History of Mass Transportation: The FIAT Autorail TER RENFE, Madrid Atocha (1981)

 

Di Smiley.toerist - File:Madrid Atocha 1981.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19532692

Source: 

Link: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Ferroviaria

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History of Mass Transportation: The Renfe Class 307 Brissonneau et Lotz Diesel-Electric Locomotive

By Thierry Leleu - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2390060

Source: 

Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Renfe_class_307

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#Spain - #Influenza A #H5 viruses of high pathogenicity (Inf. with) (non-poultry including wild birds) (2017-) - Immediate notification

 

{By Pierre Dalous - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29066936}

This event will collect the detections made by sampling carried out in 2025.

Report (LNR): 2025/005921 B. A vulture (Gyps fulvus) collected at Quintanas de Valdelucio.

Source: 

Link: https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7077

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#Spain closes several #parks and #attractions due to #birdflu #outbreak (Xinhua)

{Automatic translation from Chinese, edited}

[Xinhua News Agency Micro Special] Due to the outbreak of avian influenza in many places, the Andalusia Autonomous Region in southern Spain has temporarily closed a number of parks and other attractions in recent days, including two attractions included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the infected animals have been killed at relevant locations.

According to AFP, Seville City Hall announced on social media on the 11th that the Maria Luisa Park in the city center was closed due to the discovery of dead birds. The park will clean up the dead animals and disinfect them.

The city recently closed three other parks where dead birds were found, including a World Heritage site.

Catalina Garcia, an environmental official for the Andalusian autonomous region, said on social media that three outbreaks of avian influenza were detected in wild birds in Doñana National Park, a World Heritage site, and the affected birds were culled. The national park, located on the right bank of the Guadalquivir River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, is known for its diverse ecosystems, with more than 500,000 waterfowl wintering there each year.

The Andalusian Autonomous Regional Government issued a statement on the 9th saying that after an outbreak of avian influenza on two farms in Huelva Province, relevant parties are taking measures to prevent the spread of the epidemic and have killed the infected poultry, but did not disclose the specific number.

Europe is currently experiencing a peak season for avian influenza, with outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza reported in countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Portugal.

According to the World Organization for Animal Health, migratory birds, particularly waterfowl, are natural reservoirs of avian influenza viruses, contributing to their widespread geographical spread. Avian influenza outbreaks are also a major public health concern. Previous outbreaks of avian influenza in poultry have been linked to sporadic cases of human infection. When an outbreak occurs, the typical response is to cull all affected birds, regardless of infection, to contain the virus. (End) (Qiao Ying)

Source: Xinhua, https://www.163.com/dy/article/K98N72NP05346RC6.html?spss=dy_author

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Identification and characterization of novel #bat #coronaviruses in #Spain

Abstract

The zoonotic transmission of bat coronaviruses poses a threat to human health. However, the diversity of bat-borne coronaviruses remains poorly characterized in many geographical areas. Here, we recovered eight coronavirus genomes by performing a metagenomic analysis of fecal samples from hundreds of individual bats captured in Spain, a country with high bat diversity. Three of these genomes corresponded to potentially novel coronavirus species belonging to the alphacoronavirus genus. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that some of these viruses are closely related to coronaviruses previously described in bats from other countries, suggesting a shared viral reservoir worldwide. Using viral pseudotypes, we investigated the receptor usage of the identified viruses and found that one of them can use human ACE2, albeit with lower affinity than SARS-CoV-2. However, the receptor usage of the other viruses remains unknown. This study broadens our understanding of coronavirus diversity and identifies research priorities for the prevention of zoonotic viral outbreaks.

Author summary

Bats carry many different viruses, some of which can infect humans. Among these, bat coronaviruses are of particular concern. To be better prepared for future pandemics, it is important to understand how many of these viruses exist and their ability to infect different hosts. However, research in this area has often focused on certain parts of the world, while other regions remain underexplored. Spain has a rich diversity of bats, but very few studies have looked for coronaviruses in bats from the Iberian Peninsula. Here, we used viral metagenomics to test for the presence of coronaviruses in more than 200 bat samples collected across Spain. We identified eight coronavirus genomes, three of which may constitute new species. We also examined how closely related they are to previously known viruses, and whether they can use the same cellular receptors as known coronaviruses. Notably, we found that one of the viruses could use human ACE2, the SARS-CoV-2 receptor. Our findings reveal that bats in Spain host a diverse range of coronaviruses, including some that could potentially infect humans. This highlights the importance of studying coronavirus diversity more broadly worldwide.

Source: PLoS Pathogens, https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1013371

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#Spain - High pathogenicity avian #influenza #H5N1 viruses (#poultry) (Inf. with) - Immediate notification

 

A poultry farm in Extremadura Region.

Source: WOAH, https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6639

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Multidisciplinary #Tracking of Highly Pathogenic Avian #Influenza #H5N1 #Outbreak in Griffon #Vultures, Southern #Europe, 2022

Abstract

Since 2021, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b virus has affected wild bird populations globally. Griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus), a species hitherto considered unexposed, experienced an HPAI H5N1 outbreak in 2022 in southern Europe, leading to moderate mortality and reduced breeding success. The integration of virological, serologic, phylogenetic, and ecologic data revealed a short yet intense viral circulation and a probable common source of infection. The dissemination across Spain and France was likely caused by frequent interpopulation movements of birds. This integrated overview of the 2022 HPAI outbreak in vultures provides novel insights into the role of large-scale movements of wild birds in the spread of such disease. Understanding the epidemiologic dynamics of HPAI H5N1 in these scavenger species is crucial because the birds play vital roles in ecosystem functioning. Their susceptibility to this virus highlights potential broader ecologic effects of the ongoing outbreaks.

Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/8/24-1456_article

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#Neurologic Manifestations Associated with #Parvovirus B19 #Epidemic, #Madrid, #Spain, 2024

Abstract

A reemergence of parvovirus B19 infections in Spain in early 2024 prompted a 10-year review of the virus at a tertiary center. We identified 8 case-patients with neurologic manifestations who had parvovirus B19 in cerebrospinal fluid. Early recognition and management of parvovirus B19–associated neurologic conditions will help yield favorable outcomes.

Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/8/25-0278_article

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A 15-year study of #neuraminidase #mutations and the increasing of S247N mutation in #Spain

Highlights

• In a landscape of a very narrow arsenal of influenza antivirals, resistance mutations are a significant threat.

• Resistance mutations were present in 0.5-5% in A and B influenza viruses during the last 15 years.

• However, S247N resistance mutation in the NA gene sharply increased during 2023-2024 season.

• While this mutation does not confer strong resistance by itself, their fixation could increase the risk of resistance in the future if other resistance mutations appears or get fixed together with it.

Abstract

The therapeutic arsenal against influenza is extremely limited and resistance often arises due to the emergence of mutations, especially in the neuraminidase (NA) gene. This study aimed to evaluate the evolution of NA mutations over 15 years in Spain. To do so, we used the GISAID database from which we downloaded a total of 11,125 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2), B/Victoria and B/Yamagata NA virus sequences, and analyzed the resistance mutations using FluSurver software. Our results showed that the occurrence of NA resistance mutations remained constant in the four viruses during the 15 seasons evaluated, being around 0.5-5%. Most of the resistance was found in the A(H1N1)pdm09 subtype (around 70%), especially from the 2023-2024 season onwards, when a significant increase in the occurrence of S247N mutation was observed. The occurrence of this type of mutation before 2022 was rare, but in the 2023-2024 season a total of 44 influenza viruses harboring S247N mutations were detected, while in the other years, only two cases were observed. Some studies have described a significant increase in this mutation over the past two seasons and although it appears to confer only slightly reduced inhibition to oseltamivir, its increase is noteworthy and should be a reason for increased their vigilance.

Source: Virus Research, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168170225000760?via%3Dihub

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#Spain - #Influenza A #H5N1 viruses of high pathogenicity (Inf. with) (non-poultry including wild birds) (2017-) - Immediate notification

 This event will collect the detections made by sampling carried out in 2025. Peregrine falcon, adult male, transmitted to a Centre for the protection of endangered species on 05/02/2025 with nervous symptoms, that died on 06/02/2025. The necropsy was performed at the Wildlife Center for Analysis and Diagnosis.

Source: WOAH, https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6316

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