High diversity, novel genotypes, and vertical transmission of hemotropic Mycoplasma in micromammals

Hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) are emerging zoonotic pathogens. Micromammals have received little attention as hosts for hemoplasmas despite their ubiquitous presence, high population abundances, and close association with humans. A PCR protocol targeting a fragment of the 16 S rRNA gene and direct sequencing in blood samples of 189 adult specimens and 35 fetuses belonging to three species of Eulipotyphla (shrews) and seven species of Rodentia, captured in three ecologically diverse habitats in North-Eastern Spain (Steppe, High Mountain, Mediterranean) yielded and occurrence of 26%, including 36% of 39 shrews and 23% of 150 rodents. Sequencing revealed the presence of 14 nucleotide sequence types (ntST) among the 56 readable sequences. In general, each ntST was associated with a given host species, although in some cases, the same ntST was sequenced in different species (chiefly rodents). Most ntST were closely related to rodent and/or bat hemoplasmas, but one was identical with Mycoplasma haemocanis/haemofelis, and others can be considered novel genotypes. High sequence diversity was detected in rodents, whereas in the white-toothed shrew (Crocidura russula), 9/11 sequences from two distant areas were identical. Phylogenetic and network analyses classified our sequences in different clades including hemoplasmas of rodents, carnivores, bats, and humans. Twelve of the fetuses (34.2%) of 9/12 litters (75.0%) of shrews and rodents were hemoplasma-positive, indicating frequent vertical transmission. Our study contributes to expanding our knowledge about the distribution, diversity, and transmission of hemoplasmas

Adaptation of the classical end-point ITS-PCR for the diagnosis of avian trichomonosis to a real-time PCR reveals Bonelli’s eagle as a new host for Trichomonas gypaetinii

Avian trichomonosis is a parasitic disease caused mainly by Trichomonas gallinae and other Trichomonas species. It can be asymptomatic, or it can produce a necrotic lesion in the upper digestive tract and spread to other organs, causing the death of the infected birds. In this study, we aimed to evaluate an adapted real-time PCR method for the diagnosis of different genotypes and species of avian oropharyngeal trichomonads. Fifty-six samples from the oropharynx of Bonelli’s eagles (Aquila fasciata) obtained between 2018 and 2019 were analyzed using the real-time PCR and the end-point PCR, both targeting trichomonads ITS, and the results were compared by a coefficient of agreement. All positive samples were sequenced. The analysis showed a higher percentage of detection of real-time PCR ITS compared with end-point PCR ITS (64.3 vs 55.4%), and good agreement value (Kappa = 0.816). Melting temperature value for resulting amplicons of real-time PCR for avian trichomonads was 83.45 ± 0.72 °C. Genotypes A, D, and III were found among the sequences. Moreover, Trichomonas gypaetinii, a common species in scavenger birds, is reported for the first time in Bonelli’s eagles

Wild Bonelli's eagles (Aquila fasciata) as carrier of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella and Campylobacter in Eastern Spain

[EN] Wild birds have repeatedly been found to be involved in the dissemination of enteric bacterial pathogens in the environment. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of Salmonella and Campylobacter as well as the antimicrobial resistance in wild Bonelli's eagles nestlings in Eastern Spain. In addition, we compared the efficiency of two sampling methods (fresh faecal samples from nest and cloacal swabs from nestlings) for detection of both bacteria. A total of 28 nests with 45 nestlings were analysed. In the nest, Salmonella occurrence was 61 +/- 9.2%, while Campylobacter occurrence was 11 +/- 5.8% (p < 0.05). In the nestlings, Salmonella occurrence was 36 +/- 7.1%, while Campylobacter occurrence was 11 +/- 4.7% (p < 0.05). Eight Salmonella serovars were identified, and the most frequently isolated were S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. Houston, and S. Cerro. Only one Campylobacter species was identified (C. jejuni). Regarding antimicrobial resistance, the Salmonella strains isolated were found to be most frequently resistant to ampicillin and to tigecycline; however, the sole Campylobacter strain recovered was multidrug resistant. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that wild Bonelli's eagles nestlings are greater carriers of Salmonella than of Campylobacter. Both Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates exhibited antimicrobial resistance. In addition, faecal samples from nests were most reliable for Salmonella detection, while cloacal swab from nestlings were most reliable for Campylobacter detection.We wish to thank the Ministry of Infrastructures, Territory and Environment (Regional Government/Generalitat Valenciana), the research group "Improvement of Production System-related Food Safety and End Products" research group (Veterinary Faculty, University CEU-Cardenal Herrera) and GEMAS (Study Group on Wildlife Medicine and Conservation) for their technical support. Moreover, we want to thank University CEU-UCH (Consolidacion de Indicadores INDI 18/19 and IDOC 18/12) for the financial support. The English text version was revised by N. Macowan English Language Service.Martín-Maldonado, B.; Montoro-Dasi, L.; Pérez-Gracia, MT.; Jordá, J.; Vega-García, S.; Marco-Jiménez, F.; Marin-Orenga, C. (2019). Wild Bonelli's eagles (Aquila fasciata) as carrier of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella and Campylobacter in Eastern Spain. Comparative Immunology Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. 67:1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cimid.2019.101372S166

La mirada il·lustrada

Pensar el museu únicament com un edifici monumental que acull unes col·leccions de valor patrimonial és, sens dubte, una idea periclitada. Avui entenem el museu com el resultat d’una pluralitat d’intencions, de mirades i d’experiències que protagonitzen tant els que l’administren com els que el visiten. De fet, la mirada exterior adquireix cada dia que passa més rellevància en la vida del museu, cosa que va molt més enllà de les xifres de visitants amb les que algunes vegades -potser massa- la política cultural avalua la rendibilitat de les assignacions pressupostàries. Per descomptat, la vocació pública i formativa són supòsits ineludibles de la missió d’un museu, però no tot s’acaba en la quantitat de públic visitant, ni tan sols en les condicions de qualitat en què s’ofereix la recepció d’obres i discursos museogràfics. “Anar al museu” implica també maneres de viure l’entorn urbà i arquitectònic, propicia formes de concurrència i sociabilitat específiques i valida una pràctica cultural en la qual es fa indestriable l’accés al coneixement, l’abundància d’oci massiu o el gaudi individual i compartit. Anar al museu resulta ara un tipus d’experiència difícilment classificable on es barregen expectatives intel·lectuals amb ganes de passar l’estona, mirades atentes i distretes, atracció per l’art i per les coses banals... No necessàriament prima una jerarquia d’intencions i, en tot cas, la combinació d’aquestes és tan heterogènia com ho és el trànsit de persones i la profusió d’estímuls. La col·lecció de dibuixos que presenten els participants en la Diplomatura de postgrau d’Il·lustració creativa i tècniques de comunicació visual d’EINA apareix com una mena de prospecció etnogràfica d’aquesta realitat. Als seus mèrits tècnics i creatius de realització s’hi suma la capacitat de captar la diversitat de persones i situacions que conformen la quotidianitat del museu, amb aquest aiguabarreig de vulgaritat i poesia que desprenen les escenes que construïm sense adonar-nos-en. Així, les il·lustracions són el resultat de mirades sense prejudicis que enregistren, amb enquadraments insospitats, els comportaments menys canònics que cal esperar en un museu, o paren atenció sobre “altres” focus d’interès que no passen necessàriament per les obres. D’aquesta manera, aquests treballs operen com a reportatges d’aquest nou territori ambigu que, entre el sagrat i el profà, ocupen ara els museus. Des d’EINA hem de celebrar l’audàcia i l’entusiasme amb el qual Pepe Serra, director del Museu Nacional, i l’equip del museu han incentivat i afavorit aquesta iniciativa que ara esdevé exposició i publicació. Una col·laboració d’aquestes característiques és un exemple molt notable del ventall de possibilitats que s’obre de cara a la confluència entre els joves creadors i el món del patrimoni en l’espai comú de la contemporaneïtat.Pensar el museo únicamente como un edificio monumental que alberga unas colecciones de valor patrimonial es sin duda, una idea periclitada. Hoy entendemos el museo como el resultado de una pluralidad de intenciones, de miradas y de experiencias que protagonizan tanto los que lo administran como los que lo visitan. De hecho, la mirada exterior adquiere cada día que pasa más relevancia en la vida del museo, lo que va mucho más allá de las cifras de visitantes con las que algunas veces -quizás demasiadas- la política cultural evalúa la rentabilidad de las asignaciones presupuestarias. Por supuesto, la vocación pública y formativa son supuestos ineludibles de la misión de un museo, pero no todo se acaba en la cantidad de público visitante, ni siquiera en las condiciones de calidad en que se ofrece la recepción de obras y discursos museográficos. “Ir al museo” implica también maneras de vivir el entorno urbano y arquitectónico, propicia formas de concurrencia y sociabilidad específicas y valida una práctica cultural en la que se hace inseparable el acceso al onocimiento, la abundancia de ocio masivo o el disfrute individual y compartido. Trasladarse a un museo resulta hoy un tipo de experiencia difícilmente clasificable en la que se mezclan expectativas intelectuales con ganas de pasar el rato, miradas atentas y distraídas, atracción por el arte y por las cosas banales... No necesariamente prima una jerarquía de intenciones y, en todo caso, la combinación de éstas es tan heterogénea como lo es el tráfico de personas y la profusión de estímulos. La colección de dibujos que presentan los participantes de la Diplomatura de postgrado de Ilustración creativa y técnicas de comunicación visual de EINA aparece como una especie de prospección etnográfica de esta realidad. A sus méritos técnicos y creativos de realización, se suma la capacidad de captar la diversidad de personas y situaciones que conforman la cotidianidad del museo, incorporando esa confluencia de vulgaridad y poesía que desprenden las escenas que construimos cuando no nos damos cuenta de ello. Así, las ilustraciones son el resultado de miradas sin prejuicios que registran, con encuadres insospechados, los comportamientos menos canónicos que cabe esperar en un museo, o prestan atención sobre “otros” focos de interés que no pasan necesariamente por las obras. De esta manera, estos trabajos operan como reportajes de este nuevo territorio ambiguo que, entre lo sagrado y lo profano, ocupan los museos hoy en día. Desde EINA debemos celebrar la audacia y el entusiasmo con el que Pepe Serra, director del Museu Nacional, y el equipo del museo han incentivado y favorecido esta iniciativa, que ahora se convierte en exposición y publicación. Una colección de estas características es un ejemplo muy notable del abanico de posibilidades que se abre de cara a la confluencia entre los jóvenes creadores y el mundo del patrimonio, en el espacio común de la contemporaneidad.Thinking of a museum only as a monumental building that houses a series of collections of valuable heritage is certainly an idea that has become outmoded. Today we understand a museum as the result of a plurality of intentions, views and experiences featuring, both those who administer and those who visit it. In fact, the outside vision becomes more important in the life of museums each passing day, going far beyond from the relevance of the numbers of visitors -which perhaps too often- is the sole factor contemplated by the cultural policy that evaluates the profitability of budgetary allocations. Of course, the public vocation and education are essential assumptions of the mission of a museum, but it does not all end in the number of visitors, not even in the terms of quality offered in the reception of the museum’s works and discourses. “Going to a museum” also implies ways of living the urban and architectonic environment, fostering specific forms of audience and sociability and validating a cultural practice that is inseparable of aspects such as: the access to knowledge, the competition to mass-market leisure or the individual and shared enjoyment. Going to a museum today, is a kind of experience that is difficult to classify; a hybrid of the intellectual expectations, the wanting to hang gaze distracted, or the “simple” attraction for art and trivial things... Not necessarily a premium hierarchy of intentions and, in any case, the combination of such being as heterogeneous as it is the movement of surrounding people and the profusion of stimuli. The collection of drawings presented by the participating students of the Postgraduate Diploma in Creative Illustration and Visual Communication Techniques at EINA, appears as a kind of ethnographic exploration of this reality. To its technical merits and creative realization, is added the ability to capture the diversity of people and situations that make of everyday life in the museum, an immix of vulgarity and poetry scenes, spontaneously created by all characters unaware. Thus, the illustrations are the result of unprejudiced eyes that record, under unexpected frames, the less canonical behavior you would expect in a museum, paying attention to “other” focus of interest, not necessarily the art works. In this sense, these graphic pieces operate as reports of this new ambiguous territory, between the sacred and the profane, that museums occupy today. From EINA we celebrate the courage and the enthusiasm with which Pepe Serra, director of the Museu Nacional, and the museum staff have encouraged and supported this initiative, now becoming an exhibition and a publication. A co-operation of these characteristics is a notable example of the range of possibilities that opens towards the junction between young artists and the common space and patrimony that is the world of the contemporary

Welcome to the jungle

La jungla és diversa, la il·lustració també. Ens belluguem entre infinitat d’estils, traços, formes, textures i colors, on cadascú vol deixar la seva pròpia petjada. En això ens hem basat per a donar forma a “Welcome to the jungle”, la nostra mostra final del postgrau d’Il·lustració Creativa i Tècniques de Comunicació Visual d’EINA 2014-2015, per la qual hem seleccionat els nostres millors treballs del curs. A més a més ens hem posat a la pell de diferents animals de la jungla, aquells que d’alguna manera ens identifiquen i cadascú hem il.lustrat la nostra elecció. En aquest catàleg hi trobareu les il·lustracions. Benvinguts!La jungla es diversa, la ilustración también. Nos movemos entre infinidad de estilos, trazos, formas, texturas y colores, donde cada uno quiere dejar su huella. En esto nos hemos basado para dar forma a “Welcome to the Jungle”, nuestra muestra final del postgrado de Ilustración Creativa y Técnicas de Comunicación Visual de EINA 2014-2015, para la que hemos seleccionado nuestros mejores trabajos del curso. Además nos hemos puesto en la piel de distintas especies de la jungla, aquellas que nos identifican, y cada uno ha ilustrado la suya. Este catálogo reúne dichas ilustraciones. ¡Bienvenido!The jungle is diverse, so is illustration. We move amongst an infinity of styles, strokes, shapes, textures and colors, where everyone wants to make an impression. This is the inspiration for “Welcome to the Jungle”, the final show of our postgraduate course in Creative Illustration and Visual Communication Techniques at EINA 2014 - 2015, for which we have chosen our best work from the course. Also, we have put ourselves in the skin of different species of the jungles, those that identify us, and each of us has illustrated their own. This catalogue brings together these illustrations. Welcome

Detección y epidemiología de Salmonella spp. en aves silvestres en la Península Ibérica

Salmonella es el segundo patógeno de importancia en salud pública en número de casos, y el número uno en número de brotes, en la Unión Europea, solo por detrás de Campylobacter. A pesar de ser una bacteria comensal del intestino de numerosas especies homeotermas, puede llegar a causar cuadros clínicos de tipo gastrointestinal o, incluso, extraintestinal, como por ejemplo artritis reactivas o meningitis. Además, Salmonella es una enterobacteria de la que se han aislado cepas resistentes a diferentes antimicrobianos tanto en humanos como en animales, agravando los cuadros clínicos observados al no ser eficaz el tratamiento. En la actualidad, la resistencia a antimicrobianos representa el mayor reto al que se enfrenta la medicina occidental del siglo XXI, pues ocasiona fallo terapéutico en miles de casos y un gran número de muertes al año. En los últimos años, se ha publicado la detección de cepas de Salmonella resistente a diferentes antimicrobianos a partir de muestras obtenidas de fauna salvaje. Se ha demostrado la capacidad de la fauna silvestre como portadora asintomática de dicha bacteria, lo cual cobra especial importancia en el caso de las aves..

Can Suttonella ornithocola entail a potential hazard to songbirds? A systematic review

Passeriformes populations have experienced a marked decline in number during the last decades. Several infectious agents have been described as key factors for this population’s decrease, as they can cause mortal diseases like the recently reported Suttonella ornithocola. S. ornithocola is a bacterium from the Cardiobacteriaceae family that has been linked to several outbreaks. This systematic review aims to collect all the scientific information available about S. ornithocola to better understand its epidemiology and pathogenesis and to assess the potential hazard that it can pose to garden songbirds. Although it has been considered a respiratory pathogen, S. ornithocola has been isolated from several organs, suggesting a systemic pathogenesis. However, it has also been described as a normal taxon from the microbiota of some bird species. Therefore, further studies in healthy birds are necessary to establish if S. ornithocola is a primary pathogen or an opportunistic bacterium in songbirds.Sin financiación2.0 Q3 JCR 20220.558 Q2 SJR 2023No data IDR 202

Evidence of Imitation in Trained Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)

Imitation is a social learning mechanism in humans but its relevance in nonhuman primates is controversial. Studies have suggested that some ape species, such chimpanzees and orangutans, may be able to imitate. However, records of true imitation in gorillas are scarce. This study was designed to evaluate the imitation ability of two female western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) by using the “do as I do” method, after 15 months of training. For the final evaluation, we tested the gorillas with 52 novel actions classified in four categories (Gestures, Object, Object-Object, and Object-Subject). To assess the difficulty of the novel actions, the lead researcher and two independent observers scored the responses from 0 to 3 based on how well they were done. During the training period, the two gorillas obtained similar success rates for imitation. During the evaluation, they achieved true imitation in 46% of transparent actions and 58% of the opaque actions. We identified “Gestures” as the easiest actions for one gorilla and “Object-Subject” for the other. “Object-Object” were the most difficult actions for both gorillas. Our findings show that female western lowland gorillas can imitate after a training period.Sin financiación2.5 Q1 JCR 20220.613 Q1 SJR 2022No data IDR 2022UE

Cannibalism in Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra)

The Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra, faced adversity in Europe in the 1950s and 1960s due to hunting, declining fish populations and the American mink invasion. Slow recovery since the 1970s led to a ‘Near Threatened’ in the IUCN Red List status, but recent pollution, fishing pressure and habitat loss caused slight population declines. Otters, known for aquatic habits, are mainly piscivorous and exhibit solitaire or social behaviours. Infanticide with parent-offspring cannibalism has been previously reported in otter species, but although cannibalism has been suggested, it has not been documented before. This study presents the first documented case of cannibalism among free-living Eurasian otters observed in northern Norway. Some authors described cannibalism as an opportunistic resource-efficient behaviour in several mammal species, offering benefits like weight gain and reduced competition, challenging the view of adverse health effects. Factors leading to otter cannibalism include ecological changes, resource competition with other species and global warming and overfishing practices contributing to increased otter competition. Further studies will be vital to answering intriguing questions about the implications of cannibalism for otter conservation.Sin financiación2.2 Q3 JCR 20220.619 Q2 SJR 2023No data IDR 2022UE

Addressing Challenges in Wildlife Rehabilitation: Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria from Wounds and Fractures in Wild Birds

Wildlife rescue centers frequently admit animals with injuries and bone fractures. Open fractures are common in birds due to their anatomy, and this can lead to complications like osteomyelitis, which implies a serious bone infection and often necrosis, or death of the affected bone tissue. Antibiotic therapy is crucial, but the rise in antimicrobial-resistant isolates in wildlife raises concerns about treatment efficacy. A study focused on isolating, identifying, and assessing antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from wounds and fractures in wild birds. Among 36 isolates, Staphylococcus spp. dominated (63.8%), with 82.6% exhibiting antimicrobial resistance, particularly to clindamycin, an antimicrobial key in the treatment of infected bone fractures. This escalating resistance poses a dual threat to wildlife—therapeutic failure and the spread of resistant bacteria in ecosystems.Ministry of Ecological Transition (MITECO)Complutense University of Madrid (Spain)3.0 Q1 JCR 20220.698 Q1 SJR 2023No data IDR 202