Clinical Analysis at the University Clinic

Location within campus:Clinica Universitaria de la Salud Integral (CUSI), FES Iztacala
Phone:56231391
Head of Laboratory:Dra. Gloria Luz Paniagua Contreras
Full professor
mya@unam.mx
Technicians affiliated to the laboratory:Dr. Eric Monroy Pérez
mopi@unam.mx
Research lines per researcher:1) Expression of Virulence Genes (Adhesins, Iron Acquisition Systems, Toxins, Protectins, and Miscellaneous Factors) in Strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and the Fungus Candida albicans isolated from Various Infectious Processes.
2) Identification and Expression of Virulence Markers (Adhesins, Proteases, Lipases, and Phospholipases) in Clinical Strains of Candida albicans.

The project is developed in four main areas:

  • In bacterial research, the virulence genes encoding adhesins, iron acquisition systems, toxins, protectins, and other miscellaneous genes are characterized. For the fungus C. albicans, the distribution of adhesion genes, proteases, lipases, and phospholipases is analyzed.

  • In Escherichia coli, phylogenetic groups, serogroups, and serotypes are identified, as well as clonal typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The project includes whole-genome analysis of E. coli strains, such as uropathogenic, cervicovaginal, and periodontal infection strains, as well as ongoing research on Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

  • Antibiotic resistance phenotypes are established in bacteria and correlated with resistance genotypes for beta-lactams, tetracycline, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, quinolones, and aminoglycosides. For C. albicans, resistance phenotype to azoles (ketoconazole and miconazole) is analyzed and correlated with resistance genotypes to these agents.

  • The different expression patterns of virulence genes in these microorganisms are also studied using human epithelial cell lines from genitourinary, pulmonary, oral, etc., origins.
  1. Paniagua-Contreras, G.L, Hernández-Jaimes, T., Monroy-Pérez, E., Vaca-Paniagua, F., Díaz-Velásquez, C., Uribe-García A., & Vaca-Pacheco, S. (2017). Comprehensive expression analysis of pathogenicity genes in uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains. Microbial Pathogenesis, 18(103),1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2016.12.008.
  2. Paniagua-Contreras, G.L., Monroy-Pérez, E., Bautista-Cerón, A., Reyes-Solis, J.R., Vicente-Mendoza, A., Vaca-Paniagua, F., Díaz-Velásquez, C.E., Martínez, S., Domínguez-Trejo, P., García-Cortés, L.R., Uribe-García, A., & Vaca-Pacheco,S. (2018).Multiple antibiotic resistances and virulence markers of uropathogenic Escherichia coli from Mexico. Pathogenes and Global Health, 112(8),395-403. doi: 10.1080/20477724.2018.1547542.
  3. Paniagua-Contreras, G.L., Monroy-Pérez, E., Bautista-Cerón, A., Reyes-Solis, J.R., García-Cortés, L.R., Nolasco-Alonso, N., Hernández-Camarillo, D.A., Santillán-Arreygue, L., Domínguez-Trejo, P., Vaca-Paniagua, F., & Vaca-Pacheco, S. (2019). O-serogroups of multi-drug resistant cervicovaginal Escherichia coli harboring a battery of virulence genes. Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy, 25(7), 494-497. doi: 10.1016/j.jiac.2019.02.004.
  4. Uribe-García, A., Paniagua-Contreras, G.L., Monroy-Pérez, E., Bustos-Martínez, J., Hamdan-Partida, A., Garzón, J., Alanís, J., Quezada, R., Vaca-Paniagua, F., & Vaca-Pacheco, S. (2019). Frequency and expression of genes involved in adhesion and biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from periodontal lesions. Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection, pii: S1684-1182(19)30076-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jmii.2019.05.010.
  5. Paniagua-Contreras, G.L., Monroy-Pérez, E., Díaz-Velásquez, C.E., Uribe-García, A., Labastida, A., Peñaloza-Figueroa, F., Domínguez-Trejo, P., García-Cortés, L.R., Vaca-Paniagua, F., & Vaca-Pacheco, S. (2019). Whole-genome sequence analysis of multidrug-resistant uropathogenic strains of Escherichia coli from Mexico. Infection and Drug Resistance, 12: 2363-2377. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S203661.
Prospective Thesis Candidate Profile:Students from Biology, Medicine, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and related fields.
Service Social Data:Molecular diagnosis of pathogenic bacteria and fungi isolated from patients in the municipality of Tlalnepantla. Code: 2020-12/63-83. Bacterial strains and the fungus Candida albicans isolated from patients will be identified using PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Antibiotic susceptibility testing will be performed for each bacterial strain. The results will be provided to each patient.