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)
Last scientific publications:
- Barroso-Arevalo S., Barneto A., Ramos AM., Rivera B., Sanchez R., Sánchez-Morales L., Perez-Sancho M., Buendia A., Ferreras E., Ortiz-Menendez JC., Moreno I., Serres C., Vela C., Risalde MA., Dominguez L. and Sanchez-Vizcaino JM.. Large-scale study on virological and serological prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in cats and dogs in Spain. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 69(4):e759-e774. 2022. (A)
- Hegazy Y., Abdel-Hamid N., Eldahiey M., Oreiby A., Algaabary M., Hamdy M., Beleta E., Martinez I., Shahein M., Garcia N. and Eltholth M.. Trans-species transmission of Brucellae among ruminants hampering brucellosis control efforts in Egypt. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 132(1):90-100. 2022. (A)
- Ortega-García MV., Salguero FJ., Garcia N., Dominguez M., Moreno I. and Berrocal A.. Equine infection with Leishmania spp. in Costa Rica: Study of five cases. Veterinary Medicine and Science, 7(6):2234-2239. 2021. (A)
- Navarro A., Barcena C., Pozo P., Diez-Guerrier A., Martinez I., Polo C., Duque C., Rodriguez-Lazaro D., Goyache J. and Garcia N.. Liver Transudate, a Potential Alternative to Detect Anti-Hepatitis E Virus Antibodies in Pigs and Wild Boars (Sus scrofa). Microorganisms, 8(3):450. 2020. (A)
- Perez-Sancho M., Garcia-Seco T., Porrero MC., Garcia N., Gomez S., Camara JM., Dominguez L. and Alvarez J.. A ten-year-surveillance program of zoonotic pathogens in feral pigeons in the City of Madrid (2005-2014): The importance of a systematic pest control. Research in Veterinary Science, 128:293-298. 2020. (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. Weblog 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.. Enfermedades de nueva instauración transmitidas por vectores: Fiebre del Nilo, Enfermedad hemorrágica Epizoótica. Charla-Coloquio sobre enfermedades de nueva instauración. 2023. (Oral communication)
- Garcia N.. Diagnóstico de zoonosis. Zoonosis y One Health. XXIII Semana de la Ciencia Madri+d. 2023. (Oral communication)
- Garcia N., Duque C., Gonzalez S. y Martinez I.. Rickettsias en garrapatas de la Comunidad de Madrid, patógenos zoonósicos desatendidos. Jornadas Vigilancia Sanitaria 2023: presente y futuro para 2030. 2023. (Poster communication)
- Garcia N.. Viruela Ovina y Caprina. Enfermedad, patogenia y diagnóstico. Jornada sobre Viruela Ovina y Caprina. 2023. (Online communication)
- Garcia N.. Bioterrorismo y RELAB. Asignatura de Coordinación de la respuesta tras un desastre. Máster Universitario en Gestión de Desastres. 2023. (Oral communication)
