Santiago Sanchez-Vicente, PhD

  • Associate Research Scientist in the Center for Infection and Immunity
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Overview

Sanchez-Vicente works closely with Tokarz in tick-borne disease research, specifically on the development of next generation high-throughput sequencing technologies for molecular detection of tick-borne pathogens in human blood (TBDCapSeq). In a 2019 study, he conducted a tick-surveillance study to document the polymicrobial nature of Ixodes scapularis, Amblyomma americanum, and Dermacentor variabilis and their epidemiological implications for human health. Sanchez-Vicente is focusing on studies regarding the prevalence of Rickettsia amblyommatis in the United States that may be involved in the rise of rickettsiosis (a spectrum of diseases caused by the intracellular bacteria Rickettsia). In 2021, Sanchez-Vicente demonstrated that R. amblyommatis causes mild spotted fever disease in mice, supporting the hypothesis that this agent may be contributing to the increase in incidence of rickettsiosis in areas where A. americanum is highly abundant.

Academic Appointments

  • Associate Research Scientist in the Center for Infection and Immunity

Research

Research Interests

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases
  • Next Generation Sequencing
  • Rickettsia Amblyommatis

Selected Publications

Sanchez-Vicente S, Tokarz R. Tick-Borne Co-Infections: Challenges in Molecular and Serologic Diagnoses. Pathogens. 2023 Nov 20;12(11). doi: 10.3390/pathogens12111371.

Sanchez-Vicente S, Jain K, Tagliafierro T, Gokden A, Kapoor V, Guo C, Horn EJ, Lipkin WI, Tokarz R. Capture Sequencing Enables Sensitive Detection of Tick-Borne Agents in Human Blood. Front Microbiol.2022;13:837621. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.837621.

Yen WY, Stern K, Mishra S, Helminiak L, Sanchez-Vicente S, Kim HK. Virulence potential of Rickettsia amblyommatis for spotted fever pathogenesis in mice. Pathog Dis 2021;79.

Sanchez-Vicente S, Tagliafierro T, Coleman JL, Benach JL, Tokarz R. Polymicrobial nature of tick-borne diseases. mBio. 2019;10(5):e02055-19 (Editor’s Pick). doi:10.1128/mBio.0255-19

Sánchez S. Actualización epidemiológica de las rickettsiosis transmitidas por garrapatas a personas en España. Argos, Informativo Veterinario. 2017;33-38.

Sánchez S, Gómez MS. The Flea (Xenopsylla guancha (Siphonaptera, Pulicidae) Beaucournu, Alcover & Launay, 1990) Endemic to the Canary Islands, on an Unusual Host. Entomological News. 2014;124(2):148-149. doi:10.3157/021.124.0212

Sánchez S, Serrano E, Gómez MS, Feliu C, Morand S. Positive co-occurrence of flea infestation at a low biological cost in two rodent hosts in the Canary archipelago. Parasitology. 2014;141(4):511-521. doi:10.1017/S0031182013001753.

Montoliu I, Sánchez S, Villa M, Abreu-Costa N, Martín-Alonso A, Fernández-Álvarez Á, Foronda P. On the biology of Spiruroidea parasites of murine rodents on El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain) with molecular characterization of Streptopharagus greenbergi Wertheim, 1993. C R Biol. 2013;336(9):440-448.doi:10.1016/j.crvi.2013.08.002

Sánchez S, Gómez M. Presence of Stenoponia tripectinata (Tiraboschi, 1902) (Siphonaptera, Ctenophtalmidae) in murine (Rodentia) from the Canary Islands. Acta Parasitology. 2012;57(2):190-193. doi:10.2478/s11686-012-0024-7

Feliu C, López M, Gómez MS, Torres J, Sánchez S, Miquel J, Abreu-Costa N, Segovia JM, Martín-Alonso A, Montoliu I, Villa M, Fernández-Álvarez Á, Bakhoum AJS, Valladares B, Orós J, Foronda P. Parasite fauna of rodents (Murinae) from El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain): a multidisciplinary approach. Acta Parasitologica. 2012;57(2):171-178. doi:10.2478/s11686-012-0016-7

Sánchez S, Gómez MS. Xenopsylla spp. (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) in murid rodents from the Canary Islands: an update. Parasite. 2012;19(4):423-426. doi:10.1051/parasite/2012194423.