Background

South American camelids (SACs) are increasingly kept as companion animals, but their role in zoonotic transmission is poorly understood. Thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. are a leading cause of bacterial zoonoses globally. This study investigated the occurrence and zoonotic potential of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. in SACs on German farms.

Methods

Fecal swabs from up to 20 animals on 10 farms were collected across four seasons. Campylobacter spp. were isolated, and genomes were typed to assess multilocus sequence types (STs), virulence, and antimicrobial resistance.

Results

Campylobacter spp. were detected in 23/717 samples (3.2 %), including 16 Campylobacter jejuni from seven farms and seven Campylobacter coli from two farms. Detection was higher in alpacas (4.9 %, 21/427) than in llamas (0.7 %, 2/288), with higher rates in summer. Molecular typing revealed high genetic heterogeneity, though some STs recurred across timepoints, animals, and farms, suggesting potential endemic colonization. Nine distinct C. jejuni STs and two C. coli STs were identified, many belonging to clonal complexes (CCs) common in livestock and humans. All isolates carried virulence-associated genes for motility, adhesion, invasion, and toxin production, while several from CC21 harbored genes linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed wild-type phenotypes for erythromycin, gentamicin, and chloramphenicol. Ciprofloxacin resistance, with T86I mutation in gyrA, was found in three isolates; one C. jejuni isolate carried tet(O) conferring tetracycline resistance.

Conclusion

SACs harbor Campylobacter strains related to human and livestock lineages, with virulence and resistance traits relevant for zoonotic transmission. Their presence on German farms highlights the need targeted surveillance and biosecurity within a One Health framework.

Background: Emerging parasites pose increasing challenges at the interface of human, animal, and ecosystem health. Among these, Trichobilharzia spp., schistosomatid of migratory and resident waterfowl, can cause cercarial dermatitis (CD) when its larval stage (cercaria) accidentally penetrate human skin. While this parasite has been documented in several European countries, its presence in Portugal has remained unreported, leaving a critical gap in understanding potential zoonotic risks in local freshwater ecosystems. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the presence of Trichobilharzia spp. in freshwater snails from Lake Alqueva, providing the first insights into its potential ecological and public health implications in Portugal.

Methods: Fieldwork was carried out on Lake Alqueva, considered the largest artificial reservoir in Western Europe, with ecological and public health relevance. Freshwater snails from shore locations in Lake Alqueva were examined for cercarial shedding, and molecular identification was performed by PCR amplification of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions.

Results: Morphological and genetic analyses confirmed Trichobilharzia franki from Radix auricularia, showing high homology with European and Asian lineages. Moreover, human infections compatible with CD were also reported in the region.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for continued malacological surveillance, particularly in recreational freshwater bodies, to assess risk areas and implement mitigation strategies. Furthermore, this study expands the known geographical distribution of T. franki in Europe and underscores the importance of integrating ecological and public health approaches to monitor emerging zoonotic parasites.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces considerable challenges from ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs), exacerbated by climate change and its impact on human and animal health, as well as overall productivity. To address these interconnected issues, the United Arab Emirates University, located in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates (UAE), hosted a multinational, transdisciplinary One Health symposium on climate change, ticks, and tick-borne diseases. The event brought together experts from across the region and beyond, featuring seven invited speakers who explored a wide range of topics, including climate change, TBDs of humans and animals, tick research in the UAE, and the One Health approach. The symposium highlighted major knowledge and research gaps, particularly in underexplored areas such as acaricide resistance, tick vaccine development, tick–pathogen interactions, wildlife–livestock interfaces, and the circulation and movement of tick-borne pathogens across the region. Discussions underscored the heavy burden of ticks and TBDs in the MENA region and their complex economic and public health implications. Participants emphasized the need for regional collaboration, enhanced tick surveillance, pathogen detection, and integrated management strategies. The symposium also encouraged the establishment of future alliances and partnerships among universities, government departments, and research institutions to foster joint research projects, resource sharing, and knowledge exchange. Within the One Health paradigm, participants concluded that regional priorities should focus on identifying and understanding tick-related problems, strengthening cross-sectoral cooperation, utilizing regional expertise and infrastructure, and engaging all stakeholders including the public in sustainable tick and TBD management. This collaborative approach is essential to mitigate the multifaceted challenges posed by ticks, tick-borne pathogens, and a changing climate in the MENA region.

Integrated wearable thermal management technologies have greatly enhanced human adaptability to complex environments. However, conventional thermal management strategies, which lack environmental risk perception and stable human–machine interaction, are increasingly inadequate for ensuring personal health. Here, we introduce a hierarchical modular design strategy to develop a wearable intelligent thermal management film with robust electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding capabilities. A sensitive biomimetic serpentine dual-mode temperature–humidity sensing module is coupled with a low-power electro-/photothermal conversion module to enable intelligent thermal regulation. The resulting thermal management system offers stable and sensitive front-end temperature–humidity monitoring, alongside low-power electrothermal (51.79 °C at 1.5 V) and photothermal (56.38 °C at 45.51 mW cm⁻²) temperature regulation capabilities. Additionally, the system exhibits outstanding EMI shielding performance, with an EMI SE/t value of 1600 dB mm^–1 at a thickness of just 35 μm, ensuring stable signal transmission. The hierarchical modular design enables functional allocation with higher, thereby optimizing material performance while enhancing the decoupling and synergistic effects between different functionalities. These findings provide a scalable and practical pathway for the multifunctional integration and performance optimization of next-generation flexible wearable electronic composites.

Using a so-called digital twin, it is possible to predict with greater precision than at present how much alcohol a person has consumed and at what time. The study was conducted by researchers at Linköping University and the Swedish National Board of Forensic Medicine. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, pave the way for more reliable investigations into crimes where alcohol is believed to have been involved.

A joint research group consisting of Hikaru Ichida, a doctoral student in the Division of Nano Life Science, Graduate School of Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University; Kosuke Mizuno, currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Protein Research, The University of Osaka; Professor Noriyuki Kodera and Associate Professor Holger Flechsig of the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University; and Associate Professor Satoshi Toda of the Institute for Protein Research, The University of Osaka, has succeeded in visualizing the structural dynamics underlying how the serum protein Afamin stabilizes and transports Wnt3a, a lipid-modified signaling molecule. The study also showed that stable binding between these two molecules depends on both a hydrophobic pocket that accommodates Wnt3a and the structural integrity of Afamin. Wnt proteins are essential molecules that help the body develop properly and maintain healthy tissues. However, because they do not dissolve well in water and are highly hydrophobic, they tend to be unstable in the body. This study has revealed part of the mechanism by which Wnt3a is stably transported with the help of another protein. These findings are expected to deepen our understanding of biological processes involving Wnt3a and may contribute in the future to the development of ex vivo tissue engineering technologies and regenerative medicine.

Psychiatric disorders affect millions worldwide, but their diagnosis still relies on clinical observation instead of standard biological tests. In an attempt to identify reliable biomarkers, scientists in China have now launched the Brain-Gut Health Initiative, a large-scale longitudinal study combining neuroimaging, electrophysiology, microbiome sequencing, blood biomarkers, and clinical assessments across major psychiatric disorders. The findings revealed coordinated changes linking gut microbes, brain networks and symptoms—supporting the development of AI-assisted diagnosis and personalized therapies.