Lucía Ballesta

Mrs. Lucía Ballesta


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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Journal Article
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JGJuan Francisco Gutiérrez-Bautista
Juan Francisco Gutiérrez-Bautista
ASAntonio Sampedro
Antonio Sampedro
LBLucía Ballesta
Lucía Ballesta
MAMaría Aguilera-Franco
María Aguilera-Franco
MOMaría José Olivares-Durán
María José Olivares-Durán
ASAntonio Sampedro
Antonio Sampedro
Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, which is endemic in certain areas of Europe, such as southern Spain. The disease manifests in various clinical phenotypes, including visceral, cutaneous, mucosal, or asymptomatic leishmaniasis. This diversity in clinical outcomes may be influenced by the host immune response, with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules playing a crucial role in determining susceptibility and progression of the infection. This study explores the association between specific HLA variants and Leishmania infantum infection. We recruited four cohorts: a control group, asymptomatic individuals, patients with symptomatic disease, and cohabitants of infected individuals. HLA typing was performed for all participants, followed by an association analysis with infection status and disease progression. Our findings indicate that the HLA-B*38 and HLA-C*03 alleles are associated with protection against L. infantum infection. These results contribute to a better understanding of the disease’s progression, offer potential for new therapeutic approaches such as vaccines, and expand the existing knowledge in the literature.