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Investigación
Leishmaniasis and Chagas Disease
Líneas de investigación
Content with Investigacion .
Neisseria, Listeria y Bordetella
• Invasive Meningococcal Disease.
o Laboratory surveillance based on whole-genome sequencing and its application in Public Health.
o Study and characterization of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.
o Study and evaluation of conventional (polysaccharide) and new-generation (protein) vaccines.
• Gonococcal Infection (Gonorrhea).
o Laboratory surveillance based on whole-genome sequencing and its application in Public Health.
o Study and characterization of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.
• Listeriosis.
o Laboratory surveillance based on whole-genome sequencing and its application in Public Health.
• Pertussis.
o Development and application of molecular techniques for the diagnosis and characterization of Bordetella pertussis, B. parapertussis, B. holmessi, and B. bronchiseptica.
Publicaciones destacadas
The interaction between Candida krusei and murine macrophages results in multiple outcomes, including intracellular survival and escape from killing
12: García-Rodas R, González-Camacho F, Rodríguez-Tudela JL, Cuenca-Estrella M, Zaragoza O. The interaction between Candida krusei and murine macrophages results in multiple outcomes, including intracellular survival and escape from killing. Infect Immun. 2011 Jun;79(6):2136-44. PMCID: PMC3125833.
PUBMED DOIHuman IgM Inhibits the Formation of Titan-Like Cells in Cryptococcus neoformans
14: Trevijano-Contador N, Pianalto KM, Nichols CB, Zaragoza O, Alspaugh JA, Pirofski LA. Human IgM Inhibits the Formation of Titan-Like Cells in Cryptococcus neoformans. Infect Immun. 2020 Mar 23;88(4):e00046-20. PMCID: PMC7093138.
PUBMED DOIThe lymphocyte scavenger receptor CD5 plays a nonredundant role in fungal infection
15: Velasco-de-Andrés M, Català C, Casadó-Llombart S, Simões I, Zaragoza O, Carreras E, Lozano F. The lymphocyte scavenger receptor CD5 plays a nonredundant role in fungal infection. Cell Mol Immunol. 2020 Apr 24.
PUBMED DOIInformación adicional
The Leishmaniasis and Chagas Disease Unit supports the National Health System through a multidisciplinary approach that includes the development and validation of diagnostic tests, the molecular characterization of parasites, molecular epidemiology, field studies, as well as experimental research into new therapeutic and prophylactic approaches for their control.
The laboratory has extensive experience in the characterization of the cellular and humoral immune response of leishmaniasis and post-treatment monitoring, as well as in asymptomatic individuals and in experimental animal models. The laboratory also contributes to immunological studies of the pathogenesis of leishmaniasis under immunosuppressive conditions (HIV/Leishmania co-infection, malnutrition, immunosuppressive treatment...). The laboratory has been a WHO Collaborating Center for Leishmaniasis since 1997, providing technical support to the various research and training activities of the WHO and participating in the evaluation of outbreaks of human leishmaniasis in endemic countries.
The laboratory also participates in the evaluation of prognostic markers for the evolution of T. cruzi infection and vertical (transplacental) transmission, an important public health problem in our country. It also carries out studies on the pharmacokinetics of drugs against Chagas disease.