Bacterial Taxonomy
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
Fungal burden assessment in hospital zones with different protection degrees
García-Gutiérrez L, Baena Rojas B, Ruiz M, Hernández Egido S, Ruiz-Gaitán AC, Laiz L, Pemán J, Cuétara-García MS, Mellado E & Martin-Sanchez PM. Build Environ, Volume 269, 1 February 2025, 112454
DOIDistribution of Aspergillus Species and Prevalence of Azole Resistance in clinical and environmental Samples from a Spanish Hospital during a three-year study period
Lucio J, Alcazar-Fuoli L, Gil H, Cano-Pascual S, Hernandez-Egido S, Cuetara MS and Mellado E. Mycoses. 2024 Apr;67(4):e13719.
PUBMED DOIAdditional Information
The research objectives focus on the areas of Bacterial Taxonomy and Microbiology in Public Health:
- Identification of pathogenic bacteria that are difficult to assign taxonomically
- Description of new species
- Study of bacterial population biology through typing
- Epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors for certain bacterial pathogens in different nosocomial/community settings.
These objectives are addressed from the perspective of polyphasic taxonomy (phenotypic and genotypic taxonomy) through the study of targets for genus/species assignment and phylogenetic analyses. The analysis of the virulome and resistome of certain species is approached from the perspective of complete genome sequencing.
Research on invasive infection by Streptococcus pyogenes and other beta-hemolytic streptococci has been carried out since 1994, through the Surveillance Program of the National Center for Microbiology. The typing of invasive S. pyogenes strains circulating in Spain includes determination of: serotype (emm-type); the genetic profile of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins; the antimicrobial resistance phenotype; and the genotypes of epidemiologically related strains and/or outbreaks.
The research objectives focus on the areas of Bacterial Taxonomy and Microbiology in Public Health:
- Identification of pathogenic bacteria that are difficult to assign taxonomically
- Description of new species
- Study of bacterial population biology through typing
- Epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors for certain bacterial pathogens in different nosocomial/community settings.
These objectives are addressed from the perspective of polyphasic taxonomy (phenotypic and genotypic taxonomy) through the study of targets for genus/species assignment and phylogenetic analyses. The analysis of the virulome and resistome of certain species is approached from the perspective of complete genome sequencing.
Research on invasive infection by Streptococcus pyogenes and other beta-hemolytic streptococci has been carried out since 1994, through the Surveillance Program of the National Center for Microbiology. The typing of invasive S. pyogenes strains circulating in Spain includes determination of: serotype (emm-type); the genetic profile of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins; the antimicrobial resistance phenotype; and the genotypes of epidemiologically related strains and/or outbreaks.