- I have been involved in research in microbiology of aquatic organisms for more than 25 years, including different asp... moreI have been involved in research in microbiology of aquatic organisms for more than 25 years, including different aspects of bacterial and viral pathogens. I have participated in 38 Redit
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Raoultella ornithinolytica has become increasingly important in human diseases. Here, we report the nearly complete genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant strain, R. ornithinolytica MQB_Silv_108, which was isolated from the effluent... more
Raoultella ornithinolytica has become increasingly important in human diseases. Here, we report the nearly complete genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant strain, R. ornithinolytica MQB_Silv_108, which was isolated from the effluent from a domestic wastewater treatment plant in Spain. Therefore, its release into the environment poses a possible exposure risk for humans and animals.
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Yersinia ruckeri was isolated from diseased unvaccinated rainbow trout obtained from a farm in which vaccination against enteric redmouth disease (ERM) has been systematically performed for more than 10 years. Affected fish presented... more
Yersinia ruckeri was isolated from diseased unvaccinated rainbow trout obtained from a farm in which vaccination against enteric redmouth disease (ERM) has been systematically performed for more than 10 years. Affected fish presented typical signs of yersiniosis including exophthalmia and eye haemorrhages. Serological characterization of the isolate demonstrated that it belongs to the serotype O2b of this bacterial pathogen, which was never before described in Spain.
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We report here the first description in North Portugal of epizootic episodes of lactococcosis causing important mortalities in cultured rainbow trout associated with high water temperatures. The outbreaks that occurred during the warm... more
We report here the first description in North Portugal of epizootic episodes of lactococcosis causing important mortalities in cultured rainbow trout associated with high water temperatures. The outbreaks that occurred during the warm seasons of 2002 and 2003 affected all size fish, reaching up to 90% mortality in some farms. The taxonomic studies of the isolates obtained indicated that they belonged to Lactococcus garvieae. This identification was confirmed by PCR amplification using specific primers. The isolates proved to be highly pathogenic for rainbow trout (LD 50 <10
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This communication summarizes the presentations given at the 1st international conference of the World Society for Virology (WSV) held virtually during 16–18 June 2021, under the theme of tackling global viral epidemics. The purpose of... more
This communication summarizes the presentations given at the 1st international conference of the World Society for Virology (WSV) held virtually during 16–18 June 2021, under the theme of tackling global viral epidemics. The purpose of this biennial meeting is to foster international collaborations and address important viral epidemics in different hosts. The first day included two sessions exclusively on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. The other two days included one plenary and three parallel sessions each. Last not least, 16 sessions covered on-demand submitted talks. In total, 270 scientists from 49 countries attended the meeting, including 40 invited keynote speakers.
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Research Interests: Biology and Pseudomonas
ABSTRACTBackgroundSince its first identification in the United Kingdom in late 2020, the highly transmissible B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2, become dominant in several European countries raising great concern.AimThe aim of this study was... more
ABSTRACTBackgroundSince its first identification in the United Kingdom in late 2020, the highly transmissible B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2, become dominant in several European countries raising great concern.AimThe aim of this study was to develop a duplex real-time RT-qPCR assay to detect, discriminate and quantitate SARS-CoV-2 variants containing one of its mutation signatures, the ΔHV69/70 deletion, to trace the community circulation of the B.1.1.7 variant in Spain through the Spanish National SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance System (VATar COVID-19).ResultsB.1.1.7 variant was first detected in sewage from the Southern city of Málaga (Andalucía) in week 20_52, and multiple introductions during Christmas holidays were inferred in different parts of the country, earlier than clinical epidemiological reporting by the local authorities. Wastewater-based B.1.1.7 tracking showed a good correlation with clinical data and provided information at the local level. Data from WWTPs which r...
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Two isolates, one recovered from a carrot and another one from urban wastewater, were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that both isolates clustered together, and... more
Two isolates, one recovered from a carrot and another one from urban wastewater, were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that both isolates clustered together, and were most closely related to Aliarcobacter lanthieri. Multilocus phylogenetic analysis (MLPA) using the concatenated sequences of five housekeeping genes (atpA, gyrA, gyrB, hsp60 and rpoB) suggested that these isolates formed a distinct phylogenetic lineage among the genera derived from the former genus Arcobacter. Whole-genome sequence, in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (isDDH) and the average nucleotide identity (ANI) value between the genome of strain F199T and those of related species confirmed that these isolates represent a novel species. These strains can be differentiated from its phylogenetically closest species A. lanthieri by its inability to growth on 1% glycine and by their enzyme activity of esterase lipase (C8) and acid phosphatase. Our results, by the application of a polyphasic analysis, confirmed that these two isolates represent a novel species of the genus Aliarcobacter, for which the name Aliarcobacter vitoriensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is F199T (=CECT 9230T=LMG 30050T).
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We compared Pasteurella piscicida strains isolated from different fish species in several European countries with strains isolated in Japan and the United States. The taxonomic analysis revealed that, regardless of the geographic origin... more
We compared Pasteurella piscicida strains isolated from different fish species in several European countries with strains isolated in Japan and the United States. The taxonomic analysis revealed that, regardless of the geographic origin and source of isolation, all the strains exhibited the same biochemical and physiological characteristics. Serological assays with different rabbit antisera demonstrated a high level of antigenic similarity among strains, with cross-agglutination titers of 20,480 to 40,960. This serological homogeneity was supported by the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and membrane protein profiles. All the P. piscicida strains had the same electrophoretic LPS pattern, showing O side chains with a ladder-like structure, and shared at least four major outer membrane proteins, of 20, 30, 42, and 53 kDa. Western blot (immunoblot) analysis with LPS and protein indicated that all the P. piscicida strains are immunologically related. In addition, the chromosomal DNA fingerprint...
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Twitter is one of the most popular social media networks that, in recent years, has been increasingly used by researchers as a platform to share science and discuss ongoing work. Despite its popularity, Twitter is not commonly used as a... more
Twitter is one of the most popular social media networks that, in recent years, has been increasingly used by researchers as a platform to share science and discuss ongoing work. Despite its popularity, Twitter is not commonly used as a medium to teach science. Here, we summarize the results of #EUROmicroMOOC: the first worldwide Microbiology Massive Open Online Course taught in English using Twitter. Content analytics indicated that more than 3 million users saw posts with the hashtag #EUROmicroMOOC, which resulted in over 42 million Twitter impressions worldwide. These analyses demonstrate that free Microbiology MOOCs shared on Twitter are valuable educational tools that reach broad audiences throughout the world. We also describe our experience teaching an entire Microbiology course using Twitter and provide recommendations when using social media to communicate science to a broad audience.
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Arcobacter sp. strain LFT 1.7 was isolated from great scallop ( Pecten maximus ) larvae. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain LFT 1.7 formed an independent lineage in the genus Arcobacter . The draft genome of LFT 1.7... more
Arcobacter sp. strain LFT 1.7 was isolated from great scallop ( Pecten maximus ) larvae. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain LFT 1.7 formed an independent lineage in the genus Arcobacter . The draft genome of LFT 1.7 was sequenced to determine the taxonomic position and ecological function of this strain.
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We present the draft genomes of two strains previously identified as Neptuniibacter sp. LFT 1.8 (= CECT 8936 = DSM 100781) and ATR 1.1 (= CECT 8938 = DSM 100783) isolated from larvae of great scallops ( Pecten maximus ) and seawater,... more
We present the draft genomes of two strains previously identified as Neptuniibacter sp. LFT 1.8 (= CECT 8936 = DSM 100781) and ATR 1.1 (= CECT 8938 = DSM 100783) isolated from larvae of great scallops ( Pecten maximus ) and seawater, respectively. Both strains surely constitute two novel species in this genus, with putative applications for aromatic compound degradation.
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Nine isolates obtained from a great scallop hatchery in Norway were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Strains were Gram-negative, aerobic and motile rods with oxidative metabolism. Phylogenetic analysis based on the sequences of... more
Nine isolates obtained from a great scallop hatchery in Norway were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Strains were Gram-negative, aerobic and motile rods with oxidative metabolism. Phylogenetic analysis based on the sequences of 16S rRNA and rpoB genes showed that these strains formed two different groups associated with members of the genus Neptuniibacter. DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) and Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) demonstrated that the isolates constituted two novel species of this genus, which can be phenotypically differentiated from their closest relatives. The names Neptuniibacter marinus sp. nov. and Neptuniibacter pectenicola sp. nov are proposed, with ATR 1.1(T) (=CECT 8938(T)=DSM 100783(T)) and LFT 1.8(T) (=CECT 8936(T)=DSM 100781(T)) as respective type strains.
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Hepatitis A virus (HAV) represents a significant public health problem due to its high persistence in the environment and its transmission through contaminated water and food. Bivalve shellfish are filter feeders that can bioaccumulate... more
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) represents a significant public health problem due to its high persistence in the environment and its transmission through contaminated water and food. Bivalve shellfish are filter feeders that can bioaccumulate human pathogens found in contaminated waters, their consumption being a potential cause of hepatitis A outbreaks. In this work, cultured and wild bivalve shellfish from the Ría de Vigo (Galicia, NW Spain) were analysed for the presence and genotyping of HAV. A total of 160 shellfish samples were collected between March 2004 and December 2006, including 68 samples from cultured mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis), 30 from wild clams (Rupitapes decussatus), 31 from wild cockles (Cerastoderma edule) and 31 from wild mussel. HAV detection, carried out by quantitative RT-PCR, was positive for 29 (42.6%) cultured and 40 (43.5%) wild samples, with levels ranging from 3.1 × 102 and 1.4 × 1010 RNA copies/g of shellfish digestive tissue. The phylogenetic analys...
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The efficacy and dynamic of depuration for the removal of hepatitis A virus (HAV) contamination were evaluated under experimental conditions using Manila clams previously subjected to bioaccumulation with this virus. Five independent... more
The efficacy and dynamic of depuration for the removal of hepatitis A virus (HAV) contamination were evaluated under experimental conditions using Manila clams previously subjected to bioaccumulation with this virus. Five independent trials were assayed in a closed experimental system with a total volume of approximately 1750 l, using clam batches of 60 Kg. The reverse transcriptase-real time PCR (RT-qPCR) technique was utilized for viral quantification. Infectivity assays were conducted at the end of depuration. Although the final viral loads in shellfish after 7 days remained relatively high and still infectious, an average reduction in HAV levels of 1.44 log units (approx. 93.1%) was observed. This reduction showed a two-phase removal kinetic, with an initial rapid reduction of viruses during the first 72 h of depuration, with a 0.6 log units (69%) of average decrease in HAV RNA copies/g digestive tissue, and a subsequent stabilization with a slower depuration rate in the remaining days.
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The study of the microbiota associated to clams is important not only to know their sanitary status but also to prevent pathobiology events. The use of different microbiological techniques can help to obtain a better picture of the... more
The study of the microbiota associated to clams is important not only to know their sanitary status but also to prevent pathobiology events. The use of different microbiological techniques can help to obtain a better picture of the bacterial diversity of clams as well as to isolate new bacterial taxa. In this study, two clam species, Ruditapes decussatus and R. philippinarum, were analyzed in two locations of Galicia (northwest of Spain) in April and October, by combining classic culturing, dilution-to-extinction approach, and 16S rRNA gene target sequencing. 16S rRNA gene target sequencing revealed a great diversity within the clam samples, shedding light into the vast microbial communities associated to these bivalves. All samples were dominated by the same bacterial genera in the different periods, namely Mycoplasma, Vibrio, and Cutibacterium. The α-diversity in the samples obtained during the month of October was lower and showed the dominance of rare bacterial taxa, such as Met...
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Additional file 3. Daily mortality in control (black) and challenge group (grey) during the experimental period (days post-inoculation, dpi). In the challenge group (55.6%), more individuals died during the experimental period compared to... more
Additional file 3. Daily mortality in control (black) and challenge group (grey) during the experimental period (days post-inoculation, dpi). In the challenge group (55.6%), more individuals died during the experimental period compared to the control group (16.7%). Note the high peak in mortality at 4 dpi in the challenge group.
Additional file 2. Scoring of the different parameters that are part of the â Gross Ulceration Scoreâ (GUS). The GUS is the sum of the score of all the parameters indicated below and represents the severity of an ulceration.
Aeromonas sobria is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, and ubiquitous bacterium. We present here the draft genome sequence of A. sobria strain 08005, isolated from an infected bullfrog. It is composed of 66 contigs totaling 4,678,951 bp,... more
Aeromonas sobria is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, and ubiquitous bacterium. We present here the draft genome sequence of A. sobria strain 08005, isolated from an infected bullfrog. It is composed of 66 contigs totaling 4,678,951 bp, contains 4,252 coding DNA sequences (CDSs), four rRNAs, and 88 tRNA sequences, and shows the presence of various putative virulence-related genes.
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Shellfish farming is a relevant economic activity in Chile, where the inner sea in Chiloé island concentrates 99% of the production of the mussel Mytilus chilensis. This area is characterized by the presence of numerous human activities,... more
Shellfish farming is a relevant economic activity in Chile, where the inner sea in Chiloé island concentrates 99% of the production of the mussel Mytilus chilensis. This area is characterized by the presence of numerous human activities, which could harm the quality of seawater. Additionally, the presence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms can influence the health status of mussels, which must be constantly monitored. To have a clear viewpoint of the health status of M. chilensis and to study its potential as a host species for exotic diseases, microbiological, molecular, and histological analyses were performed. This study was carried out in October 2018, where M. chilensis gut were studied for: presence of food-borne bacteria (Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp.), exotic bacteria (“Candidatus Xenohaliotis californiensis”), viruses (abalone and Ostreid herpes virus), and protozoa (Marteilia spp., Perkinsus spp. and Bonamia spp.). Additionally, 18S rDNA ...
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Yersinia ruckeri is a significant and frequent bacterial fish pathogen in Peru. We report the draft genome sequence of strain FMV-22, isolated from a diseased rainbow trout, which consists of 3.84 Mb, with a G+C content of 47.45% and... more
Yersinia ruckeri is a significant and frequent bacterial fish pathogen in Peru. We report the draft genome sequence of strain FMV-22, isolated from a diseased rainbow trout, which consists of 3.84 Mb, with a G+C content of 47.45% and 3,765 protein-coding genes.
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The prevalence of human forms ofSapovirus, an emerging pathogen of human gastroenteritis, was investigated in an 18-month survey from class B mollusc-harvesting areas in two Galician rias (northwest Spain). The detection and... more
The prevalence of human forms ofSapovirus, an emerging pathogen of human gastroenteritis, was investigated in an 18-month survey from class B mollusc-harvesting areas in two Galician rias (northwest Spain). The detection and quantification ofSapoviruswas performed by reverse transcription-real-time PCR, according to the recently developed standard method ISO/TS 15216-1:2013, and genotyping by reverse transcription-nested PCR. The bivalve species studied were wild and cultured mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis), clams (Venerupis philippinarumandVenerupis decussata), and cockles (Cerastoderma edule).Sapoviruswas detected in 30 out of 168 samples (17.9%), with cockles being the species with the highest prevalence of positives (28.1%), followed by clams (22.6%), wild mussels (14.3%), and cultured mussels (12.9%). The estuary in the south of the region demonstrated a higher percentage of positive samples (21.8%) than the one in the north (14.4%). Viral contamination levels for the posit...
Research Interests: Microbiology, Medical Microbiology, Biology, Aquaculture, Medicine, and 11 moreMultidisciplinary, Spain, Animals, Applied Environmental Microbiology, Prevalence, Genotype, Shellfish, Genetic variation, Viral Load, real time polymerase chain reaction, and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction
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Research Interests: Zoology, Biology, SHRIMP, Medicine, Virulence, and 8 moreHumans, Animals, Invertebrate Pathology, Vibrio, HeLa cells, Hemolymph, Pathogenicity, and Penaeidae
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In this work, we applied the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique to evaluate the genetic diversity in Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida (formerly Pasteurella piscicida), an important pathogen for different marine... more
In this work, we applied the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique to evaluate the genetic diversity in Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida (formerly Pasteurella piscicida), an important pathogen for different marine fish. Regardless of the oligonucleotide primer employed, the 29 isolates of Ph. damselae subsp. piscicida tested were separated into two groups, the RAPD-PCR analysis differentiated the European strains from the Japanese strains. The similarity between both groups estimated on the basis of the Dice coefficient was 75–80%. These results show that European and Japanese isolates of Ph. damselae subsp. piscicida, regardless of their host fish species, belong to two different clonal lineages. Our findings also indicate that RAPD profiling constitutes a useful tool for epidemiological studies of this fish pathogen.
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We present here the first evidence of the presence of iron uptake mechanisms in the bacterial fish pathogen Tenacibaculum maritimum . Representative strains of this species, with different serotypes and origins, were examined. All of them... more
We present here the first evidence of the presence of iron uptake mechanisms in the bacterial fish pathogen Tenacibaculum maritimum . Representative strains of this species, with different serotypes and origins, were examined. All of them were able to grow in the presence of the chelating agent ethylenediamine-di- ( o- hydroxyphenyl acetic acid) (EDDHA) and also produced siderophores. Cross-feeding assays suggest that the siderophores produced are closely related. In addition, all T. maritimum strains utilized transferrin, hemin, hemoglobin, and ferric ammonic citrate as iron sources when added to iron-deficient media. Whole cells of all T. maritimum strains, grown under iron-supplemented or iron-restricted conditions, were able to bind hemin, indicating the existence of constitutive binding components located at the T. maritimum cell surface. This was confirmed by the observation that isolated total and outer membrane proteins from all of the strains, regardless of the iron levels ...