Contact
Neglected and Emerging Diseases Unit
VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre
Universidad Complutense
Av. Puerta de Hierro s/n. 28040 Madrid. Spain
e-mail:
Head office phone: (+34) 913 944 096
Laboratory phone: (+34) 913 944 083
Fax: (+34) 913 943 795
NED Unit performs epidemiological surveillance and monitoring of emerging pathogens and / or ignored in different host species (and potential vectors in their case). Some of these infectious agents have a low apparent prevalence, which makes not taken into account as priorities in most animal health programs despite the serious consequences that may involve their presence. The reality is that the real situation of many of these diseases is unknown, due to changes in climate and the increase in migratory movements have created favorable conditions for propagation in environments initially free of them. Epidemiological surveillance is a useful and effective tool in preventing and controlling outbreaks. The service works with local government and autonomous communities in the monitoring of various diseases.
Research
Research lines:
- Integrated monitoring and control of Toxoplasma gondii and Hepatitis E virus in food supply chains (NED)
- Diagnosis of leishmaniasis in the animal reservoir (NED)
- Diagnosis of Q fever in livestock and wildlife using direct and indirect tests. (NED)
- Diagnosis of swine brucellosis (NED)
- New strategies for diagnosis and control of bovine, ovine and caprine brucellosis (NED)
- Epidemiological surveillance of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens (NED)
- Design of methods for detection of biological threat agents (NED)
Next scientific publications:
- Garcia N., Hernandez M., Santamaria-Palacios J., Martinez I., Navarro A., Munoz-Chimeno M., Escobar F., Fongaro G., Yeramian N., Trzakowska M., Avellon A., Eiros JM., Dominguez L., Valero A., Goyache J. and Rodriguez-Lazaro D.. Hepatitis E virus in pigs at the moment of slaughter in Spain, 2015 and 2017. Food microbiology, 136:105011. 2026. (A)
Last scientific publications:
- Ayllon T., Martinez I., Ortiz-Diez G., Navarro A., Fuster F., Iriso A., Villaverde S., Lara J. and Garcia N.. Long-Term Surveillance of Chlamydia psittaci and West Nile Virus in Wild Birds from Central Spain (2013–2022). Microorganisms, 14:48. 2025. (A)
- Ortega-García MV., Garcia N., Dominguez M. and Moreno I.. Characterization of Leishmania infantum Isolates from Wild Leporids in the Community of Madrid (Spain). Veterinary sciences, 13:1. 2025. (A)
- Fernandes Silva-Chagas do Nascimento R., da Silva-Xavier A., Ayllon T., Cardoso Portela Camara D., dos Reis IC., Delatorre E., Carvalho-de Sequeira P., Ferreira-de Lima VH., Lima-Camara TN. and Alves-Honorio N.. Systematic Review of the Ovitrap Surveillance of Aedes Mosquitoes in Brazil (2012–2022). Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 10(8):212. 2025. (A)
- Alves-Elois M., Paula-Pavi C., Ferreira Souza-Hoffmann Jempierre Y., Von Tönnemann-Pilati G., Zanchetta L., Borges-da Silva Grisard H., Garcia N., Rodriguez-Lazaro D. and Fongaro G.. Trends and Challenges in the Detection and Environmental Surveillance of the Hepatitis E Virus. Microorganisms, 13:998. 2025. (A)
- Santamaria-Palacios J., Garcia N. and Rodriguez-Lazaro D.. An Efficient, Organic Solvent-Free Method for Extraction and Concentration of Hepatitis E Virus from Pig Liver. Food Analytical Methods, 1-9. 2025. (A)
Last PhD thesis:
- Alejandro Navarro Gómez. Hepatitis E in the pig production chain: from farm to fork. 2022.
- Mª Victoria Ortega García. Detection of Leishmania spp. in atypical reservoirs and molecular characterisation. 2021.
- Mª Luisa de la Cruz Conty. Application of quantitative analytic methods for the epidemiological study of zoonotic diseases. 2018. (Doctorado Europeo)
- María Teresa García-Seco Romero. Epidemiology of Q fever in domestic ruminants in the central zone of the Iberian peninsula. 2017.
- Marta Pérez Sancho. Aplicación de nuevas estrategias en el diagnóstico y profilaxis de la brucelosis producida por Brucella melitensis en rumiantes domésticos. 2014. (Doctorado Europeo)
Outreach
Last outreach publications:
- Garcia N., Alunda JM., Azami-Conesa I., Carrion J., Domenech A., Dominguez-Bernal G., Gomez-Muñoz MT., Gonzalez S., de Juan L., Miro G., Muller A., Olías-Molero AI. and Ortega-García MV.. Leishmaniosis. Revelando una enfermedad olvidada. Red de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (RISA), Agencia estatal de Investigación. 2020.
- Martinez I.. Taeniasis and cysticercosis: neglected diseases. Blog Madri+d de Seguridad Alimentaria y Alimentación, Fundación para el Conocimiento madri+d. 2020.
- Garcia N., Navarro A. and Goyache J.. HEPATITITS E: un riesgo emergente a estudio. Revista Alimentaria, 499, Ediciones y Publicaciones Alimentarias. 2019.
- Garcia N., Gonzalez S., Navarro A., Duque C., Polo C., Fernandez-Manzano A., Martinez I. and Goyache J.. El virus de la Hepatitis E: un patógeno zoonósico emergente en Europa. Badajoz Veterinaria, 13:6-15, Colegio Oficial de Veterinarios de Badajoz. 2018.
- Garcia N., Navarro A. and Goyache J.. Hepatitis E: un riesgo emergente a estudio. Revista Alimentaria, 499(2018):32-34, Ediciones y Publicaciones Alimentarias. 2018.
Last communications:
- Garcia N.. La gripe aviar y tu perro: un contagio improbable, según los expertos. VerificaRTVE. 2025. (Press interview)
- Ayllon T.. Vectores. Zoonosis y One Health. XXV Semana de la Ciencia Madri+d. 2025. (Oral communication)
- Garcia N. y Martinez I.. Diagnóstico de zoonosis. Zoonosis y One Health. XXV Semana de la Ciencia Madri+d. 2025. (Oral communication)
- Ayllon T., Gansievich-Levit S., Iriso A., Martinez I., Navarro A. y Garcia N.. Circulación del virus Toscana y Leishmania spp. en lagomorfos silvestres de la Comunidad de Madrid. XXVIII Simposio Nacional AVEDILA. 2025. (Poster communication)
- Ayllon T., Gansievich-Levit S., Iriso A., Martinez I., Navarro A. y Garcia N.. Primera evidencia de exposición a Coxiella burnetii en conejos silvestres de la Comunidad de Madrid. XXVIII Simposio Nacional AVEDILA. 2025. (Poster communication)
