We protect your health through science
Investigation
Arbovirus and imported viral diseases
Research Lines
Content with Investigacion .
Hepatitis
- Diseño de métodos diagnósticos para el estudio de los virus de las hepatitis (VH) A, B, C, D, E: Diseñamos sistemas de PCR para su detección y caracterización.
- Evaluación de métodos diagnósticos de los VH. Colaboramos con empresas para estudios de sensibilidad y especificidad de equipos diagnósticos.
- Estudios de Seroprevalencia de los virus de las hepatitis.
- Epidemiología genómica de genomas completos de VHA, VHB, VHC, VHD y VHE en colaboración con el ECDC. Estudios de trazabilidad del VHE.
- Caracterización molecular de virus de las hepatitis mediante secuenciación masiva: a) VHB: mutantes de escape HBsAg (prevalencia y efectos en la detección del HBsAg). Estudio de mutaciones en epítopos de estimulación inmune y mutaciones asociadas a evolución clínica desfavorable.
- b) VHC: resistencias a los antivirales de acción directa. Análisis molecular de subtipos poco frecuentes.
c) Estudios filogenéticos del VHD.
d) Análisis genómico del VHE.
e) Investigación etiológica de hepatitis no filiadas mediante estudios de metagenómica.
- b) VHC: resistencias a los antivirales de acción directa. Análisis molecular de subtipos poco frecuentes.
Research projects
Content with Investigacion .
1. Proyecto CIBEREPS 2022. Microbiological and genomic investigation of hepatitis in children by metagenomic approach in case and control subjects (IP: Ana Avellón).
2023-2024. En colaboración con el Hospital San Joan de Deu de Barcelona.
2. MPY 501-19: Tracking hepatitis E virus infection by means of epidemiological research and whole genome sequencing. Project TrazHE. (IP: Ana Avellón). 2020-2024.
3. Proyecto CIBEREPS 2021 Metagenomic sequencing to identify viral aetiologies in undiagnosed paediatric cases of meningitis and encephalitis (IP: D. Tarragó). 2021-2022.
4. MPY 383/19 (PEJ2018-004446-A). Ayudas para la promoción de empleo joven e implantación de la garantía juvenil en I+D+I. análisis de la complejidad de secuencias de los virus de la hepatitis A, B, C; D y E (VHA, VHB, VHC, VHD y VHE) mediante técnicas de secuenciación masiva. (IP: Ana Avellón). 2020-2021.
5. MPY 1285/16 Movilidad "Salvador de Madariaga" programa estatal de promoción de talento y su empleabilidad. (IP: Ana Avellón). 2016.
Publications
Fungired. Comparative performance of the laboratory assays used by a Diagnostic Laboratory Hub for opportunistic infections in people living with HIV. AIDS. 2020 Sep 1
Medina N, Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Mercado D, Bonilla O, Pérez JC, Aguirre L, Samayoa B, Arathoon E, Denning DW, Rodriguez-Tudela JL; Fungired. Comparative performance of the laboratory assays used by a Diagnostic Laboratory Hub for opportunistic infections in people living with HIV. AIDS. 2020 Sep 1;34(11):1625-1632. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000002631. PMID: 32694415.
PUBMED DOIPopulation-Based Program of filamentous fungi and Antifungal Resistance in Spain (FILPOP STUDY). Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013 Jul
Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo*, Emilia Mellado, Teresa Pelaez, Javier Pemán, Soledad Zapico, María Álvarez, Juan L Rodriguez-Tudela, Manuel Cuenca-Estrella Population-Based Program of filamentous fungi and Antifungal Resistance in Spain (FILPOP STUDY). Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013 Jul;57(7):3380-7. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01287-13. PMID: 28319466
PUBMED DOIThe global problem of antifungal resistance: prevalence, mechanisms, and management. Lancet Infect Dis. 2017 Dec
Perlin DS, Rautemaa-Richardson R, Alastruey-Izquierdo A. The global problem of antifungal resistance: prevalence, mechanisms, and management. Lancet Infect Dis. 2017 Dec;17(12. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(17)30316-X. PMID: 28774698.
PUBMED DOISequence Analysis of In Vivo-Expressed HIV-1 Spliced RNAs Reveals the Usage of New and Unusual Splice Sites by Viruses of Different Subtypes.
Vega Y, Delgado E, de la Barrera J, Carrera C, Zaballos Á, Cuesta I, Mariño A, Ocampo A, Miralles C, Pérez-Castro S, Álvarez H, López-Miragaya I, García-Bodas E, Díez-Fuertes F, Thomson MM. Sequence Analysis of In Vivo-Expressed HIV-1 Spliced RNAs Reveals the Usage of New and Unusual Splice Sites by Viruses of Different Subtypes. PLoS One. 2016 Jun 29;11(6):e0158525.
PUBMED DOIY155H amino acid substitution in influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses does not confer a phenotype of reduced susceptibility to neuraminidase inhibitors
Perez-Sautu U, Pozo F, Cuesta I, Monzon S, Calderon A, Gonzalez M, Molinero M, Lopez-Miragaya I, Rey S, Cañizares A, Rodriguez G, Gonzalez-Velasco C, Lackenby A, Casas I. Y155H amino acid substitution in influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses does not confer a phenotype of reduced susceptibility to neuraminidase inhibitors. Euro Surveill. 2014 Jul 10;19(27):14-20.
PUBMED DOIComparison of two highly discriminatory typing methods to analyze Aspergillus fumigatus azole resistance
Garcia-Rubio R, Escribano P, Gomez A, Guinea J, and Mellado E. Comparison of two highly discriminatory typing methods to analyze Aspergillus fumigatus azole resistance. Frontiers in Microbiology 2018. Jul 20;9:1626.
PUBMED DOIEvaluation of the possible influence of trailing and paradoxical effects on the clinical outcome of patients with candidemia.
Rueda C, Puig-Asensio M, Guinea J, Almirante B, Cuenca-Estrella M, Zaragoza O. Evaluation of the possible influence of trailing and paradoxical effects on the clinical outcome of patients with candidemia. CANDIPOP Project from GEIH-GEMICOMED (SEIMC) and REIPI. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2017 Jan; 23(1):49.e1-49.e8.
PUBMED DOIDevelopment and Validation of a High-Resolution Melting Assay To Detect Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus.
Bernal-Martínez L, Gil H, Rivero-Menéndez O, Gago S, Cuenca-Estrella M, Mellado E, Alastruey-Izquierdo A. Development and Validation of a High-Resolution Melting Assay To Detect Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2017 Nov 22;61(12). pii: e01083-17.
PUBMED DOIAdditional Information
Our objectives are research into well-established autochthonous viruses (Toscana, West Nile and Lymphocoriomeningitis), imported viruses with a vector in Spain (mainly Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya), and viruses that cause haemorrhagic fevers (such as Ebola, Lassa or Crimea Congo, which despite being autochthonous, we include in this category) without forgetting other viruses that, at any time, may become emerging viruses and cause public health alerts.
The group's main research objective is to identify and characterise the aforementioned viruses that cause disease and those circulating in our environment with pathogenic potential.
One of the cross-cutting objectives of the laboratory is to optimise methods for the detection of these viruses and their application to determine the incidence, prevalence and/or presence of the viruses in our environment.
However, in addition to methodological development, it is important to know the origin of the circulating viruses, their antigenic relationships with related viruses, the pathogenicity of the different isolates or the interactions of the agents with their host both in cell culture and in arthropod vectors when this is possible. The aim is to strengthen our role as a National Reference Laboratory for zoonoses through research.
Our objectives are research into well-established autochthonous viruses (Toscana, West Nile and Lymphocoriomeningitis), imported viruses with a vector in Spain (mainly Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya), and viruses that cause haemorrhagic fevers (such as Ebola, Lassa or Crimea Congo, which despite being autochthonous, we include in this category) without forgetting other viruses that, at any time, may become emerging viruses and cause public health alerts.
The group's main research objective is to identify and characterise the aforementioned viruses that cause disease and those circulating in our environment with pathogenic potential.
One of the cross-cutting objectives of the laboratory is to optimise methods for the detection of these viruses and their application to determine the incidence, prevalence and/or presence of the viruses in our environment.
However, in addition to methodological development, it is important to know the origin of the circulating viruses, their antigenic relationships with related viruses, the pathogenicity of the different isolates or the interactions of the agents with their host both in cell culture and in arthropod vectors when this is possible. The aim is to strengthen our role as a National Reference Laboratory for zoonoses through research.