Papers by Miquel Nofrarias
Porcine Health Management, 2021
Background Serosal inclusion cysts are thin walled-structures located on the peritoneal surface o... more Background Serosal inclusion cysts are thin walled-structures located on the peritoneal surface of the uterus, frequently observed as multiple cystic structures in aggregates or grape-like clusters containing a clear, non-viscous fluid. In human and veterinary medicine, they are thought to be developed under hormonal effects, or after manipulation or inflammation of the reproductive tract. However, they have not yet been described in swine. Case presentation A uterus of a 3-year-old crossbreed sow was condemned at slaughter due to the presence of multiples cystic cavities attached to the serosal surface. Microscopically, multiple cystic dilations emerging from the serosa were lined by a simple and flattened epithelium (cytokeratine positive and vimentin negative on immunohistochemistry) supported by a subepithelial layer of collagen. Grossly and histologically, they were diagnosed as serosal inclusion cysts. Conclusion To the authors’ knowledge, this report represents the first desc...
Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 2021
Objective: Nonanoic acid (NA) is one of a series of straight-chain aliphatic alcohols, aldehydes,... more Objective: Nonanoic acid (NA) is one of a series of straight-chain aliphatic alcohols, aldehydes, acids and their derivatives with a well-documented history of use as a synthetic flavoring in human food. As part of a safety evaluation of NA for use as a flavoring in animal feed, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the ability of turkeys to tolerate NA at levels relevant to practical feeding practices. Materials and Methods: A total of 594-day-old BUT Premium turkeys (300 males and 294 females) were allocated at random to 40 floor pens containing either 15 males or 13 to 15 females. Poults were fed one of 4 treatment diets in crumble (0 to 14 days) or pellet (15 to 59 days) form containing 0 (control), 100, 300 or 1000 mg NA/kg complete feed for 59 days. General health and performance were monitored for the duration of the study. At days 57 and 59 of age, blood samples were taken and birds were sacrificed and necropsied for histopathological examination of the digestive tract. Si...
Vaccine, 2016
The extreme variability and rapid evolution of Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) has always repre... more The extreme variability and rapid evolution of Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) has always represented the key challenge for its control because of the limited cross-protection among different strains. Several experimental trials have proven a broadening of the protection spectrum when animals are vaccinated with multiple genotypes. Nevertheless, the conditions of vaccine administration in field are so different that the generalization of experimental results is, at least, questionable. In the present study a large scale epidemiological-phylodynamic approach was used to reconstruct the demographic history of the major field genotype (i.e. the QX one) circulating in Italy and Spain. These two countries were selected because, even if they share a comparable epidemiological scenario, the implemented vaccination protocols did not vary in Spain while changed dramatically in Italy over the time period considered. One hundred and ninety-five Italian and 98 Spanish non-recombinant sequences of the hyper-variable region of the S1 gene obtained between 2012 and 2016 were analyzed using a serial coalescent-based approach to reconstruct viral population history over time. While the IBV QX population dynamics remained constant in Spain, a much more complex pattern was evidenced in Italy; both in terms of viral population size and clinical outbreak frequency. Remarkably, a strong association with changes in vaccination strategies was recognized. This allowed demonstrating, by accomplishing all Hill's criteria for causation, the cause-effect relationship between the vaccine administration/withdrawal and the variation in viral population dynamics and, above all, IBV related outbreaks. Thus, a robust confirmation about the efficacy of IBV vaccination in field conditions was provided. Additionally, the history herein reported testifies the primary importance of rigorously planning not only the intervention strategies but also their monitoring and evaluation.
Tierras De Castilla Y Leon Ganaderia, 2009
Xxxix Jornadas De Estudio Xiii Jornadas Sobre Produccion Animal Zaragoza 12 Y 13 De Mayo De 2009 Vol 1 2009 Isbn 9788461323111 Pags 268 270, 2009
Vaccine, 2012
The present study describes the effects of a commercially available vaccine against Porcine circo... more The present study describes the effects of a commercially available vaccine against Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) on clinical, pathological and virological outcomes of 3-week-old piglets from two farms with a clinical history of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). The study was a controlled, double-blinded, parallel group (1:1) and randomized trial (with a negative control) involving a total of 1239 animals. The study period comprised from weaning age (time of vaccination or PBS inoculation) until the first shipment of pigs to the slaughterhouse. The vaccine product was able to reduce clinical signs, PCV2 viral load in sera and faeces, and overall mortality in nurseries and fattening units. Moreover, average daily gain was significantly higher in vaccinated versus non-vaccinated piglets during the trial period. On the other hand, it was shown that maternally derived antibodies interfered with the development of an active humoral immune response after PCV2 vaccination.
Veterinary immunology and immunopathology, 2012
Research in Veterinary Science, 2012
Veterinary Microbiology, 2012
Veterinary Microbiology, 2010
Haemophilus parasuis is the etiologic agent of Glässer&am... more Haemophilus parasuis is the etiologic agent of Glässer's disease in pigs, which is pathologically characterized by serofibrinous polyserositis and arthritis. H. parasuis include virulent and non-virulent strains and confirmation of virulence in H. parasuis is still dependent on experimental reproduction of the disease. Since the variability in virulence is supported by serotyping and genotyping (particularly, multilocus sequence typing [MLST]), we examined the relationship between the classification of 8 field strains by these methods and their capacity to cause disease in snatch-farrowed, colostrum-deprived piglets. The severity of clinical signs and lesions produced by the different strains correlated with the quantity of H. parasuis recovered from the lesions. However, the virulence of the strains in the animal model did not show a total correlation with their serovar or their classification by MLST. More studies are needed to identify a virulence marker that could substitute animal experimentation in H. parasuis. In addition, we reproduced disease in domestic pigs with a strain isolated from the nasal cavity of wild boars. This result indicates the existence of virulent strains of H. parasuis in wild suids, which could produce disease under appropriate circumstances, and suggests a possible source of infection for domestic pigs.
The Veterinary Journal, 2013
The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) D... more The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) DNA and antibody to the virus in the serum and colostrum of sows vaccinated prior to mating and in their offspring. Seventy-seven sows were randomly distributed into vaccinated (V, n = 36) and non-vaccinated (NV, n = 41) groups. One week before mating, sows were given a PCV2 vaccine (V group) or PBS (NV group) IM. Blood samples were taken from the sows at fixed time-points and colostrum samples were taken at farrowing. Blood samples were also taken from the piglets of the sows at 4 weeks of age. The results indicated that vaccination prior to mating elicited a strong, homogeneous humoral response and, in consequence, more homogeneous colostral PCV2 antibody concentrations.
Vaccine, Jun 26, 2018
Newcastle disease (ND), caused by virulent class II avian paramyxovirus 1 (Newcastle disease viru... more Newcastle disease (ND), caused by virulent class II avian paramyxovirus 1 (Newcastle disease virus, NDV), occurs sporadically in poultry despite their having been immunized with commercial vaccines. These vaccines were all derived from NDV strains isolated around 70 years ago. Since then, class II NDV strains have evolved into 18 genotypes. Whether the vaccination failure results from genotype mismatches between the currently used vaccine strains and field-circulating velogenic strains or from an impaired immune response in the vaccination remains unclear. To test the first hypothesis, we performed a heterologous genotype II vaccine/genotype XI challenge in one-day old specific pathogen free (SPF) chicks and reproduced viral shedding. We then produced two attenuated strains of genotype II and XI by reverse genetics and used them to immunize two-week old SPF chickens that were subsequently challenged with velogenic strains of genotypes II, VII and XI. We found that both vaccines coul...
Veterinary …, 2009
Longitudinal case-control studies were performed in post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (... more Longitudinal case-control studies were performed in post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) affected farms from Denmark and Spain using similar designs. Fourteen independent batches of 100-154 pigs per batch were monitored from birth to PMWS outbreak occurrence. Pigs displaying PMWS-like signs and matched healthy cohorts were euthanized during the clinical outbreak. PMWS was diagnosed according to internationally accepted criteria and pigs were classified as: (i) PMWS cases, (ii) wasted non-PMWS cases and (iii) healthy pigs. Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) quantitative PCR (qPCR) and serology techniques were applied to analyse longitudinally collected sera and/or nasal and rectal swabs. Results showed that PCV2 load increased in parallel to waning maternal antibody levels, reaching the maximum viral load concurrent with development of clinical signs. PMWS affected pigs had higher PCV2 prevalence and/or viral load than healthy pigs in all collected samples at necropsy (p<0.0001-0.05) and even in sera and nasal swabs at the sampling prior to PMWS outbreak (p<0.01-0.05). Danish farms had a higher PCV2 prevalence in young piglets as well as an earlier PMWS presentation compared to Spanish farms. PMWS diagnoses were confirmed by laboratory tests in only half of pigs clinically suspected to suffer from PMWS. Positive and significant correlations were found among PCV2 viral loads present in sera, nasal swabs, rectal swabs and lymphoid tissues (R=0.289-0.827, p<0.0001-0.01), which indicates that nasal and rectal swabs were suitable indicators of PCV2 excretion. Sensitivity and/or specificity values observed from both tests used separately or combined suggested that qPCR and/or serology tests are not apparently able to substitute histopathology plus detection of PCV2 in tissues for the individual PMWS diagnosis within PMWS affected farms. However, qPCR appears to be a potential reliable technique to diagnose PMWS on a population basis.
Avian pathology : journal of the W.V.P.A, Jan 11, 2016
Increasing evidence suggests that a new birnavirus, named Chicken proventricular necrosis virus (... more Increasing evidence suggests that a new birnavirus, named Chicken proventricular necrosis virus (CPNV), is the aetiological agent of transmissible viral proventriculitis (TVP). The present work aimed to explore the possible presence of both TVP and CPNV in the UK. Forty-four chickens showing TVP-compatible gross lesions were classified into 3 groups based on the histological lesions: i) TVP-affected chickens: lymphocytic infiltration and glandular necrosis (n=15); ii) lymphocytic proventriculitis (LP)-affected chickens: lymphocytic infiltration without necrosis (n=18); and iii) without proventriculitis (WP): no lymphocytic infiltration or necrosis (n=11). Nine proventriculi (7 out of 15 corresponding to TVP, and 2 out of 11 corresponding to LP) were positive for CPNV by RT-PCR. These results support the previously suggested idea of CPNV as causative agent of TVP. Moreover, this data shows that CPNV can also be detected in a number of cases with LP, which do not fulfil the histologic...
Page 1. 391 American Association Of Swine Veterinarians, 2005 Evidence of genetics influence on t... more Page 1. 391 American Association Of Swine Veterinarians, 2005 Evidence of genetics influence on the expression of porcine circovirus disease (PCVD) in postweaning pigs Sergio López-Soria1, DVM; Joaquim Segalés1, DVM ...
Veterinary Pathology, 2015
Meat inspection has the ultimate objective of declaring the meat and offal obtained from carcasse... more Meat inspection has the ultimate objective of declaring the meat and offal obtained from carcasses of slaughtered animals fit or unfit for human consumption. This safeguards the health of consumers by ensuring that the food coming from these establishments poses no risk to public health. Concomitantly, it contributes to animal disease surveillance. The Catalan Public Health Protection Agency (Generalitat de Catalunya) identified the need to provide its meat inspectors with a support structure to improve diagnostic capacity: the Slaughterhouse Support Network (SESC). The main goal of the SESC was to offer continuing education to meat inspectors to improve the diagnostic capacity for lesions observed in slaughterhouses. With this aim, a web-based application was designed that allowed meat inspectors to submit their inquiries, images of the lesions, and samples for laboratory analysis. This commentary reviews the cases from the first 6 years of SESC operation (2008-2013). The program not only provides continuing education to inspectors but also contributes to the collection of useful information on animal health and welfare. Therefore, SESC complements animal disease surveillance programs, such as those for tuberculosis, bovine cysticercosis, and porcine trichinellosis, and is a powerful tool for early detection of emerging animal diseases and zoonoses.
Porcine Health Management, 2015
Virus Research
African swine fever is still one of the major viral diseases of swine for which a commercial vacc... more African swine fever is still one of the major viral diseases of swine for which a commercial vaccine is lacking. For the design and development of such preventive products, researchers involved in African swine fever virus (ASFV) vaccinology need standardized challenge protocols and well characterized clinical, pathological and immunological responses of inbreed and outbreed pigs to different viral strains and vaccine-like products. The different approaches used should be assessed by immunologist, virologist and pathologist expertise. The main objectives of this guideline are to 1) briefly contextualize the clinical and pathological ASFV presentations focusing on points that are critical for pathogenesis, 2) provide recommendations concerning the analysis of clinical, gross and microscopic observations and 3) standardize the pathological report, the terminology employed and the evaluation of the severity of the lesions between the ASFV research groups for comparing inter-group data....
Journal of Swine Health and Production
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Papers by Miquel Nofrarias