Program
8:00 -8:30
Registration
8:30 - 9:45
Rickettsia infections and Rickettsiosis Session I
Conveners:
Christopher Paddock. Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Salim Mattar. Institute for Tropical Biological Research, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Colombia.
Vector competence and amplifying hosts of Rickettsia spp.
Marcelo Labruna. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
When to suspect a rickettsiosis in the 21st century: a clinical challenge.
José A. Oteo. Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases (CRETAV), Infectious Diseases Department, San Pedro University Hospital-Center for Biomedical Research (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain.
How do I confirm the role of a rickettsia?
Rita de Sousa. Rickettsial infections and enteric virus laboratory at National Institute of Health, Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal.
9:45 - 11:00
Rickettsia infections and Rickettsiosis Session II
Conveners:
Nathalie Boulanger. UR3073-PHAVI-Pathogen-Host-Arthropod Vector Interactions-Ticks and Tick-Borne Disease Group, France and French Reference Centre on Lyme Borreliosis, CHRU, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
Ione Villar. Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases (CRETAV), Infectious Diseases Department, San Pedro University Hospital-Center for Biomedical Research (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain.
Pros & Cons: Is a tick removed from a patient a useful clinical sample for the diagnosis of a Rickettsial disease?
Ana M. Palomar. Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases (CRETAV), Infectious Diseases Department, San Pedro University Hospital-Center for Biomedical Research (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain.
Jacques Sevestre. IHU Méditerranée Infection. Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
MALDI-TOF identification of ticks and tick-associated bacteria.
Philippe Parola. Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.
NGS techniques or conventional methods for diagnosing rickettsial diseases?
Marina E. Eremeeva. Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, USA.
11:00 - 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 - 12:15
Official opening
With the presence of the President of La Rioja Government and other authorities.
12:15 - 13:15
Opening Keynote Lecture
A life dedicated to the study of Rickettsiae.
David H. Walker. Director, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases. Director, Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
Introduced by José Antonio Oteo
13:15 - 14:45
Lunch
14:45 - 16:45
Anaplasmataceae Session
Conveners:
J. Stephen Dumler. School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Anna Moniuszko-Malinowska. Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections, Medical University of Białystok, Poland.
Anaplasmataceae and infection: a view from 2,271 meters.
J. Stephen Dumler. School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Multifactorial influence on the host cytoskeleton by Anaplasma phagocytophilum effector proteins.
Ian Cadby. Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Preparing for entry: Temperature-dependent type IV secretion systems drive Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection.
Travis Chiarelli. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Molecular Mimicry and Immune Evasion: Ehrlichia Rewiring of Host Signaling and Transcription.
Jere W. McBride. Department of Pathology-Department of Microbiology and Immunology-Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases-Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
Neoehrlichia mikurensis.
Sonia Santibáñez. Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases (CRETAV), Infectious Diseases Department, San Pedro University Hospital-Center for Biomedical Research (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain.
16:45 - 17:15
Coffee break
17:15 - 19:15
Coxiella Session
Conveners:
Matthieu Million. IHU Méditerraneé Infection-Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI)-Research Institute for Development, Aix-Marseille University-Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Stacey Gilk.Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Q fever endocarditis.
Arístides de Alarcón. Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology, and Parasitology, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Seville, Spain.
Brief Perspective: Recent Insights and Challenges in Q Fever from the French National Reference Center.
Matthieu Million. IHU Méditerraneé Infection-Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI)-Research Institute for Development, Aix-Marseille University-Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.
The future of Q fever: testing, registries and international advisory meetings.
Robert Horvath. Pathology Queensland, The Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital-University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Q Fever Interest Group.
Oral communications 1
OC-01 – Characterization of Coxiella burnetii persistence
Anja Lührmann. Mikrobiologisches Institut, Uniklinikum Erlangen, FAU Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
OC-02 – Stepwise evolution of vertebrate pathogenicity in Coxiella burnetii
Rahul Raghavan. Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
OC-03 – Monoculture biofilm formation of the intracellular pathogen Coxiella burnetii
Jonathan Shikany. Laboratory of Bacteriology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
OC-04 – Coxiella burnetii effector Vice manipulates host ESCRT machinery and sEVs cargo
Manon Le Fé. Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
OC-05 – Coxiella burnetii Nine Mile II lipopolysaccharide elongation in multiple models
Kathleen Pierce. Laboratory of Bacteriology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
OC-06 – Innovative approach for rapid anti-microbial susceptibility testing of Coxiella burnetii in axenic media using scanning electron microscopy
Rita Abou Abdallah. IHU Méditerranée Infection-Aix Marseille Univ, AP-HM, SSA, RITMES, Marseille, France.
8:00 -9:15
Rickettsia & Orientia Session
Conveners:
Benjamin Makepeace. Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Jorge Alba. Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases (CRETAV), Infectious Diseases Department, San Pedro University Hospital-Center for Biomedical Research (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain.
Scrub typhus research quo vadis? – navigating unresolved issues…
Daniel H Paris. Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute-Department of Clinical Research, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Rickettsial infections: Vellore updates.
John AJ Prakash. Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
A humanized IFN-gamma mouse model reveals skin eschar formation, enhanced susceptibility and scrub typhus pathogenesis.
Lynn Soong. Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Department of Pathology-Center for Tropical Diseases-Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases-Sealy Center for Vaccine Development- Institute of Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
9:15 - 10:45
Vaccines Symposium
Conveners:
Roman Ganta. Department of Pathobiology and Integrative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA.
Eva Martínez. Directorate General of Public Health, Consumer Affairs, and Care, Government of La Rioja, Logroño, Spain.
Importance of vaccines with highlighting current progress and knowledge gaps related to Rickettsiaceae family diseases impacting humans, including Orientia and Rickettsia species.
David Walker. Director, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases. Director, Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
Current Coxiella burnetii vaccine advances and future perspectives.
James Samuel. Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas, USA.
Molecular genetics and vaccine updates: combating tick-borne Ehrlichia, Anaplasma and Rickettsia species pathogens.
Roman Ganta. Department of Pathobiology and Integrative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA.
10:45 -11:15
Coffee break
Recognition of the ASR Travel Grant Recipients
11:15 - 12:30
Murine typhus in the 21st century Session
Conveners:
Christopher Paddock. Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Mari Cruz Calvo. Health Alerts and Emergencies Coordination Centre (CCAES), Directorate General of Public Health and Health Equity, Ministry of Health, Madrid, Spain.
Murine typhus as one of the main causes of intermediate-duration fever. The experience in Canary Islands.
Mónica Vélez. Hospital Universitario de La Palma, Breña Alta, Spain.
The Reemerging Threat of Murine Typhus in the United States: Trends, Risks, and Public Health Implications.
Lucas S Blanton. Department of Internal Medicine-Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
A Century of Murine Typhus in the Middle East.
Iris Zohar. Infectious Disease Unit, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel.
12:30 - 13:15
Oral communications 2
Conveners:Oleg Mediannikov. Unité de Recherche MEФI (Microbes, Evolution, Phylogeny and Infection), IHU (Institut hospitalo-universitaire Méditerranée infection) IRD, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
Cristina Cervera. Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases (CRETAV), Infectious Diseases Department, San Pedro University Hospital-Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain.
OC-07 – Transformation and allelic exchange in Orientia tsutsugamushi
Paige E. Allen. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
OC-08 – Tisiphona cimicicola gen. nov. sp. nov.: first in vitro isolation and biological characterization of a Torix group Rickettsia
Clément Labarrere. IHU-Méditerranée Infection-Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections (MEPHI), Aix-Marseille Université, AP-HM, Marseille, France.
OC-09 – Metagenomic Analysis of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and E. ewingii in Amblyomma americanum
Gregory A. Dasch. Rickettsia Unlimited LLC., Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA.
OC-10 – Itch-induced tick removal is a common neuroimmunological defense response against ixodid ticks in guinea pigs
Johannes S. P. Doehl. Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA.
OC-11a – The risk of acquiring a tick-borne disease in cities across Spain. Does it exist?
Arantza Portillo. Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases. Infectious Diseases Department. San Pedro University Hospital-Center for Biomedical Research of La Rioja (HUSP-CIBIR), Logroño, Spain.
OC-11b – Machine Learning Models for Predicting Tick Occurrence in Urban Parks in Spain
Juan Fernandez-Recio. Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino (ICVV), CSIC-Universidad de La Rioja-Gobierno de La Rioja, Logroño, Spain.
13:15 - 14:45
Lunch
14:45 - 16:45
Chlamydia Session
Conveners:
Mirja Puolakkainen. Faculty of Medicine-Virology and Immunology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Gilbert Greub. Diagnostic Microbiology Laboratories-Infectious Diseases Department, Institute of Microbiology, CHUV-University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Cell biology of Chlamydia.
Lisa Rucks. Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Division of Chlamydia and the developmental stages of this obligate intracellular bacteria.
Gilbert Greub. Diagnostic Microbiology Laboratories-Infectious Diseases Department, Institute of Microbiology, CHUV-University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
CRISPRi and beyond: studying essential gene function in Chlamydia.
Scot Ouellette. Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Oral communications 3
OC-12 – Iron Limitation-Induced Modulation of Transcription in Chlamydia trachomatis
Daniel Rodriguez. Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland.
OC-13 – Deciphering the Non-Canonical Endocytic Trafficking of Chlamydia trachomatis: A Rab14-Dependent Pathway
Evgeniya Save-Trofimenko. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
OC-14 – Host cell permissiveness and intracellular trafficking of Chlamydia vaughanii
Basma Elkamouny. Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland.
16:45 - 17:15
Coffee break
17:15 - 18:15
Oral communications 4
Conveners:Eva Špitalská. Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Lara García. Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases (CRETAV), Infectious Diseases Department, San Pedro University Hospital-Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain.
OC-15 – Effectiveness of a formaldehyde-inactivated Coxiella burnetii autogenous vaccine for the control of coxiellosis in dairy goats on an endemic farm in Australia
Charuni D. Arachchilage. School of Medicine, Deakin University, The Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
OC-16 – The Initial Immune Response in Human Skin to Coxiella burnetii Inactivated Whole Cell Vaccines
Haley Bridgewater. Laboratory of Bacteriology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
OC-17 – Rational Design of a Chimeric Subunit Vaccine for Broad Protection Against Ehrlichia
Tian Luo. Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
OC-18 – The AnkA effector protein of Anaplasma phagocytophilum directly subverts the host cytoskeleton via the Wave Regulatory Complex and actin manipulation
Hannah Burge. Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
OC-19 – What Makes Ticks Tick: Tyrosine Phosphorylation of the Anaplasma phagocytophilum Vector Specific T4SS Effector, AteA
Kelly A. Brayton. Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.
OC-20 – Nuclear Invaders: Rickettsia parkeri invades human nuclei through enormous protrusions using a novel secreted effector
Hannah K. Margolis. Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
OC-21 – Polar genome organization emerges as a determinant of actin-based motility in Rickettsia parkeri
Dezmond Cole. The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
8:00 - 9:00
Rickettsiales subcommittee of International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP) setup meeting
By invitation only.
9:00 - 10:00
Taxonomy and nomenclature of Rickettsiales Symposium
Convener:
Gregory A. Dasch. Rickettsia Unlimited LLC., Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA.
Taxonomy of Rickettsia species: should classification be universal?
Pierre-Edouard Fournier. VITROME, IHU Méditerraneé-Infection, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
More Than Labels: Classification Informs Scientific Endeavors.
Julie Dunning Hotopp, University of Maryland-School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
10:00 - 11:00
Oral communications 5
Conveners:Antonio Beltrán. Microbiology Service, Lozano Blesa University Hospital-Group of Water and Environmental Health, Institute of Environmental Sciences (IUCA), Zaragoza, Spain.
Estíbaliz Corral. Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases (CRETAV), Infectious Diseases Department, San Pedro University Hospital-Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain.
OC-22 – Acute Undifferentiated febrile Illness in the West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia: Hidden Etiologies and Emerging Vectors from a One-Health Perspective
Eva Gutiérrez. Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
OC-23 – Rickettsiosis is the Leading Cause of Acute Undifferentiated Fever in Western Uganda: A Prospective Health Facility-based Study
Andrew V. Kirabo. Section of Epidemiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
OC-24 – Spatiotemporal analysis of Mediterranean spotted fever in Spain, 2016-2024
Thalía A.M. Colmenares-Arce. University Healthcare Complex of Burgos, Burgos, Spain.
OC-25 – ‘Giant tick’ attacks, Hyalomma lusitanicum and Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae in southern France, 2022–2025.
Philippe Parola. Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.
OC-26 – Zoonotic implication of Coxiella burnetii infection from ticks, livestock to close contact employees in seven regions of China mainland
Zongyang Huang. College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
OC-27 – Anaplasma phagocytophilum co-infection in patients with tick-borne encephalitis
Sambor Grygorczuk. Department of the Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections, Medical University in Białystok, Białystok, Poland.
OC-28 – Targeting repeated regions of the Orientia tsutsugamushi genome for the acute diagnosis of scrub typhus
Carlo Perrone. Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand/Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
11:00 - 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 - 13:30
Bartonella Session
Convener:
Richard Birtles. Tick Infections Group, School of Sciences, Enginering and Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, UK.
José M. Ramos. Department of Internal Medicine, Dr. Balmis General University Hospital. Miguel Hernández University. Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Hepatosplenic forms of Bartonella infections.
Juan Carlos García. Internal Medicine Department. Pontevedra Universitary Hospital Complex. Pontevedra, Spain.
Fleas, associated endosymbionts and their putative impact on Bartonella spp.
Marcos R. André. Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Faculty of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil.
Bartonella genomics.
Richard Birtles. Tick Infections Group, School of Sciences, Enginering and Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, UK.
Eco-epidemiology of Bartonella infections in wild populations.
Anna Bajer. Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
Oral communications 6
OC-29 – Genotypic diversity, phylogenetic relationships and interaction networks of Bartonella in cave bats and their streblid flies in northeastern Brazil
Marcos André. Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Faculty of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil.
OC-30 – Bats: a melting pot for Bartonella (and other pathogens): new species from Africa
Oleg Mediannikov. IHU-Méditerranée Infection, IRD, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
13:30 - 13:45