Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences

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Publications

Interplay Between Western Diet and Mammary Cancer: Data from a Chemically-induced Model in Wistar Rats

Publication . Silva, Jessica; Aires, Inês; Peixoto, Francisco P.; Neuparth, Maria João; Queiroga, Felisbina; Seixas, Fernanda; Ferreira, Rita; Faustino-Rocha, Ana; Duarte, José Alberto; Oliveira, Paula A.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of Western diet on mammary cancer in Wistar female rats, focusing on systemic responses and tumor development. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight Wistar female rats were acclimatized and divided into four experimental groups (n=7 each): Western diet (WD), Western diet with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) administration (WD+MNU), standard diet (CTR), and standard diet with MNU administration (CTR+MNU). MNU was administered intraperitoneally at 50 mg/kg at seven weeks of age to induce mammary cancer. The 20-week experiment involved monitoring animal weight, food and water intake. At the end of the study, rats were euthanized, and blood samples and organs were collected for hematological and plasma biochemical analysis, oxidative stress, and histo-pathological and immunobiological evaluations of the tumors. Results: No significant differences were found in body weight, composition, or organ weights, but the WD group showed reduced food and water intake and lower cholesterol levels. Leptin and adiponectin levels were higher in the WD+MNU group, suggestive of changes in appetite regulation. Histopathological analysis showed malignant tumors in both MNU-induced groups. However, WD groups had fewer tumors compared to the CTR+MNU group. Conclusion: WD led to higher feed efficiency and increased visceral adipose tissue but decreased systemic cholesterol and triglyceride levels. While this diet resulted in lower tumor incidence, the volume and weight of the tumors were higher. Additionally, the WD decreased ERα and progesterone receptor immunoexpression, while Ki-67 immunoexpression was elevated.

2024Journal article

Open access

Understanding the uptake of diagnostics for sustainable gastrointestinal nematode control by European dairy cattle farmers: a multi-country cross-sectional study

Publication . Vande Velde, Fiona; Hektoen, Lisbeth; Phythian, Claire J.; Rinaldi, Laura; Bosco, Antonio; Hinney, Barbara; Gehringer, Martin; Strube, Christina; May, Katharina; Knubben-Schweizer, Gabriela; Martins, Oliva M. D.; Mateus, Teresa L.; Simion, Violeta; Charlier, Johannes; Bartley, David J.; Claerebout, Edwin

To mitigate emerging anthelmintic resistance (AR) in cattle, sustainable gastrointestinal nematode control strategies should be adopted. A multi-centre study was set up to understand the factors affecting European dairy cattle farmers’ adoption of diagnostics and to gauge for differences between regions. The data were collected through a multilingual survey by participating countries of the European Co-operation in Science and Technology (COST) action COMbatting Anthelmintic Resistance in ruminants (COMBAR). Four countries provided sufficient data to be included in the data analysis: Norway, Italy, Germany and Austria. Three models were estimated and validated through structural equation modelling. Norway, along with Germany and Austria (pooled dataset) showed similar trends that align with previous studies. AR risk perception had no influence on the adoption intention of diagnostics, a positive influence was found for attitude towards diagnostics and subjective norms (i.e., perceived opinion of others), and a negative influence of attitudes towards anthelminthics. Additionally, routine (i.e., perception of the current treatment) had an indirect effect on adoption intention through attitudes. Italy’s data deviated from these findings, presenting a positive effect of the perceived severity of AR, and perceived behavioural control (i.e., perceived ability to perform a specific behaviour) on adoption intention of diagnostics. Finally, Norway’s data set allowed for inclusion of a measurement of current behaviour in the model, identifying a direct positive effect of the perceived actual behaviour of other farmers on their own behaviour.

2023Journal article

Open access

Health Sentinels: Canine Parvovirus and Coronavirus in Portuguese Shelter Dogs

Publication . Afonso, Paulo; Cardoso, Luís Miguel; Quintas, Helder; Coelho, Ana Cláudia

This study investigates the prevalence of Canine Parvovirus (CPV) and Canine Coronavirus (CCoV) among shelter dogs in Portugal. Despite advancements in veterinary medicine and widespread vaccination efforts, CPV and CCoV continue to pose significant health threats to the canine population, particularly in high-density environments such as shelters. Through a cross-sectional study involving 240 shelter dogs in five municipalities in Portugal, this study utilised an immunochromatographic technique for the simultaneous detection of CPV and CCoV antigens. The findings reveal a 6.2% and 9.2% prevalence of CPV and CCoV, respectively, with a co-infection prevalence of 4.6%, highlighting the persistent challenge these viruses represent. The study further explores the lack of significant association between infection prevalence and variables such as age, sex, breed, and municipality, suggesting that susceptibility to these infections may be broadly distributed among shelter dogs. By providing new insights into the epidemiology of CPV and CCoV within Portuguese shelters, this study contributes to the body of knowledge necessary for developing targeted strategies to manage and prevent these infectious diseases in high-risk canine populations.

2024Journal article

Open access

Screening of chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities in pomegranate, quince, and persimmon leaf, peel, and seed: valorization of autumn fruits by-products for a one health perspective

Publication . Silva, Vanessa; Silva, Adriana; Ribeiro, Jessica; Aires, Alfredo; Carvalho, Rosa Paula; Amaral, Joana S.; Barros, Lillian; Igrejas, Gilberto; Poeta, Patrícia

Antimicrobial resistance is increasing globally and is now one of the major public health problems. Therefore, there is a need to search for new antimicrobial agents. The food industry generates large amounts of by-products that are rich in bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, which are known to have several health benefits, including antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Thus, we aimed to characterize the phenolic compounds present in pomegranate, quince, and persimmon by-products, as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Phenolic compounds were extracted from pomegranate, quince, and persimmon leaves, seeds, and peels using a mixture of ethanol/water (80/20). The polyphenol profile of the extracts was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method. In general, leaves showed higher concentrations of phenolics than the peel and seeds of fruits. In total, 23 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified, with sanguiin and apigenin-3-O-galactoside being present in the highest concentrations. Leaf extracts of pomegranate showed higher antioxidant activities than the other components in all methods used. In general, all extracts had a greater antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Persimmon leaf and seed extracts inhibited a greater number of bacteria, both Gram-positive and -negative. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) detected among Gram-positive and -negative bacteria was 10 mg/mL for pomegranate peel and leaf extracts against Staphylococcus aureus and S. pseudintermedius and for pomegranate leaf extract against Escherichia coli. Our results reinforce the need to value food industry by-products that could be used as food preservatives and antibiotic adjuvants against multiresistant bacteria.

2023Journal article

Open access

Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Accumulated by Freshwater Bivalves: An Underestimated Risk for Public Health?

Publication . Martins, Joana; Gonçalves, Ana; Fernandes, Conceição; Cabecinha, Edna; Monteiro, Sandra Mariza; Guedes, Hugo; Almeida, Gonçalo; Garcia, Juliana; Silva, Gabriela Jorge da; Varandas, Simone; Saavedra, Maria José

As bioindicators, freshwater bivalves are crucial for the assessment of the contamination impact on different levels of biological integration. Escherichia coli is used as a bioindicator of water fecal contamination, representing a critical global concern, especially with the rise of multidrugresistant (MDR) strains. Phylogenetic diversity, pathotypic characterization, and antibiotic resistance profiles of E. coli isolated from freshwater bivalves (Anodonta anatina) were assessed. Samples were collected from the Tua River in Northern Portugal, from two different sites, Chelas and Barcel, representing different degrees of contamination. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by the disk diffusion method, and characterizations of the phylogenetic groups and pathotypes were assessed by PCR-multiplex and real-time PCR-multiplex, respectively. Results showed that 60% of isolates were characterized as MDR, including resistance to carbapenems, considered the last resort against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Within this study, it was also possible to verify the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile differences between the two sampling sites, with bivalve isolates from the Chelas site showing a higher percentage of antibiotic resistance. Among the E. coli isolates, the highest prevalence (55%) was observed in group B1, followed by group D or E (15%), group A (10%), and group E or Clade I (10%). None of the isolates were classified as diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC). This work highlights the potential transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria through bivalves in the food chain. The ‘One Health’ approach is crucial for combating antimicrobial resistance, namely in edible freshwater species, emphasizing active surveillance to protect human, animal, and environmental health against the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in aquatic environments.

2024Journal article

Open access