Fracture Analysis of Highly Flexible Adhesives: Cohesive Zone Modelling across a Wide Spectrum of Temperatures and Strain Rates.

This study focuses on the prediction of the fracture mechanics behaviour of a highly flexible adhesive (with a tensile elongation of 90%), since this type of adhesive is becoming widely used in automotive structures due to their high elongation at break and damping capacity. Despite their extensive applications, the understanding of their fracture mechanics behaviour under varying loading rates and temperatures remains limited in the literature. In addition, current prediction models are also unable to accurately predict their behaviour due to the complex failure mechanism that such bonded joints have. This study aims to determine whether a simple triangular cohesive zone model (CZM), which predefines the crack path, can reproduce the load-displacement curves of adhesives under various temperatures and strain rates. To achieve this, a calibrated CZM is used, adapting the model for reference joints and then validating it with independent test results conducted in a wide range of loading and environmental conditions. The tests were performed at speeds between 0.2 and 6000 mm/min and at three different temperatures ranging from -30 °C to 60 °C. Mode I fracture toughness was measured using the DCB (double cantilever beam) specimens. Using a simple triangular CZM may not be optimal for predicting the mechanical response of highly flexible adhesives with complex failure mechanisms and multiple crack paths. However, by correctly adjusting the cohesive zone properties for a limited set of reference conditions, it is possible to accurately predict the mechanical response of these joints across various test speeds and temperatures, significantly reducing costs and effort.

Benzodiazepine-receptor agonist prescription in a population of hospitalised patients in four psychogeriatric units in Switzerland.

The aim of this study is to describe the patterns of prescription of benzodiazepine-receptor agonists in hospitalised patients in four psychogeriatric units in Switzerland. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study that included patients aged 65 years or more hospitalised in one of the four psychogeriatric units of a university hospital in Switzerland during 2019. The presence, type and dose of benzodiazepine-receptor agonists was assessed at admission and at discharge. Three-hundred and eighty-six patients (214 women, 78.2 ± 8.1 years) were included in the study; 33.4% of patients had at least one benzodiazepine-receptor agonist at admission and 22.5% at discharge. The relative reduction of benzodiazepine-receptor agonists prescription in standardised dose was 78%. Age was found to be a protective factor against benzodiazepine-receptor agonists prescription at admission (adjusted odds ratio 0.94, confidence interval 0.91-0.98), and diagnosis of substance abuse was found to be a risk factor (adjusted odds ratio 4.43, confidence interval 1.42-17.02). Longer hospital stays (> 14 days) were associated with higher reduction of benzodiazepine-receptor agonists. The prevalence of a prescription of benzodiazepine-receptor agonists at admission was high, but during the psychogeriatric hospitalisation benzodiazepine-receptor agonists prescription decreased both in absolute and relative terms.

Factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection among people living with HIV: Data from the Balearic cohort (EVHIA).

INTRODUCTION: The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection among people living with HIV (PLWH) has been a matter of research. We evaluated the incidence and factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis among PLWH. We also assessed factors related to vaccination coverage in the Balearic Islands. METHODS: A retrospective analytical study was performed, including patients from the Balearic cohort (EVHIA) who were visited at least twice between 1st January 2020 and 31st March 2022. Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare categorical and continuous variables respectively. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were estimated to identify risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 3567 patients with HIV were included. The median age was 51 years (IQR 44-59). Most of them were male (77,3%), from Europe (82,1%) or South America (13,8%). During the study period 1036 patients were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection (29%). The incidence rate was 153,24 cases per 1000 person-year. After multivariable analysis, men who have sex with men (MSM) were associated with an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (adjusted hazard ratio 1,324, 95% CI 1,138-1,540), whereas African origin, tobacco use and complete or booster vaccination coverage were negatively related. Overall, complete vaccination or booster coverage was recorded in 2845 (79,75%) patients. When analysing vaccination uptake, older patients (adjusted hazard ratio 5,122, 95% CI 3,170-8,288) and those with a modified comorbidity index of 2-3 points (adjusted hazard ratio 1,492, 95% CI 1,056-2,107) had received more vaccine doses. CONCLUSIONS: In our study no HIV related factor was associated with an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, except for differences in the transmission route. Possible confounding variables such as mask wearing or social interactions could not be measured. Vaccines were of utmost importance to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Efforts should be made to encourage vaccination in those groups of PLWH with less coverage.

Survey of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in captive and free-ranging wildlife from Spain.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), considered a zoonotic agent of wildlife origin, can infect various animal species, including wildlife in free-range and captive environments. Detecting susceptible species and potential reservoirs is crucial for preventing the transmission, spread, genetic evolution, and further emergence of viral variants that are major threats to global health. This study aimed to detect exposure or acute infection by SARS-CoV-2 in 420 animals from 40 different wildlife species, including terrestrial and aquatic mammals, from different regions of Spain during the 2020-2023 coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic. In total, 8/137 animals were positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies against the receptor binding domain and/or viral nucleoprotein according to independent ELISAs. However, only one ELISA-positive sample of a captive bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies with a low titre (SNT50 38.15) according to a virus neutralization test. Cetaceans are expected to have a high risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 according to early predictive studies due to the similarity of their angiotensin converting enzyme 2 cell receptor to that of humans. Moreover, of 283 animals analysed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA using RT-qPCR, none tested positive. Our results reinforce the importance of considering cetaceans at risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and support taking preventive biosecurity measures when interacting with them, especially in the presence of individuals with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Although most animals in this study tested negative for acute infection or viral exposure, ongoing surveillance of wildlife species and potentially susceptible animals is important to prevent future spillover events and detect potential novel reservoirs.

Increased sexual function after intake of clomethiazole.

An octogenarian woman showed increased sexual function after replacing alprazolam with clomethiazole, a sedative-hypnotic drug commonly prescribed in French-speaking Switzerland for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia in elderly patients. The patient's sexual symptoms did not improve after resuming alprazolam, but disappeared after interrupting clomethiazole, and did not reappear when alprazolam was discontinued. Considering the chronology of the events, increased sexual function was likely a manifestation of the introduction of clomethiazole. However, because alprazolam was interrupted when clomethiazole was introduced, we cannot exclude an association between increased sexual function and alprazolam interruption.

Exposure of Urban European Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) to Toxoplasma gondii in Highly Populated Areas of Northeast Spain.

Toxoplasma gondii is a generalist zoonotic parasite that involves a wide range of warm-blooded animals as intermediate hosts and felines as definitive hosts. Recent studies have proved significant positive associations between human population density and T. gondii seroprevalence in wildlife. However, there is limited data regarding T. gondii wildlife in urban areas, where the highest human density occurs. The present study aimed to analyse the T. gondii exposure in urban hedgehogs from the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, NE Spain. One hundred eighteen hedgehogs were analysed for the presence of antibodies (modified agglutination test; n = 55) and parasite DNA (qPCR; heart = 34; brain = 60). Antibodies were detected in 69.09% of hedgehogs. T. gondii DNA was not detected in any of the analysed samples. The present study reports a high T. gondii seroprevalence in urban hedgehogs in areas surrounding Barcelona, the most densely human-populated area of NE Spain, reinforcing the association between human population density and environmental T. gondii oocysts. The lack of detection by molecular techniques warrants more studies. In the last few decades, the distribution and abundance of European hedgehogs have declined, including their urban populations. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of T. gondii on hedgehog populations.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 5-hy-droxy-penta-nehydrazide.

Carb-oxy-hydrazides are widely used in medicinal chemistry because of their medicinal properties and many drugs have been developed containing this functional group. A suitable inter-mediate to obtain potential hydrazide drug candidates is the title compound 5-hy-droxy-penta-nehydrazide, C5H12N2O2 (1). The aliphatic compound can react both via the hydroxyl and hydrazide moieties forming derivatives, which can inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis catalase-peroxidase (KatG) and consequently causes death of the pathogen. In this work, the hydrazide was obtained via a reaction of a lactone with hydrazine hydrate. The colourless prismatic single crystals belong to the ortho-rhom-bic space group Pca21. Regarding supra-molecular inter-actions, the compound shows classic medium to strong inter-molecular hydrogen bonds involving the hydroxyl and hydrazide groups. Besides, the three-dimensional packing also shows weak H⋯H and C⋯H contacts, as investigated by Hirshfeld surface analysis (HS) and fingerprint plots (FP).

Leishmania Infection in Wild Lagomorphs and Domestic Dogs in North-East Spain.

Leishmania infantum is a zoonotic protozoan parasite distributed worldwide that is transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies. Dogs are the main reservoir for human infections. However, in recent years, the capacity of lagomorphs to contribute to Leishmania transmission has been confirmed. The present study aimed to assess Leishmania spp. exposure and infection in lagomorphs and sympatric domestic dogs in NE Spain. Sera from European hares, European rabbits, and rural dogs were tested for antibodies against L. infantum using an in-house indirect ELISA. PCR analysis targeting Leishmania spp. was performed in spleens from L. europaeus. Antibodies against Leishmania spp. were detected in all the species analyzed. Total sample prevalence was significantly higher in O. cuniculus (27.9%) than in L. europaeus (2.0%). Results of the PCR were all negative. The present study expands knowledge about Leishmania infections in free-ranging lagomorphs in the Iberian Peninsula, suggesting a more important role of O. cuniculus in the study area. Given the strong correlation between lagomorph densities and human leishmaniasis outbreaks in Spain, the high rabbit and human densities in NE Spain, and the high Leishmania spp. seroprevalence in rabbits, it becomes imperative to establish surveillance programs for lagomorphs in this region.

Adiaspiromycoses in Wild Rodents from the Pyrenees, Northeastern Spain.

Adiaspiromycosis is a nontransmissible infectious pulmonary disease caused by the inhalation of propagules from fungal species belonging to the family Ajellomicetaceae, especially Emergomyces crescens. Adiaspiromycosis caused by E. crescens has been recorded in a broad number of species worldwide, with small burrowing mammals being considered the main hosts for this environmental pathogen. Only a handful of studies on adiaspiromycosis in European wildlife has been published to date. We assessed the occurrence of adiaspiromycosis in wild rodents (Murinae and Arvicolinae) from the central Spanish Pyrenees (NE Spain). The lungs of 302 mice and 46 voles were screened for the presence of adiaspores through histopathologic examination. Pulmonary adiaspiromycosis was recorded in 21.6% of all individuals (75/348), corresponding to 63/299 wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) and 12/40 bank voles (Myodes glareolus). Adiaspore burden varied highly between animals, with a mean of 0.19 spores/mm2 and a percentage of affected lung tissue ranging from <0.01% to >8%. These results show that the infection is present in wild rodents from the central Spanish Pyrenees. Although the impact of this infection on nonendangered species is potentially mild, it might contribute to genetic diversity loss in endangered species.

New Potential Role of European Mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) in the Epidemiology of Border Disease in the Pyrenees.

Since 2001, high-mortality outbreaks of border disease (BD) have negatively affected populations of Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica). Studies in the affected areas determined that sympatric wild ruminants did not seem to have an epidemiologic role in the circulation of border disease virus (BDV). However, the recent increase in European mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) densities might enhance the risk of pathogen transmission among chamois and mouflons. We conducted a serologic and virologic investigation of BDV in European mouflon from the Spanish Pyrenees, with the aim of determining potential changes in the role of this species in BDV epidemiology. From 2018 to 2022, we detected antibodies against BDV in 31/185 (16.7%) animals but did not detect BDV RNA in any spleen sample (0/65). These results indicate that BDV infection is occurring in these mouflon populations to a greater extent than previously described, which could shift the current understanding of BD epidemiology in the Pyrenees and cause an unpredictable effect on both chamois and mouflon populations. Further studies on the molecular identification of BDV in mouflon and chamois are required to better understand the contribution of mouflon in the epidemiology of BD.

From High Strain Rates to Elevated Temperatures: Investigating Mixed-Mode Fracture Behaviour in a Polyurethane Adhesive.

The investigation of the behaviour of adhesive joints under high strain rates is an active area of research, primarily due to the widespread use of adhesives in various industries, including automotive manufacturing. Understanding how adhesives perform when subjected to high strain rates is crucial for designing vehicle structures. Additionally, it is particularly important to comprehend the behaviour of adhesive joints when exposed to elevated temperatures. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the impact of strain rate and temperature on the mixed-mode fracture characteristics of a polyurethane adhesive. To achieve this, mixed-mode bending tests were conducted on test specimens. These specimens were subjected to three different strain rates (0.2 mm/min, 200 mm/min, and 6000 mm/min) and tested at temperatures ranging from -30 °C to 60 °C. The crack size was measured using a compliance-based method during the tests. For temperatures above Tg, the maximum load supported by the specimen increased with an increasing loading rate. GI increased by a factor of 35 for an intermediate strain rate and 38 for a high strain rate from low temperature (-30 °C) to room temperature (23 °C). GII also increased for the same conditions by a factor of 25 and 95 times, respectively.

Improving the assessment of ecosystem and wildlife health: microbiome as an early indicator.

Human activities are causing dramatic declines in ecosystem health, compromising the functioning of the life-support system, economic activity, and animal and human health. In this context, monitoring the health of ecosystems and wildlife populations is crucial for determining ecological dynamics and assessing management interventions. A growing body of evidence indicates that microbiome provides a meaningful early indicator of ecosystem and wildlife health. Microbiome is ubiquitous and both environmental and host-associated microbiomes rapidly reflect anthropogenic disturbances. However, we still need to overcome current limitations such as nucleic acid degradation, sequencing depth, and the establishment of baseline data to maximize the potential of microbiome studies.

The fecal bacterial microbiome of the Kuhl's pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus kuhlii) reflects landscape anthropogenic pressure.

BACKGROUND: Anthropogenic disturbance has the potential to negatively affect wildlife health by altering food availability and diet composition, increasing the exposure to agrochemicals, and intensifying the contact with humans, domestic animals, and their pathogens. However, the impact of these factors on the fecal microbiome composition of wildlife hosts and its link to host health modulation remains barely explored. Here we investigated the composition of the fecal bacterial microbiome of the insectivorous bat Kuhl's pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii) dwelling in four environmental contexts with different levels of anthropogenic pressure. We analyzed their microbiome composition, structure and diversity through full-length 16S rRNA metabarcoding using the nanopore long-read sequencer MinION™. We hypothesized that the bacterial community structure of fecal samples would vary across the different scenarios, showing a decreased diversity and richness in samples from disturbed ecosystems. RESULTS: The fecal microbiomes of 31 bats from 4 scenarios were sequenced. A total of 4,829,302 reads were obtained with a taxonomic assignment percentage of 99.9% at genus level. Most abundant genera across all scenarios were Enterococcus, Escherichia/Shigella, Bacillus and Enterobacter. Alpha diversity varied significantly between the four scenarios (p < 0.05), showing the lowest Shannon index in bats from urban and intensive agriculture landscapes, while the highest alpha diversity value was found in near pristine landscapes. Beta diversity obtained by Bray-Curtis distance showed weak statistical differentiation of bacterial taxonomic profiles among scenarios. Furthermore, core community analysis showed that 1,293 genera were shared among localities. Differential abundance analyses showed that the highest differentially abundant taxa were found in near pristine landscapes, with the exception of the family Alcaligenaceae, which was also overrepresented in urban and intensive agriculture landscapes. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that near pristine and undisturbed landscapes could promote a more resilient gut microbiome in wild populations of P. kuhlii. These results highlight the potential of the fecal microbiome as a non-invasive bioindicator to assess insectivorous bats' health and as a key element of landscape conservation strategies.

Lack of Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in Pipistrellus spp. Bats from Densely Cat-Populated Areas of NE Spain.

Toxoplasma gondii infection in healthy animals is often asymptomatic. However, some species with little history of contact with the parasite, such as marsupials and New World primates, present high mortality rates after infection. Despite its potential conservation concern, T. gondii infection in insectivorous bats has received little attention, and its impact on bat populations' health is unknown. To assess the putative role of insectivorous bats in the cycle of T. gondii, samples of three species of bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. pygmaeus and P. kuhlii) collected between 2019 and 2021 in NE Spain were tested for the presence of the parasite using a qPCR. All tissues resulted negative (0.0% prevalence with 95% CI: [0.0-2.6]) for the presence of T. gondii. Unlike previous studies on insectivorous bats from Europe, Asia and America, the present study suggests that Pipistrellus spp. bats do not play a significant role in the epidemiology of T. gondii in NE Spain. Further studies are encouraged to elucidate both the epidemiology of T. gondii and its potential impact on the health of microchiropteran species in Europe.

Eurasian griffon vultures carry widespread antimicrobial resistant Salmonella and Campylobacter of public health concern.

The global emergence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) strains of Salmonella and Campylobacter is a serious public health concern. Both bacteria are leading causes of human gastrointestinal foodborne infections and the two most reported zoonoses in the European Union. By feeding on livestock carcasses, especially from intensive farming, as well as on landfill sites, obligate avian scavengers can become infected with zoonotic pathogens and AMR strains, and can be considered large-scale sentinels of the environmental burden. In this study, we assessed the occurrence and AMR of Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in 218 Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) captured in north-eastern Spain. We isolated Salmonella from 8.1 % of individuals and Campylobacter lari from 4.7 %. Among the 10 different Salmonella serovars found, monophasic S. Typhimurium was the most frequent. Genotyping analysis revealed same strains of monophasic S. Typhimurium shared by gulls, livestock and humans. Isolates from both bacterial species presented AMR to important antimicrobials (tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones and ß-lactams). In conclusion, this study shows that Eurasian griffon vultures in north-eastern Spain are carriers of widespread AMR zoonotic Salmonella and Campylobacter. More comprehensive analyses are still needed to understand the potential risk of spill-over from those wild birds to humans.

Coinfection of Chytrid Fungi in Urodeles during an Outbreak of Chytridiomycosis in Spain.

Chytridiomycosis, caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), has had an unprecedented impact on amphibian biodiversity. Although Bd is globally widespread, Bsal is currently spreading, increasing the probability that these pathogens will co-occur in individual amphibians. Interactions among coinfecting parasites can have significant outcomes on disease dynamics and impact and, therefore, may have important consequences for amphibian conservation. We analyzed the patterns of Bd-Bsal coinfections in two species of free-ranging urodeles during an outbreak of chytridiomycosis in Spain. Our goals were to assess 1) the probability of co-occurrence of both chytrid species and 2) the correlation of pathogen loads in coinfected hosts. We detected coinfections in 81.58% of Triturus marmoratus (n=38) and in 18.75% of Ichthyosaura alpestris (n=16). Histopathologic lesions of chytridiomycosis were observed only in T. marmoratus. Our results demonstrate a positive relationship between Bd and Bsal loads in T. marmoratus, whereas the co-occurrence analysis showed a random association among pathogens in both urodele species. Overall, we show that Bd-Bsal coinfections intensify pathogen load in T. marmoratus and could, therefore, increase disease severity and have important consequences for the conservation of some amphibian species.

Power output and hearing performance in osseointegrated auditory devices.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Osseointegrated auditory devices are hearing gadgets that use the bone conduction of sound to produce hearing improvement. The mechanisms and factors that contribute to this sound transmission have been widely studied, however, there are other aspects that remain unknown, for instance, the influence of the processor power output. The aim of this study was to know if there is any relationship between the power output created by the devices and the hearing improvement that they achieve. MATERIALS Y METHODS: 44 patients were implanted with a percutaneous Baha® 5 model. Hearing thresholds in pure tone audiometry, free-field audiometry, and speech recognition (in quiet and in noise) were measured pre and postoperatively in each patient. The direct bone conduction thresholds and the power output values from the processors were also obtained. RESULTS: The pure tone average threshold in free field was 39.29 dB (SD = 9.15), so that the mean gain was 29.18 dB (SD = 10.13) with the device. This involved an air-bone gap closure in 63.64% of patients. The pure tone average threshold in direct bone conduction was 27.6 dB (SD = 10.91), which was 8.4 dB better than the pure tone average threshold via bone conduction. The mean gain in speech recognition was 39.15% (SD = 23.98) at 40 dB and 36.66% (SD = 26.76) at 60 dB. The mean gain in the signal-to-noise ratio was -5.9 dB (SD = 4.32). On the other hand, the mean power output values were 27.95 dB µN (SD = 6.51) in G40 and 26.22 dB µN (SD = 6.49) in G60. When analysing the relationship between bone conduction thresholds and G40 and G60 values, a correlation from the frequency of 1000 Hz was observed. However, no statistically significant association between power output, functional gain or speech recognition gain was found. CONCLUSIONS: The osseointegrated auditory devices generate hearing improvement in tonal thresholds and speech recognition, even in noise. Most patients closed the air-bone gap with the device. There is a direct relationship between the bone conduction threshold and the power output values from the processor, but only in mid and high frequencies. However, the relationship between power output and gain in speech recognition is weaker. Further investigation of contributing factors is necessary.

Persistence of Multiple Paramyxoviruses in a Closed Captive Colony of Fruit Bats (Eidolon helvum).

Bats have been identified as the natural hosts of several emerging zoonotic viruses, including paramyxoviruses, such as Hendra and Nipah viruses, that can cause fatal disease in humans. Recently, African fruit bats with populations that roost in or near urban areas have been shown to harbour a great diversity of paramyxoviruses, posing potential spillover risks to public health. Understanding the circulation of these viruses in their reservoir populations is essential to predict and prevent future emerging diseases. Here, we identify a high incidence of multiple paramyxoviruses in urine samples collected from a closed captive colony of circa 115 straw-coloured fruit bats (Eidolon helvum). The sequences detected have high nucleotide identities with those derived from free ranging African fruit bats and form phylogenetic clusters with the Henipavirus genus, Pararubulavirus genus and other unclassified paramyxoviruses. As this colony had been closed for 5 years prior to this study, these results indicate that within-host paramyxoviral persistence underlies the role of bats as reservoirs of these viruses.

Hotspot of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Seropositivity in Wildlife, Northeastern Spain.

We conducted a serosurvey for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus antibodies in various wildlife species in Catalonia, northeastern Spain. We detected high seroprevalence in southern Catalonia, close to the Ebro Delta wetland, a key stopover for birds migrating from Africa. Our findings could indicate that competent virus vectors are present in the region.

Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii in wild ruminants in Spain.

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii which infects warm-blooded species worldwide. Humans can be infected through ingestion of tissue cysts from raw or undercooked meat, including game meat. A nationwide large-scale cross-sectional study was conducted to assess exposure to T. gondii in seven wild ruminant species in Spain. A total of 2,040 serum samples from 77 sampling sites randomly distributed in the five bioregions (BRs) covering mainland Spain were tested for antibodies against T. gondii using the modified agglutination test. The overall seroprevalence was 22.0% (449/2,040). Seroprevalence by species in decreasing order was as follows: 39.6% (141/356) in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 37.1% (138/372) in fallow deer (Dama dama), 16.6% (92/553) in red deer (Cervus elaphus), 14.0% (26/186) in Southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica), 11.5% (24/209) in mouflon (Ovis aries musimon), 7.8% (27/346) in Iberian wild goat (Capra pyrenaica) and 5.6% (1/18) in Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia). Seropositivity was detected in 74.0% (57/77) of the sampling sites. Results indicate widespread but not homogeneous exposure to T. gondii in wild ruminant populations in Spain during the last two decades and highlight differences related to animal species and spatial distribution of these species in this country; this implies potential consequences of T. gondii for animal health, conservation and public health.