Seventy-two (54.5%) out of 132 fecal samples from a group of yellowlegged gulls in Barcelona, Spain, were positive for Escherichia coli producing either extended-spectrum ␤-lactamases (ESBL) (51.5%), carbapenemase (1.5%), or cephamycinase (1.5%). The isolation of two carbapenemase-producing E. coli strains is a matter of concern.KEYWORDS carbapenemases, E. coli, ESBL I n the last decade, the number of bacterial pathogens presenting multidrug resistance to antibacterial agents has increased dramatically, becoming an emergent global concern and a major public health problem (1). The main cause behind the increasing rates of resistance can ultimately be found in the abuse and misuse of antibacterial agents, whether used in patients and livestock or released into the environment. Once antimicrobial-resistant bacteria emerge, they can spread locally or globally. The main factors contributing to their spread at a global level comprise migrant birds, globalization of commercial food, and international travel.There have been several studies about the presence of resistant bacteria in gulls (2, 3), to the extent of being considered an indicator of environmental antibiotic resistance occurrence, as they are distributed almost all around the world (4). Meerburg et al. (5) showed that gull feces contain a greater average concentration of E. coli than other wild animals, and according to Stedt et al. (4), Spain is the country in Europe with the highest levels of gull E. coli isolates resistant to Ն1 antibiotic.The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of extended-spectrum ␤-lactamase (ESBL)-and/or carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae from fecal swabs obtained from a group of yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) in Barcelona, Spain.The study was conducted from the beginning of May to late July 2014 in the city of Barcelona, including the breeding period of the yellow-legged gull in the city. The sampling program was part of the sanitary and epidemiological surveillance that is carried out by the Public Health Agency, Barcelona, the institution responsible for the supervision and surveillance of the species. The sampling sites were chosen according to citizens' reports regarding the species nesting on their terraces or high roofs of the city. Every gull chick from each nest found (Fig. 1) was sampled, which amounts to 132 samples in total. All samples were obtained from young specimens born in that same year, and all nests were independent from each other, since the urban structure of cities The samples were plated on ESBL chromogenic agar (bioMérieux, France), and burgundy red colonies were selected, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Colonies were further identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) (Bruker Daltonics, Inc., Bremen, Germany). Susceptibility to ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, meropenem, gentamicin, amikacin, nalidixic acid, and ciprofloxacin was determined ...

Botulism is a severe neuroparalytic disorder that can be potentially life-threatening. In Barcelona, Spain, no outbreaks had been reported in the past 25 years. However, in September 2011, two outbreaks occurred involving two different families. A rare case of Clostridium baratii which produced a neurotoxin F outbreak was detected in five family members who had shared lunch, and several days before that another family was affected by C. botulinum toxin A which was probably present in homemade pâté.

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Norovirus infections are a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide and across all age groups, with two main genogroups (GI and GII) infecting humans. The aim of our study was to investigate the occurrence of norovirus in saliva samples from individuals involved in outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis in closed and semiclosed institutions, and its relationship with the virus strain, virus shedding in stool, the occurrence of symptoms, age, and the secretor status of the individual. Epidemiological and clinical information was gathered from norovirus outbreaks occurring in Catalonia, Spain during 2017–2018, and stool and saliva samples were collected from affected and exposed resident individuals and workers. A total of 347 saliva specimens from 25 outbreaks were analyzed. Further, 84% of individuals also provided a paired stool sample. For GII infections, norovirus was detected in 17.9% of saliva samples from symptomatic cases and 5.2% of asymptomatic individuals. Positivity in saliva occurred in both secretors and nonsecretors. None of the individuals infected by norovirus GI was positive for the virus in saliva. Saliva positivity did not correlate with any of the studied symptoms but did correlate with age ≥ 65 years old. Individuals who were positive in saliva showed higher levels of virus shedding in stool. Mean viral load in positive saliva was 3.16 ± 1.08 log10 genome copies/mL, and the predominance of encapsidated genomes was confirmed by propidium monoazide (PMA)xx-viability RTqPCR assay. The detection of norovirus in saliva raises the possibility of oral-to-oral norovirus transmission during the symptomatic phase and, although to a lesser extent, even in cases of asymptomatic infections.

23Fault bars are conspicuous malformations on bird feathers produced during feather 24 growth. The causes behind fault bars are poorly understood. Here we used the presence 25 of Campylobacter jejuni infections in 302 urban feral pigeons (Columba livia) as a 26 proxy of physiological stress, and correlated it with fault bar abundance. Overall, we 27 found a prevalence of 24.5% of these bacteria. Bacterial infection was equally prevalent 28 in young and adults, but males showed a slightly higher prevalence than females. Fault 29 bars were more abundant in young than in adults, particularly among young males. 30 Pigeons with Campylobacter infection had more fault bars than uninfected birds. These 31 results suggest that the physiological state of the individuals could be as important as 32 external stressors to understand the occurrence of fault bars. Also, it suggests that 33 parasites could have a role in fault bar formation. 34 35 Keywords: bacteria, feather, physiology, stress bars, stress marks. 36 37 38 39 Jovani et al. -3