Pneumococcus
Research Lines
Content with Investigacion .
Virus entéricos
1. Vigilancia microbiológica y epidemiológica a nivel nacional de las infecciones causadas por enterovirus y parechovirus y de los casos de parálisis flácida aguda en menores de 15 años. Caracterización, asociación clínica y epidemiología molecular.
2. Investigación de los enterovirus y parechovirus que causan infecciones neurológicas y sistémicas severas en población pediátrica. Estudio de los factores virológicos implicados en la patogenicidad.
3. Estudio virológico de muestras ambientales (aguas residuales y tratadas para consumo) de la CAM.
4. Estudio virológico (diagnóstico y caracterización) de las infecciones gastrointestinales causadas por virus (norovirus, rotavirus y otros). Epidemiología molecular y caracterización de brotes.
Investigación y vigilancia de los poliovirus y la poliomielitis
El Laboratorio de Enterovirus (actualmente de Virus Entéricos) del CNM fue designado Laboratorio Nacional de Poliovirus en 1998 y desde entonces es certificado anualmente por la OMS, como parte del Plan Global de Erradicación de la Poliomielitis. Es responsable, junto a 3 laboratorios primarios en 3 CCAA, de la vigilancia de la poliomielitis a nivel nacional, estudiando e investigando (clínica, epidemiológica y virológicamente) todos los casos compatibles, incluidos los de parálisis flácida aguda en menores de 15 años (enfermedad de notificación obligatoria) para descartar la presencia y circulación de poliovirus en España.
Además, desde 1999 (y gracias a un convenio con el CYII) posee toda la infraestructura y metodología necesaria para realizar vigilancia medioambiental en aguas, tanto para medir la calidad de las aguas potables de ETAP, como para monitorizar la excreción de virus por parte de la población con el estudio de la presencia de poliovirus y otros enterovirus en aguas residuales de EDAR. Esto ha permitido que, a partir de marzo de este año, se estén realizando, además, ensayos de presencia de SARS-CoV-2 en las muestras procedentes de diferentes EDAR situadas en la CAM.
Investigación y referencia en infecciones por enterovirus y parechovirus
El Laboratorio también es Laboratorio de Referencia para las infecciones por Enterovirus y Parechovirus realizando: 1) el diagnostico virológico en muestras clínicas; 2) la caracterización de todos los enterovirus y parechovirus detectados (Programa de Vigilancia Microbiológica del CNM); 3) el desarrollo, mantenimiento y transferencia de métodos de diagnóstico y tipado, tanto moleculares como de cultivo viral; y 4) la investigación para profundizar en el conocimiento de aquellos virus implicados en casos de excepcional importancia clínica o epidemiológica. La larga experiencia del grupo en la propagación de cultivos virales de enterovirus y en técnicas celulares y moleculares de caracterización, ha permitido que el CNM posea una amplia colección de cepas, muy valiosa para la investigación de estos virus.
Investigación y referencia en infecciones gastrointestinales causadas por virus
Desde 2016, el laboratorio realiza: 1) el diagnostico virológico de Norovirus, Rotavirus, Adenovirus 40/41, Astrovirus y otros virus productores de gastroenteritis aguda en muestras clínicas; 2) el genotipado de los virus detectados y la caracterización de brotes; 3) el desarrollo y mantenimiento de métodos de diagnóstico y genotipado; y 4) la investigación básica y epidemiológica de aquellos virus de mayor importancia clínica.
Research projects
Content with Investigacion .
Proyectos de investigación financiados en los últimos 5 años
- Investigación de las infecciones neurológicas graves en niños causadas por enterovirus emergentes en España: EV-A71 y EV-D68 (PI18CIII/00017). Financiación: ISCIII. 2019-2021. IP: M. Cabrerizo
- Metagenomic sequencing to identify viral etiologies in undiagnosed cases of meningitis and encephalitis (PI20CIII/00005). Financiación: ISCIII. 2021-2023. IP: M.D. Fernández-García
- Investigación en infecciones por enterovirus y parechovirus que causan patologías neurológicas y sistémicas graves en población infantil (PI15CIII/00020). Financiación: ISCIII. 2016-2019. IP: M. Cabrerizo
- Aplicación de la secuenciación masiva para el diagnóstico de infecciones neurológicas de origen vírico no filiadas (PI-0216-2019). Financiación: Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Salud y Familias. 2019-2021. IP: M.D. Fernández-García (2019)/ Ana Belen Pérez-Jiménez (2020-21)
- Epidemiología y patogenia molecular de los enterovirus y parechovirus asociados a sepsis e infecciones neurológicas en población infantil en España (PI12/00904). Financiación: ISCIII. 2013-2016. IP: M. Cabrerizo
Otros proyectos de investigación relevantes en los que ha colaborado o colabora el grupo
- Dinámica de colonización e infección por E. coli enteroagregativo en poblaciones pediátricas y su asociación con la composición de la microbiota intestinal mediante análisis metagenómico (PI18CIII/00043). Financiación: ISCIII. 2019-2021. IP: S. Sánchez
- Paving the way for implementing a syndromic diagnostic scheme at the CNM for the diagnosis of diarrhoea-causing pathogens in stool samples based on molecular and metagenomics methods (PI19CIII/00029). Financiación: ISCIII. 2020-2022. IP: D. Carmena
- Engineering lactobacilli for intranasal immunization against the emerging enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) infections and prevention of acute flaccid myelitis. Financiación: ESCMID. 2019-2020. IP: M.C. Póvoa-Cabral
- Análisis epidemiológico y virológico de los agentes virales incluidos en la vacuna triple vírica: nuevos retos (PI15CIII/00023). Financiación: ISCIII. 2016-2019. IP: F. de Ory/A. Fernández
- Epidemiología general y molecular de la hepatitis E en España: ¿una zoonosis emergente? (PI080865). Financiación: ISCIII. 2009-2012. IP: M. Fogeda
- Etiología de las meningitis y encefalitis víricas en España (PI07/90154). Financiación: ISCIII. 2008-2010. IP: F. de Ory
- Investigation of the dynamics and geography of the spread of recombinant forms of human enteroviruses (WT081173MA). Financiación: Wellcome Trust. 2007-2010. IP: P. Simmonds.
Convenios
- Servicios para la realización de estudios virológicos previstos en el agua procedentes para Canal de Isabel II-Gestión (MVP-207/18). Financiación: Canal de Isabel II. 2018-2021. IP: M. Cabrerizo
- Análisis virológico en muestras de aguas procedentes del Canal de Isabel II (MVI-1005/99). Financiación: Canal de Isabel II. 2016-2017. IP: M. Cabrerizo
Publications
Immunogenicity of a third dose with mRNA-vaccines in the ChAdOx1-S/BNT162b2 vaccination regimen against SARS-CoV-2 variants.
García-Pérez J, Borobia AM, Pérez-Olmeda M, Portolés A, Castaño L, Campins-Artí M, Bertrán MJ, Bermejo M, Arribas JR, López A, Ascaso-Del-Rio A, Arana-Arri E, Fuentes Camps I, Vilella A, Cascajero A, García-Morales MT, Castillo de la Osa M, Pérez Ingidua C, Lora D, Jiménez-Santana P, Pino-Rosa S, Gómez de la Cámara A, De La Torre-Tarazona E, Calonge E, Cruces R, Belda-Iniesta C, Alcamí J, Frías J, Carcas AJ, Díez-Fuertes F. iScience. 2024; 27(9):110728
PUBMED DOILonger intervals between SARS-CoV-2 infection and mRNA-1273 doses improve the neutralization of different variants of concern
García-Pérez J, Bermejo M, Ramírez-García A, De La Torre-Tarazona HE, Cascajero A, Castillo de la Osa M, Jiménez P, Aparicio Gómez M, Calonge E, Sancho-López A, Payares-Herrera C, Layunta Acero R, Vicente-Izquierdo L, Avendaño-Solá C, Alcamí J, Pérez-Olmeda M, Díez-Fuertes F. J Med Virol. 2023; 95(3):e28679
PUBMED DOIImmune response and reactogenicity after immunization with two-doses of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine (CVnCOV) followed by a third-fourth shot with a standard mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2): RescueVacs multicenter cohort study
Ascaso-Del-Rio A, García-Pérez J, Pérez-Olmeda M, Arana-Arri E, Vergara I, Pérez-Ingidua C, Bermejo M, Castillo de la Osa M, Imaz-Ayo N, Riaño Fernández I, Astasio González O, Díez-Fuertes F, Meijide S, Arrizabalaga J, Hernández Gutiérrez L, de la Torre-Tarazona HE, Mariano Lázaro A, Vargas-Castrillón E, Alcamí J, Portolés A; RescueVac study Group. EClinicalMedicine. 2022; 51:101542
PUBMED DOIImmunogenic dynamics and SARS-CoV-2 variant neutralisation of the heterologous ChAdOx1-S/BNT162b2 vaccination: Secondary analysis of the randomised CombiVacS study
García-Pérez J, González-Pérez M, Castillo de la Osa M, Borobia AM, Castaño L, Bertrán MJ, Campins M, Portolés A, Lora D, Bermejo M, Conde P, Hernández-Gutierrez L, Carcas A, Arana-Arri E, Tortajada M, Fuentes I, Ascaso A, García-Morales MT, Erick de la Torre-Tarazona H, Arribas JR, Imaz-Ayo N, Mellado-Pau E, Agustí A, Pérez-Ingidua C, Gómez de la Cámara A, Ochando J, Belda-Iniesta C, Frías J, Alcamí J, Pérez-Olmeda M; CombiVacS study Group. EClinicalMedicine. 2022; 50:101529
PUBMED DOITranscriptomic Evidence of the Immune Response Activation in Individuals With Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Dominant 2 (LGMDD2) Contributes to Resistance to HIV-1 Infection
Diez-Fuertes F, López-Huertas MR, García-Pérez J, Calonge E, Bermejo M, Mateos E, Martí P, Muelas N, Vílchez JJ, Coiras M, Alcamí J, Rodríguez-Mora S. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022; 10:839813
PUBMED DOIImmunogenicity and reactogenicity of BNT162b2 booster in ChAdOx1-S-primed participants (CombiVacS): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial
Borobia AM, Carcas AJ, Pérez-Olmeda M, Castaño L, Bertran MJ, García-Pérez J, Campins M, Portolés A, González-Pérez M, García Morales MT, Arana-Arri E, Aldea M, Díez-Fuertes F, Fuentes I, Ascaso A, Lora D, Imaz-Ayo N, Barón-Mira LE, Agustí A, Pérez-Ingidua C, Gómez de la Cámara A, Arribas JR, Ochando J, Alcamí J, Belda-Iniesta C, Frías J; CombiVacS Study Group. Lancet. 2021; 398(10295):121-130
PUBMED DOIBroth microdilution protocol for determining antimicrobial susceptibility of Legionella pneumophila to clinically relevant antimicrobials
Sewell M, Farley C, Portal EAR, Lindsay D, Ricci ML, Jarraud S, Scaturro M, Descours G, Krøvel AV, Barton R, Boostom I, Ure R, Kese D, Gaia V, Golob M, Paukner S, Ginevra C, Afshar B, Nadarajah S, Wybo I, Michel C, Echahdi F, González-Rubio JM, González-Camacho F, Mentasti M, Flountzi AS, Petzold M, Moran-Gilad J, Uldum S, Winchell J, Wooton M, Bernard K, Jones LC, Chalker VJ, Spiller OB. J Microbiol Methods. 2025 Jan;228:107071.
PUBMED DOIEpidemiology, molecular characterisation and antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Madrid, Spain, in 2016
María D. Guerrero-Torres, María B. Menéndez, Carmen S. Guerras, Estela Tello, Juan Ballesteros, Petunia Clavo, Teresa Puerta, Mar Vera, Oskar Ayerdi, Juan C. Carrio, Inmaculada Monzo, Jorge del Romero, Julio A. Vázquez, Raquel Abad. 20. María D. Guerrero-Torres, María B. Menéndez, Carmen S. Guerras, Estela Tello, Juan Ballesteros, Petunia Clavo, Teresa Puerta, Mar Vera, Oskar Ayerdi, Juan C. Carrio, Inmaculada Monzo, Jorge del Romero, Julio A. Vázquez, Raquel Abad. Epidemiol Infect. 2019 Sep 24;147:e274
PUBMED DOIThe global meningitis genome partnership
Rodgers E, Bentley SD, Borrow R, Bratcher HB, Brisse S, Brueggemann AB, Caugant DA, Findlow J, Fox L, Glennie L, Harrison LH, Harrison OB, Heyderman RS, van Rensburg MJ, Jolley KA, Kwambana-Adams B, Ladhani S, LaForce M, Levin M, Lucidarme J, MacAlasdair N, Maclennan J, Maiden MCJ, Maynard-Smith L, Muzzi A, Oster P, Rodrigues CMC, Ronveaux O, Serino L, Smith V, van der Ende A, Vázquez J, Wang X, Yezli S, Stuart JM. J Infect. 2020; 81(4): 510-520
PUBMED DOIThe importance of microbiology reference laboratories and adequate funding for infectious disease surveillance
Shaw D, Torreblanca RA, Amin-Chowdhury Z, Bautista A, Bennett D, Broughton K, Casanova C, Choi EH, Claus H, Corcoran M, Cottrell S, Cunney R, Cuypers L, Dalby T, Davies H, de Gouveia L, Deghmane AE, Desmet S, Domenech M, Drew R, Plessis MD, Duarte C, Fuursted K, Golden A, Almeida SCG, Henares D, Henriques-Normark B, Hilty M, Hoffmann S, Humphreys H, Jacobsson S, Johnson C, Jolley KA, Kawabata A, Kozakova J, Kristinsson KG, Krizova P, Kuch A, Ladhani S, Lâm TT, Ayala MEL, Lindholm L, Litt D, Maiden MCJ, Martin I, Martiny D, Mattheus W, McCarthy ND, Meehan M, Meiring S, Mölling P, Morfeldt E, Morgan J, Mulhall R, Muñoz-Almagro C, Murdoch D, Musilek M, Novakova L, Oftadeh S, Perez-Arguello A, Pérez-Vázquez MD, Perrin M, Prevost B, Roberts M, Rokney A, Ron M, Sanabria OM, Scott KJ, Sempere J, Siira L, de Lemos APS, Sintchenko V, Skoczyńska A, Slotved HC, Smith AJ, Taha MK, Toropainen M, Tzanakaki G, Vainio A, van der Linden MPG, van Sorge NM, Varon E, Moreno JV, Vohrnova S, von Gottberg A, Yuste J, Brueggemann AB. Lancet Digit Health. 2025 Apr;7(4):e275-e281.
PUBMED DOIAntimicrobial resistance and epidemiological aspects of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the province of Lleida, Spain (2017-2024).
Cumplido A, Aramburu J, Font M, Montes M, Abad R, López E, Bernet A, Mormeneo S, Prats I, García M, Sánchez E, Bellés A. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin (Engl Ed). 2025 Mar;43(3):156-161.
PUBMED DOIExploring the sequence diversity and surface expression of Factor H-Binding Protein among invasive serogroup B meningococcal strains from selected European countries
Clark SA, Willerton L, Claus H, Carannante A, Stefanelli P, Abad R, Vázquez JA, Borrow R. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2024 Dec 31;20(1):2427471
PUBMED DOIResultado falso negativo en diversas PCR multiplex y monoplex en un episodio de bacteriemia por Neisseria meningitidis. Implicaciones diagnósticas, terapéuticas y epidemiológicas [False negative result in both multiplex and monoplex PCR in a case of Neisseria meningitidis bacteremia. Diagnostic, therapeutic and epidemiological implications]
Monforte ML, Cebollada R, Escobar MJ, Abad R, Aspiroz C. Rev Esp Quimioter. 2024 Oct;37(5):427-428
PUBMED DOIGlobal Meningococcal Initiative: Insights on antibiotic resistance, control strategies and advocacy efforts in Western Europe
Borrow R, Campbell H, Caugant DA, Cherkaoui A, Claus H, Deghmane AE, Dinleyici EC, Harrison LH, Hausdorff WP, Bajanca-Lavado P, Levy C, Mattheus W, Mikula-Pratschke C, Mölling P, Sáfadi MA, Smith V, van Sorge NM, Stefanelli P, Taha MK, Toropainen M, Tzanakaki G, Vázquez J. . J Infect. 2024; 89(6): 106335
PUBMED DOIMeningococcal disease in the Middle East: A report from the Global Meningococcal Initiative
Al-Abri SS, Abuhasan MY, Albayat SSA, Bai X, Bastaki H, Borrow R, Caugant DA, Dbaibo G, Deghmane AE, Dinleyici EC, Ghuneim N, Sheek-Hussein M, Lucidarme J, Leng S, Koliou MG, Sáfadi MAP, Salman JA, Al-Sanouri T, Smith V, Taha MK, Vázquez J, Wright C, Yezli S. J Infect. 2024; 88(2):71-76.
PUBMED DOIAntimicrobial-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Europe in 2020 compared with in 2013 and 2018: a retrospective genomic surveillance study.
Golparian D, Cole MJ, Sánchez-Busó L, Day M, Jacobsson S, Uthayakumaran T, Abad R, Bercot B, Caugant DA, Heuer D, Jansen K, Pleininger S, Stefanelli P, Aanensen DM, Bluemel B, Unemo M; Euro-GASP study group. Lancet Microbe. 2024 May;5(5):e478-e488.
PUBMED DOIContent with Investigacion .
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María Cabrerizo Sanz
Tenure Scientist and Group Leader
ORCID code: 0000-0001-7054-5696
Doctor in Chemistry, specializing in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (2000). Except for a postdoctoral period of 2 years at the Hospital de La Princesa, in which her research was related to onco-hematological diseases, the rest of her scientific career has focused on the study of infectious diseases caused by viruses and their surveillance. She joined the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in 2003, first in the Laboratory of Arbovirus and Imported Viral Diseases, then in the Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis and finally, in the Laboratory of Enterovirus (which is accredited as a National Polio Laboratory -LNP- for the WHO since 1998). She obtained the position of Tenure Scientist in 2016, at the same time she assumed the responsibility of the laboratory, currently of Enteric Viruses: Poliovirus/Enterovirus, Parechovirus and Gastroenteritis-producing Viruses, of the CNM. She has 4 scientific sexennials and 4 quinquennials recognized.
She has been and is PI of 4 consecutive research projects and 3 service contracts, from 2012 to the present, participating, in addition, in other 20 projects. As head of the LNP, she is part of the Working Group of the National Plan for the Eradication of Poliomyelitis and of the WHO European Polio Laboratory Network. She is also a member of the European Non-Polio Enterovirus Network (ENPEN), and of the national cooperation networks CIBERESP and RITIP (IdiPAZ). Since 2023 she is a Council Member from Spain of the European Society.
In total she has published 98 articles in WoS indexed journals (23 Q1 and 22 D1), being first author, senior author or correspondence author in 43 of them (H=27). She has supervised 1 PhD Thesis (2017) and 12 TFM. She is currently supervising another doctoral thesis (IMIENS-UNED). She participates as a teacher in three university masters (UCM, UAH and UV), being coordinator of the subject H2 of the Master of Virology at UCM.
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Mª Dolores Fernández García
Tenure Scientist
ORCID code: 0000-0003-0336-6596
Degree in Pharmacy (2005) and PhD from the University VII Paris Diderot in Microbiology (2010). She completed her doctoral thesis at the Pasteur Institute in Paris characterizing the molecular and cellular basis of flavivirus entry into cells. Specialist in Public Health Microbiology (European Program EUPHEM coordinated by ECDC). She has worked 3 years for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a researcher at the Pasteur Institute in Dakar (Senegal) carrying out microbiological surveillance activities and research on polioviruses and non-polio enteroviruses in West Africa. She has obtained two Miguel Servet contracts: one to work at IMIBIC in Cordoba (2019) and an intramural one to work at CNM (2020). Both were awarded for the study of neurotropic viruses applying massive sequencing for their diagnosis. In 2021 he joined the CNM-ISCIII as a Tenure Research Scientist at the Enterovirus and Viral Gastroenteritis Unit of the CNM-ISCIII. Since then, she combines her scientific activity with the assistance to the National Health System in the microbiological research of outbreaks and in the Genomic Surveillance of Enteroviruses and Gastroenteritis-producing Viruses.
She is a researcher in the Epidemiology and Public Health Area of the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBERESP-ISCIII). In addition, she is an evaluator and panelist for the HORIZON health program projects of the European Commission, the French National Agency ANRS-Emerging Infectious Diseases, R&D&I in HEALTH of the Strategic Action in Health (ISCIII) and the Andalusian Public Foundation Progreso y Salud. She has worked as scientific advisor to the Spanish Ministry of Health on Rotavirus and Polio. Since 2020 she has been teaching virology in different Spanish universities.
She has worked for WHO in the investigation of numerous outbreaks caused by viruses (Ebola, Zika, Yellow Fever, Dengue, etc.) in African and Asian countries strengthening laboratory capacities through technology transfer of diagnostic methods, training of laboratory personnel in these countries and scientific advisory tasks to the Ministries of Health. She has been the Health Coordinator of the START Project (Spanish Technical Aid Response Team) of the AECID, framed in the “Emergency Medical Teams” initiative of the WHO, participating in the establishment for Spain of a field hospital classified by the WHO as EMT Level 2 for interventions in humanitarian emergencies.
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Nerea García Ibáñez
Ayudante de Investigación de OPI. Técnico de laboratorio
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Vanesa Recio Huertas
Ayudante de Investigación de OPI. Técnico de laboratorio (apoyo)
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Ana Donoso Almenara
Contratada predoctoral pFIS
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Rubén González Sanz
Técnico Superior Especializado OPI
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Juan Camacho Padilla
Investigador predoctoral (PFIS)
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Clara Martín Martín
Investigador predoctoral (PFIS)
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Nazaret Díaz Sánchez
Técnico Superior Especializado OPI (apoyo)
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Carmen Serrano Risquez
Investigador predoctoral (CAM)
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Yasmin Biya Assiry
Técnico de laboratorio en formación (PEJ-CAM)
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Estrella Ruiz de Pedro
Técnico de laboratorio (PTA para Infraestructuras de I+D+I)
List of staff
Additional Information
The Pneumococcus Unit is in charge of two very important aspects related to pneumococcus infections, such as epidemiological surveillance and basic and translational research of diseases caused by this pathogen. Our unit contributes to the epidemiological surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), characterizing the serotypes and genotypes of invasive pneumococci circulating in Spain, as well as the evolution of antibiotic resistance in this pathogen.
Identification of culture-negative samples (CSF and pleural fluids) is performed using real-time PCR. Serotyping is performed using the Dot-blot and PCR-sequencing technique. Genotyping for the study of outbreaks and characterization of clones associated with hypervirulent and/or multiresistant strains is performed using the MLST technique and the analysis of complete genomes by massive sequencing. In addition, antibiotic susceptibility is determined following the EUCAST criteria.
Our unit belongs to the IBD-labnet network of the ECDC and annually notifies all cases of IPD to the ECDC and also to the IRIS (Invasive Respiratory Infection Surveillance) network. At the level of basic and translational research, our unit is responsible for studying and characterizing different molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity and protection related to pneumococcal infection. Among the main objectives are the molecular characterization of virulence factors, the study of different vaccine candidate proteins and determining the possible impact that tobacco smoke and the formation of biofilms have on the colonization of the respiratory tract.
The Pneumococcus Unit is in charge of two very important aspects related to pneumococcus infections, such as epidemiological surveillance and basic and translational research of diseases caused by this pathogen. Our unit contributes to the epidemiological surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), characterizing the serotypes and genotypes of invasive pneumococci circulating in Spain, as well as the evolution of antibiotic resistance in this pathogen.
Identification of culture-negative samples (CSF and pleural fluids) is performed using real-time PCR. Serotyping is performed using the Dot-blot and PCR-sequencing technique. Genotyping for the study of outbreaks and characterization of clones associated with hypervirulent and/or multiresistant strains is performed using the MLST technique and the analysis of complete genomes by massive sequencing. In addition, antibiotic susceptibility is determined following the EUCAST criteria.
Our unit belongs to the IBD-labnet network of the ECDC and annually notifies all cases of IPD to the ECDC and also to the IRIS (Invasive Respiratory Infection Surveillance) network. At the level of basic and translational research, our unit is responsible for studying and characterizing different molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity and protection related to pneumococcal infection. Among the main objectives are the molecular characterization of virulence factors, the study of different vaccine candidate proteins and determining the possible impact that tobacco smoke and the formation of biofilms have on the colonization of the respiratory tract.