Pyrosequencing Analysis Reveals Changes in Intestinal Microbiota of Healthy Adults Who Received a Daily Dose of Immunomodulatory Probiotic Strains

The colon microbiota plays a crucial role in human gastrointestinal health. Current attempts to manipulate the colon microbiota composition are aimed at finding remedies for various diseases. We have recently described the immunomodulatory effects of three probiotic strains (Lactobacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-4036, Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-4034, and Bifidobacterium breve CNCM I-4035). The goal of the present study was to analyze the compositions of the fecal microbiota of healthy adults who received one of these strains using high-throughput 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Bacteroides was the most abundant genus in the groups that received L. rhamnosus CNCM I-4036 or L. paracasei CNCM I-4034. The Shannon indices were significantly increased in these two groups. Our results also revealed a significant increase in the Lactobacillus genus after the intervention with L. rhamnosus CNCM I-4036. The initially different colon microbiota became homogeneous in the subjects who received L. rhamnosus CNCM I-4036. While some orders that were initially present disappeared after the administration of L. rhamnosus CNCM I-4036, other orders, such as Sphingobacteriales, Nitrospirales, Desulfobacterales, Thiotrichales, and Synergistetes, were detected after the intervention. In summary, our results show that the intake of these three bacterial strains induced changes in the colon microbiota.This study utilized fecal samples from the clinical trial NCT01479543 that was supported by Hero Spain S. A. through contract #3582 with the Fundacion General Empresa Universidad de Granada. Carolina Gomez-Llorente is the recipient of a postdoctoral fellowship of the University of Granada

Gene expression profiling in the intestinal mucosa of obese rats administered probiotic bacteria

This paper will be part of Candido Robles-Sanchez's doctorate, which is being completed as part of the 'Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program' at the University of Granada, Spain. This work was funded by the company Hero Spain, S. A. (grant #3545 managed by Fundacion General EmpresaUniversidad de Granada) and by CEIBiotic, University of Granada, Spain (grant CEI2013P-11).We investigated whether the administration of Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-4034, Bifidobacterium breve CNCM I-4035 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-4036 modulate the expression of genes in the intestinal mucosa of obese Zucker rats. Forty-eight Zucker-Lepr(fa/fa) and 16 Zucker lean Lepr(+/fa) rats were used. Eight Zucker lean Lepr(+/fa) and 8 Zucker-Lepr(fa/fa) rats were euthanized as a reference. The remaining 40 Zucker-Lepr(fa/fa) rats were then assigned to receive 10(10) colony forming units (CFU) of one of the three probiotic strains, a mixture of L. paracasei CNCM I-4034 and B. breve CNCM I-4035, or a placebo by oral administration for 30 days. An additional group of 8 Zucker lean Lepr(+/fa) rats received the placebo for 30 days. Over 27,000 rat genes were studied using a DNA array. Four animals per group were used. Total RNA was extracted from intestinal mucosa and cDNA was synthesized, fragmented and labeled. Labeled cDNA was hybridized using GeneChip kits, and the latter were scanned. Intensity values of each probe were processed and normalized to obtain an individual value for each set of probes.Company Hero Spain, S. A. 3545CEIBiotic, University of Granada, Spain CEI2013P-1

Co-occurrence of colistin-resistance genes mcr-1 and mcr-3 among multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from cattle, Spain, September 2015

Los genes de resistencia a colistina mcr-3 y mcr-1 se detectaron en un aislado de Escherichia coli de heces de ganado en un matadero español en 2015. Las secuencias de ambos genes se hibridaron a la misma banda de plásmidos de aproximadamente 250 kb, aunque la resistencia a la colistina no fue movilizable . El aislado producía betalactamasas de espectro extendido y pertenecía al serotipo O9: H10 y al tipo de secuencia ST533. Aquí informamos un gen mcr-3 detectado en Europa después de informes anteriores de Asia y los Estados Unidos.Colistin resistance genes mcr-3 and mcr-1 have been detected in an Escherichia coli isolate from cattle faeces in a Spanish slaughterhouse in 2015. The sequences of both genes hybridised to same plasmid band of ca 250 kb, although colistin resistance was non-mobilisable. The isolate was producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and belonged to serotype O9:H10 and sequence type ST533. Here we report an mcr-3 gene detected in Europe following earlier reports from Asia and the United States.• Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad. Proyecto AGL2016- 74882-C3 • Ministerio de Agricultura y Pesca (España) y Comunidad Autónoma de Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid. Ayuda S2013 / ABI-2747 • Junta de Extremadura y Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional. Ayuda GR15075 e IB16073 • Fundación para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (Portugal). Ayudas UID / MAR / 04292/2013 • Fundación Tatiana de Guzmán El Bueno (España). Beca doctoral para María del Rocío Iglesias Parro • Instituto Nacional de Agricultura y Alimentación. Investigación y Tecnología (INIA). Beca doctoral para María del Rocío Iglesias Parro • Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad. Beca FPI2014-020, para Narciso Martín QuijadapeerReviewe

Healthcare workers hospitalized due to COVID-19 have no higher risk of death than general population. Data from the Spanish SEMI-COVID-19 Registry

Aim To determine whether healthcare workers (HCW) hospitalized in Spain due to COVID-19 have a worse prognosis than non-healthcare workers (NHCW). Methods Observational cohort study based on the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry, a nationwide registry that collects sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment data on patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in Spain. Patients aged 20-65 years were selected. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed to identify factors associated with mortality. Results As of 22 May 2020, 4393 patients were included, of whom 419 (9.5%) were HCW. Median (interquartile range) age of HCW was 52 (15) years and 62.4% were women. Prevalence of comorbidities and severe radiological findings upon admission were less frequent in HCW. There were no difference in need of respiratory support and admission to intensive care unit, but occurrence of sepsis and in-hospital mortality was lower in HCW (1.7% vs. 3.9%; p = 0.024 and 0.7% vs. 4.8%; p<0.001 respectively). Age, male sex and comorbidity, were independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality and healthcare working with lower mortality (OR 0.211, 95%CI 0.067-0.667, p = 0.008). 30-days survival was higher in HCW (0.968 vs. 0.851 p<0.001). Conclusions Hospitalized COVID-19 HCW had fewer comorbidities and a better prognosis than NHCW. Our results suggest that professional exposure to COVID-19 in HCW does not carry more clinical severity nor mortality

Bifidobacterium breve CNCM I-4035, Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-4034 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-4036 Modulate Macrophage Gene Expression and Ameliorate Damage Markers in the Liver of Zucker-Leprfa/fa Rats.

Este trabajo demuestra que el uso de probióticos es una vía terapéutica para el tratamiento del hígado graso no alcohólico.Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has reached pandemic proportions worldwide. We have previously reported that the probiotic strains Bifidobacterium breve CNCM I-4035, Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-4034 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-4036 exert anti-inflammatory effects in the intestine of Zucker-Leprfa/fa rats. In this work, we focused on their hepatic effects. M1 macrophages are related to inflammation and NAFLD pathogenesis, whereas M2 macrophages release anti-inflammatory mediators. We evaluated the effects of these 3 strains on macrophage polarization, inflammation and liver damage of Zucker-Leprfa/fa rats. The animals received either a placebo or 1010 CFU of probiotics orally for 30 days. Nos2 and Cd86 mRNA levels were determined as markers of M1 macrophages, and Cd163 and Arg1 as M2 markers, respectively, by qRT-PCR. Liver damage was determined by lipid peroxidation, leukocyte infiltration and myeloperoxidase activity. We evaluated a panoply of circulating chemokines, the hepatic ratio P-Akt/Akt, NF-kB and P-NF-kB protein levels. All 3 probiotic strains modulated macrophage polarization in liver and circulating levels of inflammation-related mediators. L. paracasei CNCM I-4034 increased the ratio P-Akt/Akt and NF-kB protein levels. B. breve CNCM I-4035, L. paracasei CNCM I-4034 and L. rhamnosus CNCM I-4036 decreased both pro-inflammatory macrophage gene expression and leukocyte infiltration in the liver.Hero Spain, S. A. (grant #3545 managed by Fundación General Empresa-Universidad de Granada)Grant #PI-0538–2017 from Junta de Andalucía, Spai

Bovine tuberculosis in Spain, is it really the final countdown?

Abstract Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a severe zoonotic disease that has major impacts on both health and the economy, and which has been subjected to specific eradication programmes in many countries for decades. This manuscript highlights the relevance of this disease in the context of the European Union (EU) and summarizes the epidemiological situation and the main tools (e.g. antemortem diagnostic tests, slaughterhouse surveillance, laboratories, comprehensive databases, etc.) used to control and eradicate bTB in the various EU countries with a focus on the situation in Spain. A comprehensive description of the specific bTB epidemiological situation in Spain is provided, together with an assessment of the evolution of different epidemiological indicators throughout the last decades. Moreover, the main features of the Spanish bTB eradication programme and its control tools are described, along with the studies carried out in Spain that have allowed the updating of and improvement to the programme over the years with the aim of eradication, which has been established for 2030

Limitations of Spoligotyping and Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Typing for Molecular Tracing of Mycobacterium bovis in a High-Diversity Setting▿ †

This study describes the attempt to trace the first Mycobacterium bovis outbreak in alpacas (Lama pacos) in Spain by spoligotyping and variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) analysis. Due to high genotype diversity, no matching source was identified, but local expansion of a clonal group was found and its significance for molecular tracing is discussed

Materiales didácticos audiovisuales sobre técnicas instrumentales del ensayo

Se pretende dar un aspecto funcional a los contenidos que se tratan de modo teórico y subsanar la carencia detectada en la formación de los alumnos. Los objetivos son adquirir conocimientos en la aplicación de técnicas instrumentales de ensayo utilizando materiales audiovisuales; lograr una formación en la utilización de equipos para su elaboración; y utilizar de forma didáctica estos materiales. Se utiliza una metodología de investigación-acción, en sesiones semanales de dos horas. Para llevarlo a cabo los profesores reciben formación sobre los equipos y elaboración de guiones. Se realizan diapositivas y videos sobre observaciones, equipos y materiales microscópicos de laboratorios que se producen en el CPR de Parla. Posteriormente se elabora una ficha para cada diapositiva, se clasifica y se introducen en una base de datos. Los vídeos se editan y se elaboran fichas de utilización. Se evalúa el grado de satisfacción del equipo respecto a la calidad técnica del material elaborado para lo que se utiliza la puesta en común y encuestas verbales a los tutores.Madrid (Comunidad Autónoma). Consejería de EducaciónMadridMadrid (Comunidad Autónoma). Subdirección General de Formación del Profesorado. CRIF Las Acacias; General Ricardos 179 - 28025 Madrid; Tel. + 34915250893ES

Adamdec1, Ednrb and Ptgs1/Cox1, inflammation genes upregulated in the intestinal mucosa of obese rats, are downregulated by three probiotic strains.

We have previously reported that administration of Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-4034, Bifidobacterium breve CNCM I-4035 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-4036 to obese Zucker-Lepr fa/fa rats attenuates liver steatosis and exerts anti-inflammatory effects. The goal of the present work was to investigate the modulation of gene expression in intestinal mucosa samples of obese Zucker-Lepr fa/fa rats fed the probiotic strains using a DNA microarray and postgenomic techniques. We also measured secretory IgA content in the gut and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein (LBP) in serum. Expression of three genes (Adamdec1, Ednrb and Ptgs1/Cox1) was up-regulated in the intestinal mucosa of the obese rats compared with that in the rats when they were still lean. Probiotic administration down-regulated expression of Adamdec1 and Ednrb at the mRNA and protein levels and that of Ptgs1/Cox1 at the mRNA level, and this effect was in part mediated by a decrease in both macrophage and dendritic cell populations. Probiotic treatment also increased secretory IgA content and diminished the LBP concentration. Based on results reported in this work and else where, we propose a possible mechanism of action for these bacterial strains