Articles publicats en revistes (Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient)

Studies of insect biodiversity and parasitism are often based on adult stages, as immature stages are poorly known and often cannot be identified to species level. However, sucking lice (Anoplura) are permanent, hematophagous parasites with single-host life cycles, making it possible to track the occurrence of all life stages. Only the complete identification of all life stages provides a full picture of parasitism, including infestation levels, parasite topography preferences on the host, and host specificity. The detection of different development stages on a host provides strong evidence that lice of a particular species are actively reproducing and completing their life cycle on that host, making full use of its resources. Conversely, the presence of adult lice alone, particularly when found sporadically, may suggest a failed or incidental attempt at host colonization rather than an established parasitic association.

Methodology

The description of the nymphal stages of Hoplopleura malabarica is based on specimens of sucking lice from the greater bandicoot rat Bandicota indica from Southeast Asia, specifically from the Vientiane area of Lao PDR. The study used morphometric analysis and scanning microscopy techniques.

Results

This study presents the first description of the nymphal stages of Hoplopleura malabarica, an oligoxenous parasite of rodents of the genus Bandicota. In addition, a global checklist of Anoplura parasitizing rodents of the genus Bandicota was provided.

Conclusions

The detection of different life stages of lice within the host confirms that they reproduce and develop on a given host species, fully utilizing its resources.

interest in the Mediterranean basin. This study investigated the PCR prevalence of L. tarentolae and L. infantum

in two gecko species (Tarentola mauritanica and Hemidactylus turcicus) present on Mallorca Island, Spain,

using duplex quantitative PCR. A total of 59 geckos were sampled across the island, including 53 T. mauritanica

and six H. turcicus. Tissue and blood samples were screened by PCR for both parasites. The results revealed the

prevalence of Leishmania infection in adult T. mauritanica, with 10/49 (20.41 %) testing PCR positive for L. tarentolae

only and with 1/49 (2.04 %) for L. infantum only. Coinfection with both parasites was detected in 3/49

geckos (6.12 %). No positives were identified in H. turcicus, probably due to small sample size. Regarding PCR

positivity by tissues, coleomic organs were more likely to be positive for L. tarentolae in adult T. mauritanica than

blood, with a slighter PCR positivity in the liver, spleen and lung. This study provides further insight into the interaction

between Leishmania and geckos in leishmaniosis-endemic areas such as Mallorca.

epidemiological data on these infections are limited in Europe. A total of 448 serum samples from household ferrets

were collected between December 2019 and December 2023 in Spain. In this study, we assessed the seroprevalence of

L. infantum and D. immitis using an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and T. gondii using an inhouse

immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Among the ferrets tested, the seroprevalence was 10.49% (47/448) for L.

infantum, 2.68% (12/448) for T. gondii and 10.27% (46/448) for D. immitis. There was no significant association between

seropositivity and age, gender, neutering status, cohabitation, lifestyle, and collection date. Ferrets classified as sick animals

related to the presence of compatible or non-compatible signs showed a higher seropositivity rate for L. infantum

(15.90%) compared to subclinical animals (4.76%). Overall, 23.44% (105/448) of the samples were seropositive for at

least one of the three parasitic agents, 3.12% (15/448) were positive for two agents, and 0.22% (1/448) tested positive for

all three agents. Co-infections were also evaluated, revealing that 12.76% (6/47) of L. infantum seropositive ferrets were

also positive for T. gondii (p = 0.011) and 21.27% (10/47) for D. immitis (p = 0.009). To the best of our knowledge, this

is the first report on the seroprevalence of L. infantum, D. immitis, and T. gondii within the ferret population in Spain.

Understanding the epidemiological status of these and other zoonotic pathogens is crucial for enhancing surveillance in

both veterinary and public health sectors, as well as for strengthening prevention and control strategies.

third instar larvae of three Calliphoridae species: Protocalliphora azurea, an obligate agent of sanguinivorous myiasis in passerine bird nestlings; Cordylobia anthropophaga, an obligate agent of subcutaneous myiasis in mammals; and Lucilia sericata, a facultative agent of traumatic myiasis in mammals. The three species are relatively uniform in the internal anatomy of their digestive organs, although they differ in the shape and size of the salivary glands —a main source of larval antigens—, which are considerably smaller in P. azurea. Moreover, the three species differ from the larvae of Oestridae, a close family that exclusively includes obligate myiasis-causing species, inthe presence of gastric caeca and a crop, which shows a remarkable storage capacity in L. sericata. The observed differences are discussed from a functional perspective and in relation to the type of myiasis caused.

the optimization of its protein production pathway, including transcription, translation, folding,

and secretion. Therefore, in this study, our aim was to maximize the secretion of a reporter α-

amylase by overcoming potential bottlenecks within the secretion process one by one, using a clustered

regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat–Cas9 (CRISPR-Cas9) system. The strength of

single and tandem promoters was evaluated by measuring the relative α-amylase activity of AmyQ

integrated into the B. subtilis chromosome. Once a suitable promoter was selected, the expression

levels of amyQ were upregulated through the iterative integration of up to six gene copies, thus

boosting the α-amylase activity 20.9-fold in comparison with the strain harboring a single amyQ

gene copy. Next, α-amylase secretion was further improved to a 26.4-fold increase through the overexpression

of the extracellular chaperone PrsA and the signal peptide peptidase SppA. When the

final expression strain was cultivated in a 3 L fermentor for 90 h, the AmyQ production was enhanced

57.9-fold. The proposed strategy allows for the development of robust marker-free plasmidless

super-secreting B. subtilis strains with industrial relevance.