www.cerca.cat https://hdl.handle.net/2072/4427 2026-04-17T13:40:09Z 2026-04-17T13:40:09Z Tallou, Anas Aziz, Faissal Vivaldi, Gaetano Alessandro https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/5211 2026-04-17T00:29:19Z 2026-04-15T00:00:00Z

Editorial: Innovative approaches in soil, water, and crop management for sustainable agricultural systems Tallou, Anas; Aziz, Faissal; Vivaldi, Gaetano Alessandro

2026-04-15T00:00:00Z Cruz-Quintana, Yanis Santana-Piñeros, Ana María Reyes-Mero, Byron Manuel Muñoz-Chumo, Leonela Griselda Vélez-Chica, Juan Carlos Alcaraz, Carles Duncan, Neil https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/5207 2026-04-17T00:28:59Z 2026-03-06T00:00:00Z

Gonadal development and reproductive traits of pacific flat sleeper Dormitator latifrons (Gobiiformes: Eleotridae): insights for sustainable management in Ecuador Cruz-Quintana, Yanis; Santana-Piñeros, Ana María; Reyes-Mero, Byron Manuel; Muñoz-Chumo, Leonela Griselda; Vélez-Chica, Juan Carlos; Alcaraz, Carles; Duncan, Neil The Pacific sleeper, Dormitator latifrons, is a fish native to the eastern central Pacific that is under increasing human pressure. The harvesting of adults for consumption and juveniles for aquaculture highlights the urgent need to understand its biology for management purposes. This study developed a macroscopic and histological gonadal development scale, described genital papilla morphology, and evaluated sex ratio, size at maturity, and oocyte development. Between December 2017 and August 2018, 295 specimens were collected from the Carrizal-Chone River, Ecuador. Total length, weight, and sex were recorded, and reproductive organs were analyzed. The male-to-female sex ratio was 1.05:1. The genital papilla varied in size and appearance with gonadal development. A universal five-phase histological scale accurately identified reproductive phases: immature, developing, spawning capable, regressing, and regenerating. The ovarian development was group-synchronous, suggesting a total spawning strategy. Unfertilized oocytes were spherical, with a thin capsule, 4 to 8 oil droplets, and longitudinal striations. Oocyte size distribution revealed mature and immature populations. The length at 50% maturity (L50) was 13.26 cm for females and 12.09 cm for males. These findings allow a more precise understanding of the life history of D. latifrons, and may contribute to the definition of conservation and sustainable resource management.

2026-03-06T00:00:00Z Leka, Arjola Gardela Santacruz, Jaume Obón, Elena Pifarré, Maria Martínez, Miguel Julián Navero-Castillejos, Jéssica Casal, Ramón Solé, Alba Busquets, Núria https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/5209 2026-04-17T00:28:51Z 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z

Circulation and overwintering of Usutu virus lineages in north-eastern Spain: A one health perspective (2021–2025) Leka, Arjola; Gardela Santacruz, Jaume; Obón, Elena; Pifarré, Maria; Martínez, Miguel Julián; Navero-Castillejos, Jéssica; Casal, Ramón; Solé, Alba; Busquets, Núria Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has expanded widely across Europe. While it has been traditionally considered an animal pathogen, reports of human infections and the detection of USUV in blood donors in Europe (including Spain) have increased the public health awareness of this emerging pathogen. In the last decade, serological evidence of USUV circulation in animals have been reported in Northeastern Spain (Catalonia) where human infections have also been recently detected; however, molecular confirmation of viral circulation in wild birds was still lacking. Our main goal was to investigate USUV circulation in Catalonia (2021–2025) using One Health approach through the West Nile virus surveillance program. Once USUV was detected, we aimed to assess USUV overwintering, genetic diversity and pathology in positive wild birds. From 369 bird samples collected, six blackbirds from the Barcelona province resulted USUV-positive in 2022, 2024, and 2025, showing signs of systemic infection. Additionally, USUV was found in a Culex pipiens mosquito pool, and sentinel and backyard birds showed serological evidence of flavivirus exposure in Girona province. Phylogenetic analyses revealed USUV overwintering, evidence of human spillover and the co-circulation of two distinct lineages, Africa 3 and Europe 2. Notably, Europe 2 was detected for the first time in Spain. These findings prove active enzootic USUV circulation in Northeastern Spain and highlight the need for One Health surveillance to support early USUV detection to reduce the risk of USUV transmission from enzootic cycle.

2026-04-01T00:00:00Z Guitart-Matas, Judith Dias-Alves, Andrea Marco, Ignasi Carrera-Faja, Laura Muro, Jesús Tushabe, Josephine Kayaga, Edrine Ndoboli, Dickson Babweteera, Fred Asiimwe, Carol Cabezón, Oscar Migura, Lourdes https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/5210 2026-04-17T00:28:42Z 2026-04-07T00:00:00Z

CTX-M variants on the move: Tracking resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. across humans, livestock and wildlife in Western Uganda Guitart-Matas, Judith; Dias-Alves, Andrea; Marco, Ignasi; Carrera-Faja, Laura; Muro, Jesús; Tushabe, Josephine; Kayaga, Edrine; Ndoboli, Dickson; Babweteera, Fred; Asiimwe, Carol; Cabezón, Oscar; Migura, Lourdes Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global public health challenge. The AMR burden is disproportionately higher in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where widespread and inappropriate antimicrobial use promotes the emergence and spread of resistance. The expanding human population and increasing habitat fragmentation of natural areas force wildlife into greater contact with humans and livestock, facilitating AMR transmission. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of extended spectrum cephalosporin (ESC)-resistant Enterobacterales as an indicator for AMR burden across the human-animal-environment interface in rural areas from Western Uganda. Samples were collected from humans (n = 65), livestock (n = 137), wildlife (n = 301), and environmental sources (n = 52) in rural areas with varying levels of human-animal interaction. ESC-resistant Escherichia coli (n = 58) and Klebsiella spp.(n = 5) were identified and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed. Thereafter, whole genome sequencing was carried out in ESC-resistant isolates (n = 63) to characterize resistance genes and lineages, and further compared them with previously published sequences from Uganda. A high prevalence of the CTX-M-15 gene was observed, alongside CTX-M-27 and OXA-1. Multiple sequence types (STs) were detected for both E. coli and Klebsiella spp., though globally dominant extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) lineages were infrequent. The wide occurrence of ESC-resistant bacteria in community settings and wildlife underlines the interconnectedness of AMR transmission. These findings emphasize the need for a comprehensive One Health approach to better understand AMR transmission dynamics in rural areas from Western Uganda.

2026-04-07T00:00:00Z