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Respiratory viruses and Influenza

Research Lines

Content with Investigacion Entomología Médica .

The Laboratory of Medical Entomology (LME) develops an intense reference and research activity, focused on the field of disease vectors of interest in Public Health. The LME has an insectary where biological cycles of insect vectors are currently maintained, allowing the performance, among others, of vector competence and xenodiagnostic studies. The LME supports the national health system by offering techniques available in the portfolio of services for the taxonomic identification of arthropods of health interest. In addition, it performs entomological surveillance of outbreaks, supporting Surveillance Plans. In particular, the LME plays a leading role in the Entomological Surveillance Plan for Leishmaniasis in the Community of Madrid. On the other hand, the LME offers scientific advice to the CCAES (Centro de Coordinación de Alertas y Emergencias Sanitarias, Ministerio de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social), and participates in the elaboration of reports and rapid risk assessments.


 

The main research lines of the Laboratory of Medical Entomology are:

1. Maintenance of insect vector colonies: phlebotomine sand flies (Phlebotomus perniciosus, Phlebotomus papatasi and Phlebotomus argentipes, vectors of Leishmania infantum, Leishmania major and Leishmania donovani, respectively), Culex and Aedes mosquitoes (vectors of various arboviruses) and Rhodnius prolixus (vector of Trypanosoma cruzi). 
2. Biology of disease vectors of public health interest: biology, vector competence, experimental infections. The CNM has a BSL3 safety laboratory to carry out vector competence studies with culicidae and phlebotomine sand flies.
3. Entomological sampling, infectivity of potential reservoirs of leishmaniasis.
4. Insecticides and repellents: evaluation of their efficacy. 
5. Characterization of saliva proteins of hematophagous Diptera: genomics, proteomics, biochemistry and gene editing. Study of salivary proteins as markers of bite exposure, virulence factors and/or vaccines.
6. Xenodiagnosis of leishmaniasis.
7. Molecular biology and taxonomy of phlebotomine sand flies. Molecular detection of Leishmania infantum in phlebotomine sand flies and characterization of Leishmania spp. Molecular identification of blood ingested by vectors.

Research projects

Content with Investigacion Entomología Médica .

CURRENT PROJECTS

Project title: "Biochemical and functional characterisation of salivary proteins of Phlebotomus perniciosus and their role in infection by Leishmania infantum (PERNIPROT)"
Reference: Project PID2023-147773NA-I00 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by FEDER, EU.
Start date: 01/09/2024
End date: 31/08/2028
Funding: €175,000
Principal investigator: Inés Elena Martín Martín. 
Funding agency: Agencia Estatal de Investigación (Proyecto de Generación del Conocimiento 2023).


 

Project title: "Surveillance of leishmaniasis in the Community of Madrid from a “One Health” perspective: study of the infectious capacity of patients with visceral leishmaniasis and their role as reservoirs"
Reference: PI24CIII/00026
Start date: 01/01/2025
End date: 31/12/2027
Funding: €60,000.00
Principal investigator: Inés Elena Martín Martín. 
Co-principal investigator: Maribel Jiménez Alonso
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Strategic Action in Intramural Health, AESI). 

Service Contract: "Analysis for the surveillance of the vector and wild reservoirs that transmit leishmaniasis in the Community of Madrid"
Reference: file no. 17/2024 (A/SER-008455/2024).
Start date: 26/06/2024
End date: 10/12/25, extendable to 2026
Total funding: €171,084
Principal Investigator: Maribel Jiménez Alonso
Funding agency: Service Contract between the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the Directorate-General for Public Health, Regional Ministry of Health of the Community of Madrid 

Project Title: CIBERINFEC Research Group (CB21/13/00110)
Start date: 2021
End date: currently active
Principal Investigator: Dr. Mª Paz Sánchez-Seco, Arbovirus and Imported Viral Diseases Unit. 
Researchers from the Medical Entomology Laboratory: Maribel Jiménez (member), Inés Martín Martín (collaborator).
Funding: €108,134. File number: CB21/13/00110.
Funding agency: Consortium Centre for Biomedical Research in NETWORK (CIBER)


 

PAST PROJECTS

Service Contract: "Evaluation of the anti-leishmania effect of the bacteria Tc1 and its derivatives in the intravectorial cycle"
Reference: ISCIII-06896
Start date: 15/12/2022
End date: 15/04/2025
Funding: €71,265.67
Principal Investigator: Inés Elena Martín Martín
Funding agency: Service Contract between the company GlaxoSmithKline R&D (GSK) and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III

Service Contract: "Analysis for the surveillance of the vector and wild reservoirs that transmit leishmaniasis in the Community of Madrid"
Reference: 59/2020 (A/SER-040739/2020)
Start date: 10/12/2021
End date: 10/12/2023.   
Funding: €42,612.17 per year   Total 2021-2023: €127,836.51
Principal Investigators: Ricardo Molina /Maribel Jiménez Alonso
Funding agency: Service contract between the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and the Directorate-General for Public Health, Regional Ministry of Health of the Community of Madrid

Project title: "Research and Integrated Surveillance of Emerging Arboviruses West Nile, Toscana and Dengue in some areas of Spain"
Reference: PI19CIII/00014
Start date: 2020
End date: 2022
Principal Investigator: Ana Vázquez González
Co-Principal Investigator: Ricardo Molina
Funding: €60,000.00
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Strategic Action in Intramural Health, AESI).

Project title: "Characterisation of the concept of ‘asymptomatic carrier’ in leishmaniasis: implications for treatment".
Start date: 01/01/2015
End date: 31/12/2017
Principal investigators: Javier Moreno and Javier García
Funding: €159,940
Funding agency: Study Agreement between Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), the Spanish Foundation for International Cooperation, Health and Social Policy (FCSAI) and Fuenlabrada Hospital. Subcontractor: ISCIII Medical Entomology Unit (Maribel Jiménez and Ricardo Molina).

Project title: "Biology and control of vector-borne infections in Europe (EDENext Collaborative Project): Sandfly-borne diseases".  
Reference: Subproject (PBD) (EU, FP7-HEALTH-2010-single-stage, contract No. 261504).
Start date: 2011
End date: 2014
Principal investigator: Ricardo Molina     General coordinator: Petr Volf
Funding: €140,000
Funding agency: EU-FP7

Project Title: "Phlebotomus perniciosus saliva as a source in the search for potential targets for the development of vaccines against Leishmania infantum"
Reference: AGL2008-01592/GAN (MICINN)
Start date: 2009
End date: 2011
Principal investigator: Ricardo Molina
Funding: €70,180
Funding agency: Ministry of Science and Innovation

Publications

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Multidisciplinary Group of viral coinfection HIV/Hepatitis (COVIHEP). HCV-coinfection is related to an increased HIV-1 reservoir size in cART-treated HIV patients: a cross-sectional study.

López-Huertas MR, Palladino C, Garrido-Arquero M, Esteban-Cartelle B, Sánchez-Carrillo M, Martínez-Román P, Martín-Carbonero L, Ryan P, Domínguez-Domínguez L, Santos ID, Moral SDLF, Benito JM, Rallón N, Alcamí J, Resino S, Fernández-Rodríguez A, Coiras M, Briz V*, on behalf of the Multidisciplinary Group of viral coinfection HIV/Hepatitis (COVIHEP). HCV-coinfection is related to an increased HIV-1 reservoir size in cART-treated HIV patients: a cross-sectional study. Sci Rep 2019: 9 (1); 5606.

PUBMED DOI

Persistent Low-Level Viremia in treatment HIV infection: An unresolved status.

3. Crespo-Bermejo C, Ramírez de Arellano E, Lara-Aguilar V, Martínez-Román P, Arca Lafuente S, Gómez-Lus ML, Martín-Carbonero L, Briz V. Persistent Low-Level Viremia in treatment HIV infection: An unresolved status. Virulencia 2021, 12: 2919-2931.

PUBMED DOI

Full coding hepatitis E virus genotype 3 genome amplification method.

Muñoz-Chimeno M, Forero JE, Echevarría JM, Muñoz-Bellido JL, Vázquez-López L, Morago L, García-Galera MC, Avellón A. Full coding hepatitis E virus genotype 3 genome amplification method. J Virol Methods. 2016 Apr;230:18-23.

PUBMED DOI

Comparative sensitivity of commercial tests for hepatitis E genotype 3 virus antibody detection.

• Avellón A, Morago L, García-Galera del Carmen M, Muñoz M, Jose-Manuel Echevarría JM. Comparative sensitivity of commercial tests for hepatitis E genotype 3 virus antibody detection. J Med Virol. 2015 Nov;87(11):1934-9.

PUBMED DOI

Epidemiology and predictive factors for early and late mortality in Candida bloodstream infections: a population-based surveillance in Spain

11: Puig-Asensio M, Padilla B, Garnacho-Montero J, Zaragoza O, Aguado JM, Zaragoza R, Montejo M, Muñoz P, Ruiz-Camps I, Cuenca-Estrella M, Almirante B; CANDIPOP Project; GEIH-GEMICOMED (SEIMC); REIPI. Epidemiology and predictive factors for early and late mortality in Candida bloodstream infections: a population-based surveillance in Spain. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2014 Apr;20(4):O245-54.

PUBMED DOI

B Pérez de Val, B Romero, MT Tórtola, L Herrera-León, P Pozo, I Mercader, JL Sáez, M Domingo, E Vidal. Poly-resistant Mycobacterium bovis infection in a human and sympatric sheep, Spain, 2017-2018

B Pérez de Val, B Romero, MT Tórtola, L Herrera-León, P Pozo, I Mercader, JL Sáez, M Domingo, E Vidal. Poly-resistant Mycobacterium bovis infection in a human and sympatric sheep, Spain, 2017-2018. Emerg Infect Dis. 2021 Apr;27(4):1241-1243. doi: 10.3201/eid2704.204467. PMID: 33755008.

DOI

L Bernal-Martínez; L Herrera-Leon; C Valero; P de la Cruz; L Ghimpu; AC Mesa-Arango; G Santoni; L Goterris; R Millán; MJ Buitrago. Differential Diagnosis of Fungal Pneumonias vs.Tuberculosis in AIDS Patients by Using Two New Molecular Methods.

L Bernal-Martínez; L Herrera-Leon; C Valero; P de la Cruz; L Ghimpu; AC Mesa-Arango; G Santoni; L Goterris; R Millán; MJ Buitrago. Differential Diagnosis of Fungal Pneumonias vs.Tuberculosis in AIDS Patients by Using Two New Molecular Methods. J. Fungi 2021, 7, 336. doi.org: 10.3390/jof7050336. PMID: 33925404.

DOI

E Tagliani, RAnthony, TA Kohl, A de Neeling, V Nikolayevskyy, C Ködmön, FP Maurer, S Niemann, D van Soolingen, MJ van der Werf, D Cirillo, ECDC molecular surveillance project participants. Use of a whole genome sequencing-based approach for Mycobacterium tuberculosis surveillance in Europe in 2017-2019: an ECDC pilot study

E Tagliani, RAnthony, TA Kohl, A de Neeling, V Nikolayevskyy, C Ködmön, FP Maurer, S Niemann, D van Soolingen, MJ van der Werf, D Cirillo, ECDC molecular surveillance project participants. Use of a whole genome sequencing-based approach for Mycobacterium tuberculosis surveillance in Europe in 2017-2019: an ECDC pilot study. Eur Respir J. 2021 Jan 5;57(1):2002272. doi: 10.1183/13993003.02272-2020. Print 2021 Jan. PMID: 32732329.

DOI

MJ Iglesias, D Ibarz, A Cebollada, J Comín, MS Jiménez, MC Vázquez, S Samper, Spanish Working Group on MDRTB. The value of the continuous genotyping of multidrug resistant tuberculosis over 20 years in Spain.

MJ Iglesias, D Ibarz, A Cebollada, J Comín, MS Jiménez, MC Vázquez, S Samper, Spanish Working Group on MDRTB. The value of the continuous genotyping of multidrug resistant tuberculosis over 20 years in Spain. Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 24;10(1):20433. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-77249-x. PMID: 33235225.

DOI

S Campos-Gutierrez, MJ Ramos-Real, R Abreu, MS Jimenez, M Lecuona. Pseudo-ourbreak of Mycobacterium fortuitum, in a hospital bronchoscopy unit.

S Campos-Gutierrez, MJ Ramos-Real, R Abreu, MS Jimenez, M Lecuona. Pseudo-ourbreak of Mycobacterium fortuitum, in a hospital bronchoscopy unit. Am J Infect Control. 2020 Jul;48(7):765-769. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2019.11.019. Epub 2019 Dec 24. PMID: 31882175.

DOI

Gascha , Y Meijeb, M Espasac, B Fonta, MS Jiménez, N Fernández-Hidalgo. Disseminated Infection Due to Mycobacterium chimaera After Aortic Valve Replacement.

Gascha , Y Meijeb, M Espasac, B Fonta, MS Jiménez, N Fernández-Hidalgo. Disseminated Infection Due to Mycobacterium chimaera After Aortic Valve Replacement. Revista Española de cardiología. 2019. Vol 72 (6):502-503. DOI: 10.1016/j.rec.2018.06.026. PMID: 30029979

DOI

PBMCs gene expression signature of advanced cirrhosis with high risk for clinically significant portal hypertension in HIV/HCV coinfected patients: A cross-control study

2. Salgüero S, Brochado-Kith O, Virseda Verdices A, Berenguer J, González-García J, Martínez I, Díez C, Hontañón V, Pérez-Latorre L, Fernández-Rodríguez A (‡), Jiménez-Sousa MA (‡,*), and Resino S (‡, *). PBMCs gene expression signature of advanced cirrhosis with high risk for clinically significant portal hypertension in HIV/HCV coinfected patients: A cross-control study. Biomed Pharmacother 2023, 159:114220. (A; FI= 7.42; D1, Pharmacology & Pharmacy; JCR 2021). PMID: 36628818. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114220.

PUBMED

Low anti-SARS-CoV-2 S antibody levels predict increased mortality and dissemination of viral components in the blood of critical COVID-19 patients

4. Martin-Vicente M, Almansa R, Martínez I, Tedim AP, Bustamante E, Tamayo L, Aldecoa C, Gómez JM, Renedo G, Berezo JA, Cedeño JA, Mamolar N, García Olivares P, Herrán-Monge R, Cicuendez R, Enríquez P, Ortega A, Jorge N, Doncel C, Fuente A, Bustamante-Munguira J, Muñoz-Gómez MJ, González-Rivera M, Puertas C, Más V, Vázquez M, Pérez-García F, Rico-Feijoo J, Martín S, Motos A, Fernandez-Barat L, Eiros JM, Domínguez-Gil M, Ferrer R, Barbé F, Trapiello W, Kelvin DJ (¥), Bermejo-Martin JF (* ¥), Resino S (¥), Torres A (* ¥). Low anti-SARS-CoV-2 S antibody levels predict increased mortality and dissemination of viral components in the blood of critical COVID-19 patients. J Intern Med. 2022, 291(2):232–240. (A; FI= 13.07; D1, Medicine, General & Internal; JCR 2021). PMID: 34611927. DOI: 10.1111/joim.13386.

PUBMED

Prevalence and factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in the Spanish HIV Research Network Cohort

5. Berenguer J (*), Díez C, Martín-Vicente M, Mican R, Pérez-Elías MJ, García-Fraile LJ, Vidal F, Suárez-García I, Podzamcer D, Del Romero J, Pulido F, Iribarren JA, Gutiérrez F, Poveda E, Galera C, Izquierdo R, Asensi V, Portilla J, López JC, Arribas JR, Moreno S, González-García J, Resino S (‡), Jarrín I (‡). Prevalence and factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in the Spanish HIV Research Network Cohort. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2021, 27(11):1678-1684. (A; FI= 13.31; D1, Microbiology; JCR 2021). PMID: 34186209 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2021.06.023.

PUBMED

Environmental factors linked to hospital admissions in young children due to acute viral lower respiratory infections: A bidirectional case-crossover study

6. Álvaro-Meca A, Goez MC, Resino R, Matías V, Sepúlveda-Crespo D; Martínez I, Resino S (*). Environmental factors linked to hospital admissions in young children due to acute viral lower respiratory infections: a bidirectional case-crossover study. Environ Res. 2022. 212(Pt B), 113319. (A; FI= 8.43; D1, Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; JCR 2021). PMID: 35447151. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113319.

PUBMED

Detection of active hepatitis C in a single visit and linkage to care among marginalized people using a mobile unit in Madrid, Spain

7. Ryan P, Valencia J, Cuevas G, Torres-Macho J, Troya J, Pueyo A, Muñoz-Gómez MJ, Muñoz-Rivas N, Vázquez-Morón S, Martínez, I, Lazarus JV, Resino S (*). Detection of active hepatitis C in a single visit and link-to-care among excluded people using a mobile unit in Madrid, Spain. Int J Drug Policy. 2021, 96:103424. (A; FI= 5.93; Q1, Substance Abuse; JCR 2021). PMID: 34429222 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103424.

PUBMED

María José Ruiz-Lopéz, Milagros Muñoz-Chimeno, Jordi Figuerola, Ana M. Gavilán, Sarai Varona, Isabel Cuesta, Josué Martínez-de la Puente, Angel Zaballos, Francisca Molero, Ramón C. Soriguer, Mª Paz Sánchez-Seco, Santiago Ruiz, Ana Vázquez. Genomic analysis of West Nile virus lineage 1 isolated from mosquitoes

María José Ruiz-Lopéz, Milagros Muñoz-Chimeno, Jordi Figuerola, Ana M. Gavilán, Sarai Varona, Isabel Cuesta, Josué Martínez-de la Puente, Angel Zaballos, Francisca Molero, Ramón C. Soriguer, Mª Paz Sánchez-Seco, Santiago Ruiz, Ana Vázquez. Genomic analysis of West Nile virus lineage 1 isolated from mosquitoes from 2020-2021 outbreak occurred in Andalusia, Spain. Viruses 2023, 15, 266. https://doi.org/10.3390/v15020266

DOI

Jordi Figuerola, Miguel Ángel Jiménez-Clavero, María José Ruíz-López, Francisco Llorente, Santiago Ruiz, Andreas Hoefer, Pilar Aguilera-Sepúlveda, Jéssica Jiménez Peñuela1, Olaya García-Ruiz, Laura Herrero, Ramón C. Soriguer, Raúl Fernández Delgado, Mari Paz Sánchez-Seco, Josué Martínez-de la Puente, Ana Vázquez. A One Health view of the West Nile virus outbreak in Andalusía (Spain) in 2020

Jordi Figuerola, Miguel Ángel Jiménez-Clavero, María José Ruíz-López, Francisco Llorente, Santiago Ruiz, Andreas Hoefer, Pilar Aguilera-Sepúlveda, Jéssica Jiménez Peñuela1, Olaya García-Ruiz, Laura Herrero, Ramón C. Soriguer, Raúl Fernández Delgado, Mari Paz Sánchez-Seco, Josué Martínez-de la Puente, Ana Vázquez. A One Health view of the West Nile virus outbreak in Andalusía (Spain) in 2020. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2022 Dec;11(1):2570-2578. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2134055.

DOI

HCV eradication with IFN-based therapy does not completely restore gene expression in PBMCs from HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.

10.1186/s40249-021-00894-5. 9. Brochado O, Martínez I (*), Berenguer J, Medrano L, González-García J, Jiménez-Sousa MA, Carrero A, Hontañón V, Navarro J, Guardiola JM, Pérez-Latorre L, Micán R, Fernández-Rodríguez A (‡), Resino S (* ‡). HCV eradication with IFN-based therapy does not completely restore gene expression in PBMCs from HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. J Biomed Sci 2021; 28:23 (A; FI= 12.77; D1, Medicine, Research & Experimental; JCR 2021). PMID: 33785040. DOI: 10.1186/s12929-021-00718-6.

PUBMED

Relationship of vitamin D status with advanced liver fibrosis and response to hepatitis C virus therapy: A meta-analysis.

12. García-Álvarez M, Pineda-Tenor D, Jiménez-Sousa Ma, Fernández-Rodríguez A, Guzmán-Fulgencio M; Resino S (*). Relationship of vitamin D status with advanced liver fibrosis and response to hepatitis C virus therapy: A meta-analysis. Hepatology. 2014, 6(5):1541-1550. (A; FI= 11.05; D1, Gastroenterology & Hepatology; JCR 2014). PMID: 24975775. DOI: 10.1002/hep.27281.

PUBMED

Content with Investigacion Entomología Médica .

List of staff

Additional Information

The Respiratory Viruses and Influenza Unit is the oldest WHO Influenza Center in our country (1968), designated as the National Influenza Center by the Ministry of Health in 1971, and is the national coordinator of the CCAA laboratories in the National Influenza Surveillance Network of the Influenza Surveillance System in Spain.

Its general objective is virological surveillance, detection and control of influenza in Spain. Since 1992, together with the Pediatric Service of the Severo Ochoa Hospital, a line of research has been developed based on the etiological study of viral respiratory infections in hospitalized children.

Since 2015, the La Paz Children's University Hospital and the Immunology Laboratory of the IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz have also participated, expanding the study to newborns and neonatal units.

To comprehensively study respiratory viruses and the response of the immune system in viral respiratory infections that affect newborns and pediatric patients.

Deepen the knowledge of the biological properties of the viruses involved in the disease: dependency/facilitation, balance between viruses and their adaptation in multiple infections, relationship with severity, existence of virome imbalance.

The Respiratory Viruses and Influenza Unit is the oldest WHO Influenza Center in our country (1968), designated as the National Influenza Center by the Ministry of Health in 1971, and is the national coordinator of the CCAA laboratories in the National Influenza Surveillance Network of the Influenza Surveillance System in Spain.

Its general objective is virological surveillance, detection and control of influenza in Spain. Since 1992, together with the Pediatric Service of the Severo Ochoa Hospital, a line of research has been developed based on the etiological study of viral respiratory infections in hospitalized children.

Since 2015, the La Paz Children's University Hospital and the Immunology Laboratory of the IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz have also participated, expanding the study to newborns and neonatal units.

To comprehensively study respiratory viruses and the response of the immune system in viral respiratory infections that affect newborns and pediatric patients.

Deepen the knowledge of the biological properties of the viruses involved in the disease: dependency/facilitation, balance between viruses and their adaptation in multiple infections, relationship with severity, existence of virome imbalance.

Content with Investigacion Entomología Médica .