Browsing by Author "Gomes, J."
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- Guidelines for the Direct Detection of Anaplasma spp. in Diagnosis and Epidemiological StudiesPublication . Silaghi, C.; Santos, A.S.; Gomes, J.; Christova, I.; Matei, I.A.; Walder, G.; Domingos, A.; Bell-Sakyi, L.; Sprong, H.; von Loewenich, F.D.; Oteo, J.A.; de la Fuente, J.; Dumler, J.S.The genus Anaplasma (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) comprises obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that are mainly transmitted by ticks, and currently includes six species: Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma centrale, Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma platys, and Anaplasma ovis. These have long been known as etiological agents of veterinary diseases that affect domestic and wild animals worldwide. A zoonotic role has been recognized for A. phagocytophilum, but other species can also be pathogenic for humans. Anaplasma infections are usually challenging to diagnose, clinically presenting with nonspecific symptoms that vary greatly depending on the agent involved, the affected host, and other factors such as immune status and coinfections. The substantial economic impact associated with livestock infection and the growing number of human cases along with the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections, determines the need for accurate laboratory tests. Because hosts are usually seronegative in the initial phase of infection and serological cross-reactions with several Anaplasma species are observed after seroconversion, direct tests are the best approach for both case definition and epidemiological studies. Blood samples are routinely used for Anaplasma spp. screening, but in persistently infected animals with intermittent or low-level bacteremia, other tissues might be useful. These guidelines have been developed as a direct outcome of the COST action TD1303 EURNEGVEC ("European Network of Neglected Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases"). They review the direct laboratory tests (microscopy, nucleic acid-based detection and in vitro isolation) currently used for Anaplasma detection in ticks and vertebrates and their application.
- Safe production and use of nanomaterials in the ceramic industry: the CERASAFE projectPublication . Viana, M.; Querol, X.; Alastuey, A.; Fonseca, A.S.; de la Fuente, G.F.; Estepa, C.; Monfort, E.; López-Lilao, A.; Ibáñez, M.J.; Gomes, J.; Albuquerque, P.; Esteves, H.; Miranda, R.M.; Teixeira, J.; Fraga, S.; Simon, S.; Bychkov, E; Biskos, G.The ceramic industry is a growing industrial sector, which is benefitting from advances made available through nanotechnology and a number of innovative industrial processes. However, production of nanomaterials, including the manufacture and use of nanoceramics, cannot be considered safe without a thorough investigation regarding exposure and toxicity of nanoceramic materials, which is a current research gap. This requires better knowledge of workers’ exposure in the ceramic sector and during nanoceramics manufacturing, handling and processing, which will firstly require the understanding of exposure scenarios. In this framework, the ERANET-SIINN project CERASAFE aims to assess and improve environmental health and safety (EHS) in the ceramic industry. The objective of this project is to study industrial processes and activities which may generate nanoparticle emissions into workplace air, and to assess worker exposure by evaluating the particle release processes, characterizing the emitted particles, and understanding their toxicity.