Contact
Viral Immunology and Preventive Medicine Unit
VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre
Universidad Complutense
Av. Puerta de Hierro s/n. 28040 Madrid. Spain
e-mail:
Head office phone: (+34) 913 944 082
Laboratory phone: (+34) 913 943 702
The SUAT research service develops and coordinates a wide range of scientific activities focused on the surveillance, diagnosis, control, and prevention of animal infectious diseases with significant sanitary, economic, and ecological impact. Its research activity covers a broad spectrum of viruses relevant to animal health and public health, including African Swine Fever (ASF), Classical Swine Fever, African Horse Sickness, Bluetongue, SARS-CoV-2, herpesviruses, morbilliviruses, adenoviruses, and other pathogens of importance in livestock and wildlife. In addition, the service conducts continuous risk analysis and modelling related to the introduction, establishment, and spread of notifiable diseases in Spain, such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease, avian influenza, or West Nile virus.
SUAT also fulfils the functions of a reference laboratory for African Swine Fever, with extensive experience in diagnosis, method validation, molecular epidemiology studies, and evaluation of control strategies, both in domestic pigs and in wild species. In parallel, the service has a long track record in the study and control of other relevant diseases, such as tuberculosis in game species. Its activity is carried out in close collaboration with international reference organizations including WOAH, FAO, OIRSA, DG SANTE and EFSA, contributing to global networks for health surveillance and response.
Among its technical capabilities, the service manages the Marine Health Tissue Bank, operational since 2009, developed in collaboration with the Oceanogràfic Foundation and the Stranding Network of Comunidad Valenciana. This biobank is a unique resource in Spain, allowing the storage, characterization, and systematic study of biological samples from marine fauna, with particular value for research in marine health, epidemiology, toxicology, and conservation.
The service also offers specialized disinfectant-efficacy testing against the African Swine Fever virus, performing accredited assays in accordance with UNE-EN 14675 and ASTM E1053 standards. These tests allow the assessment of the virucidal efficacy of biocidal products under controlled conditions and are highly relevant for industry, health authorities, and operators in the livestock sector.
SUAT also fulfils the functions of a reference laboratory for African Swine Fever, with extensive experience in diagnosis, method validation, molecular epidemiology studies, and evaluation of control strategies, both in domestic pigs and in wild species. In parallel, the service has a long track record in the study and control of other relevant diseases, such as tuberculosis in game species. Its activity is carried out in close collaboration with international reference organizations including WOAH, FAO, OIRSA, DG SANTE and EFSA, contributing to global networks for health surveillance and response.
Among its technical capabilities, the service manages the Marine Health Tissue Bank, operational since 2009, developed in collaboration with the Oceanogràfic Foundation and the Stranding Network of Comunidad Valenciana. This biobank is a unique resource in Spain, allowing the storage, characterization, and systematic study of biological samples from marine fauna, with particular value for research in marine health, epidemiology, toxicology, and conservation.
The service also offers specialized disinfectant-efficacy testing against the African Swine Fever virus, performing accredited assays in accordance with UNE-EN 14675 and ASTM E1053 standards. These tests allow the assessment of the virucidal efficacy of biocidal products under controlled conditions and are highly relevant for industry, health authorities, and operators in the livestock sector.
Research
Research lines:
- New diagnostic methods design (SUAT)
- Preventive medicine (SUAT)
- Marine animal health (SUAT)
Last scientific publications:
- Kosowska A., Sanchez-Segovia M., Fernandez-Pinero J., Porras N., Barroso-Arevalo S., Sánchez-Morales L., Diaz-de Frutos M. and Barasona JA.. Ineffective oral immunization of wild boar with the attenuated African swine fever virus NH/P68 grown in MA104 cell line. The Veterinary Journal, 315:106554. 2026. (A)
- Jiménez-Ruiz S., Jori F., Santos N., Barasona JA. and Fine AE.. Editorial: Pathogen transmission at the domestic-wildlife interface: a growing challenge that requires integrated solutions, volume II. Frontiers in veterinary science, 13:1780843. 2026. (A)
- Vargas-Castro I., Andres-Barranco S., Crespo-Picazo JL., Torre-Fuentes L., Jimenez-Martinez MA., Hernandez M., Arbelo M., Alvarez J., Munoz PM., Marco-Cabedo V., de Miguel MJ., López-Gutiérrez D., Munoz-Baquero M., Garcia-Parraga D. and Barasona JA.. Towards Integrated Surveillance of Marine Brucellosis: Diagnostic and Phylogenetic Assessment of Brucella ceti in Stranded Dolphins of the Western Mediterranean Sea. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 31:2026:2075116. 2026. (A)
- Porras N., Rodriguez-Bertos A., Barroso-Arevalo S., Kosowska A., Diaz-de Frutos M., De Pablo-Moreno J., Sanchez-Segovia M. and Barasona JA.. Viral Distribution of Wild Boar Exposed to Low (Vaccine Candidate) and High Virulence African Swine Fever Virus Isolates: Immunohistochemical Characterization. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 4258247. 2025. (A)
- Kawaguchi N., Aguilar-Vega C., Sasaki M., Orba Y., Sawa H., Sanchez-Vizcaino JM., Isoda N., Bosch J. and Ito S.. Risk Mapping of African Swine Fever in Domestic Pigs and Wild Boars to Enhance Management and Surveillance in Asia. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 2025:8850856. 2025. (A)
Last PhD thesis:
- Aleksandra Kosowska . Characterization of shedding, transmission, and environmental contamination of different strains of African swine fever virus. 2025.
- Ignacio Vargas Castro. New perspectives in the study of mayor emerging diseases in cetaceans: advances in the understanding of Herpesviruses, Morbilliviruses and Brucella. 2024. (Doctorado Internacional)
- José Luis Crespo Picazo. Patología y causas de varamiento en tortugas marinas de la Comunidad Valenciana. 2024.
- Carolina Muñoz Peréz. Strategies for African swine fever prevention. 2024. (Doctorado Internacional)
- Cecilia Aguilar Vega. New tools to prevent the endemism of bluetongue. 2022.
Outreach
Last outreach publications:
- Vargas-Castro I., Hernandez-Mora G., Gonzalez-Barrientos R. and Grattarola C.. Brucellosis in aquatic mammals. Brucellosis: The Silent Threat to Livestock and Human Health. Ed. 00. 8:133-145, Elsevier, 1997. 2025.
- Kosowska A., Barasona JA., Barroso-Arevalo S., Diaz-de Frutos M., Dominguez L. and Sanchez-Vizcaino JM.. Nueva herramienta de muestreo para la detección temprana y segura de patógenos en entornos animales y su ambiente. Revista de la Organización Colegial Veterinaria, 1(2025):25, Consejo General de Colegios de la Profesión Veterinaria de España. 2025.
- Martin-Sanz J., Martin-Gomez JC., Bazo Pérez C., Espinosa-Sanchez A., Salas-Fajardo MY., Barasona JA. and Calero-Bernal R.. Epidemiología y control de parasitosis: Hypoderma actaeon (diptera), causante de la hypodermosis del ciervo infestación emergente en corzos de la península ibérica. ParaJournal, 5/2024, Sociedad Española de Parasitología. 2024.
- Barroso-Arevalo S. and Sanchez-Vizcaino JM.. Pets and SARS-CoV-2: Their role in disease epidemiology. Features, Transmission, Detection, and Case Studies in COVID-19. Ed. 1. 14:171-177, Academic Press. 2024.
- Barasona JA., Cadenas-Fernández E., Kosowska A., Barroso-Arevalo S., Rivera B., Sanchez R., Porras N., Frontaura CG. and Sanchez-Vizcaino JM.. Seguridad del candidato vacunal LV17/WB/RIE1 frente a la ppa en jabalíes: sobredosis y dosis repetidas. Porcinews, 5, Agrinews. 2022.
Last communications:
- Goyache J.. La dimensión social de las enfermedades animales transmisibles. Aspectos sociosanitarios de las enfermedades transmisibles animales: el caso de la Peste Porcina Africana. 2026. (Oral communication)
- Dominguez L.. Cambio de era y crisis mundial. Su impacto en las enfermedades transfronterizas. Aspectos sociosanitarios de las enfermedades transmisibles animales: el caso de la Peste Porcina Africana. 2026. (Oral communication)
- Sanchez-Vizcaino JM.. El eterno problema de la vacuna de la Peste Porcina Africana. Aspectos sociosanitarios de las enfermedades transmisibles animales: el caso de la Peste Porcina Africana. 2026. (Oral communication)
- Barasona JA.. Reemergencia de la Peste Porcina Africana en España: implicaciones epidemiológicas y actuaciones de control. Aspectos sociosanitarios de las enfermedades transmisibles animales: el caso de la Peste Porcina Africana. 2026. (Oral communication)
- Barasona JA.. Less virulent and never described: what do we know about the new variant of swine fever?. ara sociedad. 2026. (Press interview)
