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Legionella
Desde su creación hasta la actualidad, La Unidad de Legionella tiene como principal función dar apoyo científico-técnico a la Administración General del Estado, a las Comunidades Autónomas y al Sistema Nacional de Salud en el campo de la prevención y control de la legionelosis, así como llevar a cabo investigaciones científicas en el contexto de la legionelosis. Además, la Unidad de Legionella también actúa como Laboratorio de Referencia de España frente al European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), siendo miembro de la red europea de vigilancia de la legionelosis, “European Legionnaires’ Disease Surveillance Network (ELDSNet). Finalmente, la unidad también realiza una actividad docente, participando en cursos de formación especializada, así como en Máster Universitarios.
Principales líneas de investigación
Vigilancia microbiológica
Búsqueda de marcadores moleculares con capacidad de predecir el riesgo de una instalación de provocar legionelosis. Factores de virulencia de Legionella spp.
Estudio de la capacidad formadora de biofilms de Legionella spp. Colonización y dispersión.
Búsqueda de marcadores fenotípicos capaces de discriminar especies del Género Legionella; grupos y subgrupos de Legionella pneumophila.
Diferentes estructuras de biofilms en función de la cepa formadora de Legionella pneumophila. En verde la biomasa bacteriana, en rojo el exopolisacárido de la matriz extracelular.
Apoyo al Sistema Nacional de Salud de la Unidad de Legionella
La Unidad de Legionella tambien desarrolla actividades con el fin de proporcionar asistencia al sistema nacional de salud a traves de la oferta disponible en la cartera de servicios del CNM, así como a través de programas de vigilancia microbiológica.
Research projects
Content with Investigacion .
1: Título del proyecto: Búsqueda de biomarcadores de patogenicidad en Legionella spp con interés predictivo de riesgo de infección.
Investigador principal: Fernando González Camacho
Entidad financiadora: ISCIII (AESI). Referencia: MPY 341/22
Periodo: 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2025
Publications
Pulmonary BCG induces lung-resident macrophage activation and confers long-term protection against tuberculosis
7. Mata E, Tarancón R, Guerrero C, Moreo E, Moreau F, Uranga S, Gomez AB, Marinova D, Domenech M, Gonzalez-Camacho F, Monzon M, Badiola J, Dominguez-Andres J, Yuste J, Anel A, Peixoto A, Martin C, Aguilo N. Pulmonary BCG induces lung-resident macrophage activation and confers long-term protection against tuberculosis. Sci Immunol. 2021 Sep 24;6(63):eabc2934
PUBMED DOIVaccination with LytA, LytC, or Pce of Streptococcus pneumoniae Protects against Sepsis by Inducing IgGs That Activate the Complement System
Corsini B, Aguinagalde L, Ruiz S, Domenech M, Yuste J. Vaccination with LytA, LytC, or Pce of Streptococcus pneumoniae Protects against Sepsis by Inducing IgGs That Activate the Complement System. Vaccines. 2021 Feb 23;9(2):186.
PUBMED DOITyrosine kinase 2 modulates splenic B cells through type I IFN and TLR7 signaling.
Bodega-Mayor I, Delgado-Wicke P, Arrabal A, Alegría-Carrasco E, Nicolao-Gómez A, Jaén-Castaño M, Espadas C, Dopazo A, Martín-Gayo E, Gaspar ML, de Andrés B, Fernández-Ruiz E. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2024 Apr 29;81(1):199.
PUBMED DOIRoles of the multiplex real-time PCR assay and β-D-glucan in a high-risk population for intra-abdominal candidiasis (IAC)
Fortún J, Buitrago MJ, Gioia F, Gómez-Gª de la Pedrosa E, Alvarez ME, Martín-Dávila P, Pintado V, Cobeta P, Martinez-Castro N, Soriano C, Moreno I, Corral S, Muñoz P, Moreno-Jimenez G, Cuenca-Estrella M, Moreno-Guillen S. Med Mycol. 2020 Aug 1;58(6):789-796.
PUBMED DOIEuropean collaborative evaluation of the Enzygnost HBsAg 6.0 assay: performance on hepatitis B virus surface antigen variants
• Avellón A, Echevarría JM, Weber B, Weik M, Schobel U, Willems WR, Gerlich WH. European collaborative evaluation of the Enzygnost HBsAg 6.0 assay: performance on hepatitis B virus surface antigen variants. J Med Virol. 2011 Jan;83(1):95-100.
PUBMED DOIPrevalence of pSCFS7-like vectors among cfr-positive staphylococcal population in Spain.
Prevalence of pSCFS7-like vectors among cfr-positive staphylococcal population in Spain. Nguyen LTT*, Román F*, Morikawa K, Trincado P, Marcos C, Rojo-Martín MD, Cafini F. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2018 Aug;52(2):305-306.
PUBMED DOIZoonotic pathogens in fluctuating common vole (Microtus arvalis) populations: occurrence and dynamics
Rodriguez-Pastor, Ruth; Escudero, Raquel; Lambin, Xavier; Vidal, M Dolors; Gil, Horacio; Jado, Isabel; Rodriguez-Vargas, Manuela; Luque-Larena, Juan Jose; Mougeot, Francois. Zoonotic pathogens in fluctuating common vole (Microtus arvalis) populations: occurrence and dynamics. Parasitology. pp. 1 - 10. 24/09/2018.
PUBMED DOILong-range dispersal moved Francisella tularensis into Western Europe from the East
Dwibedi, Chinmay; Birdsell, Dawn; Larkeryd, Adrian; Myrtennas, Kerstin; Ohrman, Caroline; Nilsson, Elin; Karlsson, Edvin; Hochhalter, Christian; Rivera, Andrew; Maltinsky, Sara; Bayer, Brittany; Keim, Paul; Scholz, Holger C; Tomaso, Herbert; Wittwer, Matthias; Beuret, Christian; Schuerch, Nadia; Pilo, Paola; Hernandez Perez, Marta; Rodriguez-Lazaro, David; Escudero, Raquel; Anda, Pedro; Forsman, Mats; Wagner, David M; Larsson, Par; Johansson, Anders. Long-range dispersal moved Francisella tularensis into Western Europe from the East. Microbial genomics. 2 - 12, pp. e000100. 01/01/2016.
PUBMED DOIFrancisella species in ticks and animals, Iberian Peninsula
Lopes de Carvalho, I.; Toledo, A.; Carvalho, C. L.; Barandika, J. F.; Respicio-Kingry, L. B.; Garcia-Amil, C.; Garcia-Perez, A. L.; Olmeda, A. S.; Ze-Ze, L.; Petersen, J. M.; Anda, P.; Nuncio, M. S.; Escudero, R. Francisella species in ticks and animals, Iberian Peninsula. Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases. 7 - 1, pp. 159 - 165. Elsevier GMBH, Urban & Fischer Verlag, 01/01/2016.
PUBMED DOIStable levels of Coxiella burnetii prevalence in dairy sheep flocks but changes in genotype distribution after a 10-year period in northern Spain
Álvarez-Alonso R, Barandika JF, Ruiz-Fons F, Ortega-Araiztegi I, Jado I, Hurtado A, García-Pérez AL. Stable levels of Coxiella burnetii prevalence in dairy sheep flocks but changes in genotype distribution after a 10-year period in northern Spain. Acta Vet Scand. 2018 Nov 20;60(1):75.
PUBMED DOIEvidence for Suppression of Onchocerciasis Transmission in Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea
Moya L, Herrador Z, Ta-Tang TH, Rubio JM, Perteguer MJ, Hernandez-González A, García B, Nguema R, Nguema J, Ncog P, Garate T, Benito A, Sima A and Aparicio P. Evidence for Suppression of Onchocerciasis Transmission in Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2016; 10(7): e0004829.
PUBMED DOILAMP kit for diagnosis of non-falciparum malaria in Plasmodium ovale infected patients
Cuadros J, Martin Ramírez A, González IJ, Ding XC, Perez Tanoira R, Rojo-Marcos G, Gómez-Herruz P, Rubio JM. LAMP kit for diagnosis of non-falciparum malaria in Plasmodium ovale infected patients. Malar J. 2017 Jan 7;16(1):20.
PUBMED DOIPlasmodium species differentiation by non-expert on-line volunteers for remote malaria field diagnosis
Ortiz-Ruiz A, Postigo M, Gil-Casanova S, Cuadrado D, Bautista JM, Rubio JM, Luengo-Oroz M, Linares M. Plasmodium species differentiation by non-expert on-line volunteers for remote malaria field diagnosis. Malar J. 2018 Jan 30;17(1):54.
PUBMED DOIStudy of the diagnostic accuracy of microbiological techniques in the diagnosis of malaria in the immigrant population in Madrid
Martín-Díaz A, Rubio JM, Herrero-Martínez JM, Lizasoain M, Ruiz-Giardin JM, Jaqueti J, Cuadros J, Rojo-Marcos G, Martín-Rabadán P, Calderón M, Campelo C, Velasco M, Pérez-Ayala A. Study of the diagnostic accuracy of microbiological techniques in the diagnosis of malaria in the immigrant population in Madrid. Malar J. 2018 Aug 29;17(1):314.
PUBMED DOIContent with Investigacion .
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Almudena Cascajero Díaz
Técnico de laboratorio
ORCID code: 0000-0002-9654-3100
Técnico Superior de Actividades Técnicas y Profesionales (Unidades de Inmunopatología del SIDA y Legionella, Centro Nacional de Microbiología). Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Technician by IES Renacimiento de Madrid.
Experience in cloning techniques and characterization of neutralizing antibodies and participation in different projects on the pathogenesis of HIV by studying the viral envelope and the mechanisms of resistance to antiretroviral drugs. This experience has subsequently allowed me to participate in 5 multicenter clinical studies studying the immune response against different variants of SARS-CoV-2.
Since 2021, I also participate as a laboratory technician in the Legionella Unit as a support to the Spanish National Health System through the microbiological surveillance of the disease to contribute to the prevention and control of legionellosis.
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Laura del Estal Gómez
Ayudante de investigación
ORCID code: 0009-0000-2773-8986
Graduada en Biología Sanitaria por la Universidad de Alcalá. Máster Universitario en Microbiología Aplicada a la Salud Pública e Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas.
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Caroline Stephanie Crisóstomo Vergara
Técnico de Laboratorio
ORCID code: 0009-0008-0525-1737
Técnico de Laboratorio. Técnico superior de Laboratorio Clínico y Biomédico por la Escuela Técnica de Enseñanzas Especializadas de Madrid. Máster en Microbiología Clínica por el Instituto Europeo de Química, Física y Biología de Madrid.
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Fernando González Camacho
Científico Titular
ORCID code: 0000-0003-3175-9004
Licenciado en Ciencias Biológicas por la Universidad de Salamanca y Doctor por la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Actualmente, es Científico Titular de plantilla en el Centro Nacional de Microbiología (CNM) del Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). Responsable de la Unidad de Legionella del Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Enfermedades Bacterianas transmitidas por agua y alimentos.
A nivel europeo es sustituto (Alternate) al National Focal Point para la enfermedad del legionario en el ECDC y es OCP (Operational Contact Point) en microbiología para la legionelosis en la European Legionnaires' Disease Surveillance Network (ELDSNet).
Coordina las líneas de investigación del laboratorio que se desarrollan en tres perspectivas diferentes: en las instalaciones colonizadas, estudios sobre la resistencia a los tratamientos y su persistencia; en la clínica, sobre factores de virulencia y su interacción con el sistema inmune; y en la vigilancia microbiológica, sobre la mejorar de los métodos de caracterización del microorganismo.
Es Investigador Principal en el proyecto “Búsqueda de biomarcadores de patogenicidad en Legionella spp con interés predictivo de riesgo de infección".
Es miembro de distintas sociedades científicas como son la Sociedad Española de Salud Ambiental (SESA), Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica (SEIMC) y la European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID).
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Juana María González Rubio
Científica Titular
ORCID code: 0000-0001-6979-2964
La Dra. Juana María González Rubio es Licenciada en Bioquímica por la Universidad de Salamanca y Doctora por la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Actualmente, es Científico Titular de plantilla en el Centro Nacional de Microbiología del Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), donde trabaja en la Unidad de Legionella del Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Enfermedades Bacterianas transmitidas por agua y alimentos.
Dentro del laboratorio, realiza las actividades propias del Programa de Vigilancia Microbiológica de Legionella, y lleva las líneas de investigación del laboratorio sobre la caracterización de biofilms y la puesta a punto de nuevas técnicas para la caracterización de Legionella. También forma parte del equipo investigador del proyecto “Búsqueda de marcadores de patogenicidad para el análisis de riesgos en las instalaciones".
Anteriormente, ha trabajado en la Unidad de Biomonitorización humana del Centro Nacional de Sanidad Ambiental (ISCIII) participando en diferentes proyectos de investigación relacionados con la Sanidad Ambiental, siendo el último más destacado el proyecto “HBM4EU" en el que ha trabajado hasta junio de 2023.
List of staff
Additional Information
Contact Information
María Teresa Coiras
918223782
mcoiras@isciii.es
generic email: pirv.isciii@gmail.com
Scientific Societies
• Spanis Society for Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC).
• AIDS Study Group (GeSIDA) of SEIMC.
• PIRV is member of the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, group CB21/13/00015).
Other links
You can follow the activity of our group in Twitter (X), Instagram and Linkedin.
Collaboration in other projects
Project Title: Rectal microbiota as a factor associated with vulnerability to repeated sexually transmitted infections. Microsex Studio
Principal investigators: Vicente Estrada Pérez (San Carlos Clinical Hospital)
Financing agency: Strategic Action in Health (AES) 2023
Participating entities: San Carlos Clinical Hospital, ISCIII
Duration: 01/01/2024-12/31/2026. Contract/project file: PI23/01545
Project title: Prospective, observational, longitudinal, multicenter study to evaluate clinical efficacy, safety and immunogenicity developed in individuals with Philadelphia-negative Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms treated with JAK inhibitors after receiving full vaccination with Adjuvanted Herpes Zoster Subunit vaccine (Shingrix)
Principal investigators: Valentín García Gutiérrez (Hospital Univ Ramón y Cajal)
Funding agency: GSK Glaxo Smithkline
Participating entities: IRYCIS, ISCIII
Duration: 01/01/2024 – 12/31/2024
Project title: Infection in Solid Organ Transplant recipients: correlation with immune function. Identification of predictive biomarkers and feasibility evaluation with CD45RAneg cell therapy
Principal investigators: Alejandro Luna de Abia, Jesús Fortún (Univ Ramón y Cajal Hospital)
Financing agency: Strategic Health Action (AES) 2023
Participating entities: IRYCIS, ISCIII
Duration: 01/01/2024-12/31/2026
Contract/project file: PI23/01924
Project title: Evaluation of the levels of the System associated with BLyS in patients with post-infectious syndromes and dysautonomic alterations of the heart rhythm
Principal researcher: Pablo Guisado
Funding agency: Spanish Society of Internal Medicine SEMI.
Participating entities: ISCIII, Quironsalud Research Institute for Research and Innovation
Duration 2023-2025
Project title: HIV Open Science (dissemination project)
Principal researcher: Eva Poveda
Financing agency: Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), Call for aid for the Promotion of Scientific, Technological and Innovation Culture.
Participating entities: ISCIII, Fundación Biomédica Galicia Sur, IrsiCaixa, Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Hospital de la Princesa, Fundación Imagina Más, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, Ohio)
Duration 2023-2024
Contract/project file: 17715
Project title: Identification of immunological biomarkers associated with the cellular and humoral immune response related to vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with HIV (Annual renewal).
Principal investigator: Rafael Rodríguez Rosado
Funding agency: Alfonso X El Sabio University-Santander Universities. XIII Call for Research Projects.
Participating entities: ISCIII, Severo Ochoa University Hospital
Duration 04/01/2023 – 04/01/2024
Contract/project file: 1,013,006
Project title: Clinical and microbiological impact of the monkeypox virus outbreak in patients in Spain (2022): multicenter project MONKPOX-ESP22, Work package 4, virological research.
Principal researcher: Anabel Negredo (WP4 coordinator); Maria Paz Sánchez Seco (general coordinator)
Financing agency: CIBERINFEC/CIBERESP ISCIII Strategic Action.
Participating entities: ISCIII
Duration July 2022 - May 2023
Contract/project file: MONKPOX-ESP22
Project title: Biomarkers and underlying immunopathological mechanisms of post COVID-19 condition.
Principal investigator: Gemma Moncunill Piñas (IP); Marta Massanella (coIP); María Teresa Coiras López (co-PI)
Financing agency: CIBERINFEC Strategic Action.
Participating entities: ISCIII, IS-Global, IrsiCaixa
Duration 07/28/2022-07/29/2024
Contract/project file: IM22/INF/5
Project title: Identification of immunological biomarkers associated with the cellular and humoral immune response related to vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with HIV.
Principal investigator: Rafael Rodríguez Rosado
Funding agency: Alfonso X El Sabio University-Santander Universities. XIII Call for Research Projects.
Participating entities: ISCIII, Severo Ochoa University Hospital
Duration 04/01/2022 – 04/01/2023
Contract/project file: 1,013,006
Project title: Characterization of the immune response developed after vaccination with COVID-19 in patients with hematological malignancies.
Principal researcher: Valentín García Gutiérrez
Funding agency: Ministry of Science and Innovation, PI21 - Health research projects (AES 2021). Health research project modality.
Participating entities: ISCIII, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital
Duration 01/01/2022 – 12/31/2024
Contract/project file: PI21_00877
Contact Information
María Teresa Coiras
918223782
mcoiras@isciii.es
generic email: pirv.isciii@gmail.com
Scientific Societies
• Spanis Society for Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC).
• AIDS Study Group (GeSIDA) of SEIMC.
• PIRV is member of the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, group CB21/13/00015).
Other links
You can follow the activity of our group in Twitter (X), Instagram and Linkedin.
Collaboration in other projects
Project Title: Rectal microbiota as a factor associated with vulnerability to repeated sexually transmitted infections. Microsex Studio
Principal investigators: Vicente Estrada Pérez (San Carlos Clinical Hospital)
Financing agency: Strategic Action in Health (AES) 2023
Participating entities: San Carlos Clinical Hospital, ISCIII
Duration: 01/01/2024-12/31/2026. Contract/project file: PI23/01545
Project title: Prospective, observational, longitudinal, multicenter study to evaluate clinical efficacy, safety and immunogenicity developed in individuals with Philadelphia-negative Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms treated with JAK inhibitors after receiving full vaccination with Adjuvanted Herpes Zoster Subunit vaccine (Shingrix)
Principal investigators: Valentín García Gutiérrez (Hospital Univ Ramón y Cajal)
Funding agency: GSK Glaxo Smithkline
Participating entities: IRYCIS, ISCIII
Duration: 01/01/2024 – 12/31/2024
Project title: Infection in Solid Organ Transplant recipients: correlation with immune function. Identification of predictive biomarkers and feasibility evaluation with CD45RAneg cell therapy
Principal investigators: Alejandro Luna de Abia, Jesús Fortún (Univ Ramón y Cajal Hospital)
Financing agency: Strategic Health Action (AES) 2023
Participating entities: IRYCIS, ISCIII
Duration: 01/01/2024-12/31/2026
Contract/project file: PI23/01924
Project title: Evaluation of the levels of the System associated with BLyS in patients with post-infectious syndromes and dysautonomic alterations of the heart rhythm
Principal researcher: Pablo Guisado
Funding agency: Spanish Society of Internal Medicine SEMI.
Participating entities: ISCIII, Quironsalud Research Institute for Research and Innovation
Duration 2023-2025
Project title: HIV Open Science (dissemination project)
Principal researcher: Eva Poveda
Financing agency: Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), Call for aid for the Promotion of Scientific, Technological and Innovation Culture.
Participating entities: ISCIII, Fundación Biomédica Galicia Sur, IrsiCaixa, Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Hospital de la Princesa, Fundación Imagina Más, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, Ohio)
Duration 2023-2024
Contract/project file: 17715
Project title: Identification of immunological biomarkers associated with the cellular and humoral immune response related to vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with HIV (Annual renewal).
Principal investigator: Rafael Rodríguez Rosado
Funding agency: Alfonso X El Sabio University-Santander Universities. XIII Call for Research Projects.
Participating entities: ISCIII, Severo Ochoa University Hospital
Duration 04/01/2023 – 04/01/2024
Contract/project file: 1,013,006
Project title: Clinical and microbiological impact of the monkeypox virus outbreak in patients in Spain (2022): multicenter project MONKPOX-ESP22, Work package 4, virological research.
Principal researcher: Anabel Negredo (WP4 coordinator); Maria Paz Sánchez Seco (general coordinator)
Financing agency: CIBERINFEC/CIBERESP ISCIII Strategic Action.
Participating entities: ISCIII
Duration July 2022 - May 2023
Contract/project file: MONKPOX-ESP22
Project title: Biomarkers and underlying immunopathological mechanisms of post COVID-19 condition.
Principal investigator: Gemma Moncunill Piñas (IP); Marta Massanella (coIP); María Teresa Coiras López (co-PI)
Financing agency: CIBERINFEC Strategic Action.
Participating entities: ISCIII, IS-Global, IrsiCaixa
Duration 07/28/2022-07/29/2024
Contract/project file: IM22/INF/5
Project title: Identification of immunological biomarkers associated with the cellular and humoral immune response related to vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with HIV.
Principal investigator: Rafael Rodríguez Rosado
Funding agency: Alfonso X El Sabio University-Santander Universities. XIII Call for Research Projects.
Participating entities: ISCIII, Severo Ochoa University Hospital
Duration 04/01/2022 – 04/01/2023
Contract/project file: 1,013,006
Project title: Characterization of the immune response developed after vaccination with COVID-19 in patients with hematological malignancies.
Principal researcher: Valentín García Gutiérrez
Funding agency: Ministry of Science and Innovation, PI21 - Health research projects (AES 2021). Health research project modality.
Participating entities: ISCIII, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital
Duration 01/01/2022 – 12/31/2024
Contract/project file: PI21_00877