemical tests. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirmed its identification as a member of the genus Streptococcus , but the organism did not correspond to any recognized species of this genus. The closest phylogenetic relative of the unknown cocci from wild rabbits was Streptococcus acidominimus NCIMB 702025T (97.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). rpoB and sodA sequence analysis of the novel isolate showed interspecies divergence of 16.2 % and 20.3 %, respectively, from the type strain of its closest 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic relative, S. acidominimus . The novel bacterial isolate could be distinguished from the type strain of S. acidominimus by several biochemical characteristics, such as the production of esterase C4, acid phosphatase and naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase and acidification of different sugars. Based on both phenotypic and phylogenetic findings, it is proposed that the unknown bacterium be classified as a novel species of the genus Streptococcus , Streptococcus cuniculi sp. nov. The type strain is NED12-00049-6BT ( = CECT 8498T = CCUG 65085T).

Prospective and retrospective morphometric CT (axial and coronal) research was performed with 100 healthy persons and 163 patients (145 males, 118 females, mean age 50 years, range 1-88 years). The patients were classified into the following groups: chronic sinusitis (n = 85), polyposis (n = 25), mucoceles (n = 13), benign tumors (n = 20) and malignant tumors (n = 20). After initial calibration with the scale (in cm) displayed on the CT image, each paranasal sinus was outlined following its bone inner surface. The data were processed with a high-resolution analysis system, and volumes were calculated using an integration areas rule. The ethmoid, maxillary and sphenoid sinuses exhibited an increase in volume for a period of up to 15 years, afterwards maintaining similar values. The frontal sinus grows in a monomodal pattern (peak at 30 years). The volumetric results (mean and standard deviation) in the normal adult group were as follows: maxillary sinus 13.07 cm3 (6.8), ethmoid 5.5 cm3 (2.0), sphenoid 3.5 cm3 (2.6) and frontal 3.7 cm3 (3.6). Primary frontal and maxillary sinus hypoplasia appeared in 3.9% and 1.3% of cases, respectively. The anatomic variations were as follows: concha bullosa 8.3%, Haller cells 3.2% and Onodi cells 8.3%. The sinusitis values (adults) were greater than those in the normal group: 14.4 cm3 (7.3), 6.8 cm3 (2.9), 2.9 cm3 (1.9) and 4.2 cm3 (5.2), with the exception of the sphenoid, but the difference was not statistically significant. Finally, we propose a new classification for paranasal sinus tumors (benign and malignant), volumetric T (vT), taking into account the morphometric tumoral volume and the mean volumetric value of normal sinuses.

The purpose of this paper was to establish a mammalian comparative study between the neuronal spaces of the upper versus the basal cochlear turns. We studied with light microscopy i) Webster albino rat embryos at various gestational days (GD), and a postnatal (PN) series; ii) kittens 3 weeks old; iii) pigmented guinea pig embryos and also PN specimens; iv) diverse human fetuses. As from the 16th GD, the apical spiral ganglion primordium of the rat appears as a spherical cluster of cells immersed in the mesenchymal modular tissue whereas the basal spiral primordium displays a pyramidal shape with its apex towards the auditory receptor. Both ganglions keep this shape until the rat becomes adult. This structural pattern also appears in the cat, guinea pig and in human material. This morphological model enables a radial stratification of the peripheral and central auditory nerve projections. A thin uni- or bicellular connective layer covers the tympanic scala side of the apical spiral ganglion as from 8 hours after birth in the rat. No gap is detected in this layer which is: mesenchymal in the embryonic and fetal stages (rat, guinea pig, human), connective in PN rat and kitten, and osseous in PN guinea pig and in the human neonate.

Delta-like proteins 1 and 2 (DLK1, 2) are NOTCH receptor ligands containing epidermal growth factor-like repeats, which regulate NOTCH signalling. We investigated the role of DLK and the NOTCH pathway in the morphogenesis of the submandibular salivary glands (SMGs), using in vitro organotypic cultures.DLK1 and 2 were present in all stages of SMG morphogenesis, where DLK1 inhibited both NOTCH activity and SMG branching. The addition of NOTCH inhibitory agents, either soluble DLK1 (sDLK1) or N-[N-(3, 5-difluorophenacetyl-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-buthyl ester (DAPT), to the SMG culture medium did not affect the rate of cell proliferation, but induced a strong reduction in SMG branching, increased epithelial apoptosis, and impaired innervation of the epithelial end buds by local parasympathetic ganglion neurons. SMG innervation could be restored by the acetylcholine analog carbachol (CCh), which also rescued cytokeratin 5 (CK5(+))-expressing epithelial progenitor cells. Despite this, CCh failed to restore normal branching morphogenesis in the presence of either sDLK1 or DAPT. However, it improved recovery of branching morphogenesis in SMGs, once DLK1 or DAPT were removed from the medium.Our data suggest that DLK1 regulates SMGs morphogenesis and parasympathetic nerve fibre outgrowth through inhibition of NOTCH signalling.

This work aims to investigate the presence of Streptococcus suis in wild rabbits. A total of 65 S. suis isolates were recovered from 33.3% of the wild rabbits examined. Most isolates (86.2%) belong to genotype cps9. These isolates were further characterized by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and virulence genotyping. Overall, S. suis exhibited a low genetic diversity. Only 5 genetic profiles were obtained by PFGE and most isolates (71.4%) were included in two pulsotypes that were also widely distributed among the wild rabbit population. MLST analysis assigned all cps9 isolates into three new singlestones (ST216, ST217 and ST284), which were not genetically related to the European ST87 and Spanish ST61 widespread swine clones, indicating a different genetic background for the S. suis isolates from wild rabbits and pigs. Wild rabbit isolates exhibited the genotype mrp-/epf-/sly-, different from those showed by most of the swine S. suis isolates of the ST87 and ST61 clones. None of the S. suis isolated from wild rabbits exhibited the genotype cps2/mrp+/epf+/sly+ associated with human infections. These results indicate that S. suis isolates from wild rabbits are not genetically related with prevalent clones usually associated with infections in pigs or humans in Europe and do not exhibit either their virulence genotypes. Therefore, although wild rabbits could represent an unknown reservoir of this pathogen, they could not represent a potential risk for pigs or humans.