Specialties
Alicia Rojas
MQC, PhD
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica
Bio
Professor Rojas is a microbiologist and parasitologist graduated from the University of Costa Rica. She obtained her PhD in Animal Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel where she focused on helminthiases of veterinary importance. Then she did postdoctoral research at the Weizmann Institute of Sciences about host-pathogen interactions of the human malaria parasite. Currently, she is affiliated to the Faculty of Microbiology and the Research Center for Tropical Diseases in the University of Costa Rica. Her lab researches the epidemiology, phylogeography and host-pathogen interactions of helminths of veterinary and human importance from a One Health perspective. She is the coordinator of the International Network for the Research of Angiostrongylus costaricensis, is associate editor of the journals Parasites & Vectors, Acta Tropica and Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases. She teaches medical helminthology for undergrad microbiology students and collaborates in programs of community welfare that aims the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of parasitosis in vulnerable children’s populations of her country. She has co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed articles, she was awarded the Odile Prize for Young Parasitologists in 2020 and an honorary mention for Young Women Scientist by the Interamerican Network of Academies of Sciences in 2022.
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica, San Pedro, San José, Costa Rica
1. Rodriguez R, Mora J, Solano-Barquero A, Graeff-Teixeira C, Rojas A (2023) A practical guide for the diagnosis of abdominal angiostrongyliasis caused by the nematode Angiostrongylus costaricensis. Parasites & Vectors. 16:155.
2. Graeff-Teixeira C, Sawanyawisuth K, Sears W, Gonzáles-Rodríguez Z, Hernández-Alvarez H, Casanova-Arias P, Walger Schultz L.K., Rojas A, Jacob J, Jarvi S, Kramer K, on behalf of International Network on Angiostrongyliasis-INA. Neuroangiostrongyliasis: Updated Provisional Guidelines for Diagnosis and Case Definitions. Pathogens. 12:624.
3. Solano-Barquero A, Rojas A, Cortés J (2023) Metazoan Marine Parasites of Costa Rica: A Review. Parasitologia. 3:116-141.
4. Rojas-Sánchez E, Umaña-Blanco F., Jiménez-Rocha A, Vega-Benavides K., Medaglia A., Solano-Barquero A., Rojas A., Jiménez M. (2023) Cryptic diversity in a gastrointestinal acantocephalan of New World primates from Costa Rica. Scientific Reports. 13:2402.
5. Rodríguez-Vivas R.I., Salazar-Grosskelwing E., Ojeda-Chi M.M., Flota-Burgos, G.J., Solano-Barquero A., Trinidad-Martínez I., Rojas A. (2023) First morphological and molecular report of Lagochilascaris minor (Nematoda, Ascarididae) in a domestic cat from Veracruz, Mexico. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports. 37:100823.
6. White R., Sotillo J., Ancarola M.E., Borup A., Boysen A.T., Brindley P., Buzás E.I., Cavallero S., Chaiyadet S., Chalmers I.W., Cucher M.A., Dagenais M., Davis C.N., Devaney E., Duque-Correa M.A., Eichenberger R.M., Fontenla S., Gasan T.A., Hokke C.H., Kosanovic M., Kuipers M.E., Laha T., Loukas A., Maizels R.M., Marcilla A., Mazanec H., Morphew R.M., Neophytou K., Nguyen L.T., Nolte-t Hoen E., Povelones M., Robinson M.W., Rojas A., Schabussova I., Smits H.H., Sungpradit S., Tritten L., Whitehead B., Zakeri A., Nejsum P., Buck A., Hoffman K.F. (2023) Special considerations for studies of extracellular vesicles from parasitic helminths: A community-led roadmap to increase rigour and reproducibility. International Journal of Extracellular Vesicles. DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12298.
7. Solano-Barquero A., Estrada A., Medaglia A., Montenegro V.M., Rojas A. (2022) Emerging Lagochilascaris minor infections in domestic cats from Costa Rica: A zoonotic threat for the region. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports. 36:100797.
8. Chaves-González L.E., Morales-Calvo F, Mora J, Solano-Barquero A, Verocai G, Rojas A (2022) What lies behind the curtain: Cryptic diversity in helminth parasites of human and veterinary importance. Current Research of Vector-Borne and Parasitic Diseases. Accepted for publication.
9. Abou Karam P, Rosenhek-Goldian I, Ziv T, Ben Ami Pilo H, Azuri I, Rivkin A, Kiper E, Rotkopf R, Cohen S.R., Torrecilhas A.C., Avinoam O, Rojas A, Morandi M.I., Regev-Rudzki N (2022) Malaria parasites release vesicle subpopulations with signatures of different destinations. EMBO Reports. E54755.
10. León B, González G, Nicoli A, Rojas A, Di Pizio A, Ramírez-Carvajal L, Jiménez C (2022) Phylogenetic and Mutation Analysis of the Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus Sequence Isolated in Costa Rica from a Mare with Encephalitis. Veterinary Sciences. 9:258.
11. Cimpan A.A, Baneth G, Nachum-Biala Y, Miron L, Rojas A (2022) Dirofilaria repens predominates in shelter dogs from South Romania. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. 84: 101793.
12. Porras-Silesky C, Fernández-Trejos L, Villalobos R, Montenegro V.M., Rojas A (2022) Subcutaneous spirocercosis in a dog from Costa Rica and first molecular confirmation of Spirocerca lupi in Central America. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports. 29:100695.
13. Solano-Barquero A, Mora J, Graeff-Teixeira C, Rojas A (2021) Angiostrongylus costaricensis. Trends in Parasitology. 19:S1471-4922(21)00200-2.
14. Ofir-Birin Y, Ben-Ami H, Cruz-Camacho A, Rudik A, Rivkin A, Revach O.Y., Nir N, Block T, About Karam P, Kiper E, Peleg Y, Nevo R, Solomon A, Havkin-Solmon T, Rojas A, Rotkopf R, Avni D, Schwartz E, Zillinger T, Hartmann G, Di Pizio A, Quashie N, Dikstein R, Gerlic M, Torrecilhas A.C, Levy C, Nolte-t Hoen E, Bowie A, Regev-Rudzki N (2021) Host CXCL10 is repressed by the malaria parasite and serves as a decision-making facilitator for parasitic growth. Nature Communications. 12(1):4851.
15. Rojas A, Maldonado-Junior A, Mora J, Morassutti A, Rodriguez R, Solano-Barquero A, Tijerino A, Vargas M, Graeff-Teixeira C (2021) Abdominal angiostrongiliasis in the Americas: fifty years since the discovery of a new metasgrongylid species, Angiostrongylus costaricensis. Parasites & Vectors. 14:374.
16. Rojas A, Morales-Calvo F, Salant H, Otranto D, Baneth G (2021) Zoonotic ocular onchocercosis by Onchocerca lupi. Yale Journal of Medicine and Biology. 94:331-341.
17. Porras-Silesky C, Mejias-Alpizar M.J., Mora J, Baneth G, Rojas A (2021) Spirocerca lupi proteomics and its role in cancer development: an overview of spirocercosis-induced sarcomas and revision of helminth-induced carcinomas. Pathogens. 10:124.
18. Salant H, Rojas A, Yardeny D, Brenner O, Schvartz G, Baneth G, Dvir E (2021) Cutaneous habronemosis in horses: First molecular characterization of Habronema muscae in Israel. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. 75:101608.
19. De Aguiar I, García R, Madriz D, Alfaro-Alarcón A, Montenegro V.M., Aizenberg I, Baneth G, Rojas A (2021) Esophageal spirocercosis with pulmonary egg deposition and secondary hypertrophic osteopathy in a dog from Costa Rica. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports. 23:100510.
20. Rojas A, Salant H, Yasur-Landau D, Tsarfati H, Baneth G (2020) First report of Onchocerca lupi from Israel and confirmation of two genotypes circulating among canine, feline and human hosts. Parasitology. 147: 1723-1727.
21. Salant H, Yasur-Landau D, Rojas A, Otranto D, Mazuz ML, Baneth G (2020) Troglostrongylus brevior is the dominant lungworm infecting feral cats in Jerusalem. Parasitology Research. 119:3443-3450.
22. Rojas A, Deplazes P, Baneth B (2020) Unravelling Spirocerca vulpis from red foxes from Switzerland: a 20-year-old record. Parasitology Research. 119:3105-3108. 23. Gama A, Rojas A, Pires I, Coutinho T, Seixas F, Silva F, Lopes A.P., Cardoso L, Baneth G (2020) First report of Spirocerca vulpis in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Portugal. Parasitology Research. 119:3109-311
Gama A, Rojas A, Pires I, Coutinho T, Seixas F, Silva F, Lopes A.P., Cardoso L, Baneth G (2020) First report of Spirocerca vulpis in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Portugal. Parasitology Research. 119:3109-3112.
24. Muñoz C, Gonzálvez M, Rojas A, Martínez-Carrasco C, Baneth G, Berriatua E, Ortiz J (2020) Massive microfilaremia in a dog subclinically infected with Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides. Parasitology International. 76:102070.
25. Potkonjak A, Rojas A, Gutierrez R, Nachum-Biala Y, Kleinerman G, Savic S, Polacek V, Pusic I, Harrus S, Baneth G (2019) Molecular survey of Dirofilaria species in stray dogs, red foxes and golden jackals from Vojvodina, Serbia. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. 68:101409.
26. Rojas A, Dvir E, Baneth G (2019) Insights on Spirocerca lupi, the carcinogenic dog nematode. Trends in Parasitology. 36(1):52-63.
27. Rojas A, Baneth G (2019) Secretome of the carcinogenic helminth Spirocerca lupi reveal specific parasite proteins associated with the different life stages. Veterinary Parasitology. 275:108935.
28. Brenner O, Anug-Botero A, Rojas A, Hahn S, Baneth G (2019) Aberrant mesenteric migration of Spirocerca lupi larvae causing necrotizing eosinophilic arteritis, thrombosis and intestinal infarction in dogs. Veterinary Pathology. 25:300985819887531.
29. Ruggeri M, Rojas A, Chai O, Purzyc H, Hanael E, Rapaport K, Barnoon I, Konstantin L, Baneth G, Shamir MH (2019) Detection of canine intraspinal spirocercosis in cerebrospinal fluid by PCR. Journal of Comparative Pathology. 170:105-112.
30. Yasur-Landau D, Rojas A, Zehavi T, Yafe Y, Anug I, Baneth G (2019) First molecular identification of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in a cat from Israel. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports. 17:100304.
31. Rojas A, Dvir E, Farkas R, Sarma K, Borthakur S, Jabbar A, Markovics A, Otranto D, Baneth G (2018) Phylogenetic analyses of Spirocerca lupi and Spirocerca vulpis from eight different countries reveal a high genetic diversity and high intra-individual variation. Parasites & Vectors. 11:639.
32. Rojas A, Sanchis-Monsonis G, Alic A, Hodzic A, Yasur-Landau D, Otranto D, Martinez-Carrasco C, Baneth G (2018) Spirocerca vulpis sp. nov (Spiruridae: Spirocercidae): description of a new nematode species of the red fox, Vulpes Vulpes (Carnivora: Canidae). Parasitology. 21:1-12.
33. Chai O, Yas E, Brenner O, Konstantin L, Rojas A, Klainbart, Shamir M (2018) Clinical characteristics of Spirocerca lupi migration in the spinal cord. Veterinary Parasitology. 253:16-21.
34. Segev G, Rojas A, Lavy E, Yaffe M, Aroch I, Baneth G (2018) Evaluation of a spot-on imidacloprid-moxidectin formulation (Advocate®) for the treatment of naturally occurring esophageal spirocercosis in dogs. Parasites & Vectors. 11:127.
35. Baxarias M, Alvarez-Fernández A, Martinez-Orellana P, Montserrat-Sangrà S, Ordeix L, Rojas A, Nachum-Biala Y, Baneth G (2018) Does co-infection with vector-borne pathogens play a role in clinical canine leishmaniosis? Parasites & Vectors. 11:135.
36. Rojas A, Segev G, Markovics A, Aroch I, Baneth G (2017) Detection and quantification of Spirocerca lupi by HRM qPCR in fecal samples from dogs with spirocercosis. Parasites & Vectors. 10(1):435.
37. Rojas A, Freedberg N, Markovics A, Gottlieb Y, Baneth G (2017) Influence of physical and chemical factors on the embryonation, hatching and infectivity of Spirocerca lupi eggs. Veterinary Parasitology. 242:71-78.
38. Potkonjak A, Kleinerman G, Gutierrez R, Savic S, Vracar V, Nachum-Biala Y, Jurisic A, Rojas A, Petrovic A, Ivanovic I, Baneth G, Harrus S (2016) Ocurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks with first identification of Borrelia miyamotoi in Vojvodina, Serbia. Vector borne Zoonotic Diseases. 16(10):631-635.
39. Baneth G, Nachum-Biala Y, Shabat-Simon M, Brenner O, Gaier S, Rojas A, Yasur-Landau D (2016) Leishmania major infection in a dog with cutaneous manifestations. Parasites & Vectors. 10;9(1):246.
40. Potkonjak A, Gutierrez R, Savic S, Vracar V, Nachum-Biala Y, Jurisic, A, Kleinerman G, Rojas A, Petrovic A, Baneth G, Harrus S (2015) Molecular detection of emerging tick-borne pathogens in Vojvodina, Serbia. Ticks & tick-borne diseases. 7(1):199-203.
41. Aroch I, Rojas A, Slon P, Lavy E, Segev G, Baneth G (2015) Serological cross-reactivity of three commercial in-house immunoassays for detection of Dirofilaria immitis antigens with Spirocerca lupi in dogs with benign esophageal spirocercosis. Veterinary Parasitology. 211:303-305.
42. Rojas A, Rojas D, Montenegro VM, Baneth G (2015) Detection of Dirofilaria immitis and other arthropod-borne filarioids by an HRM real-time qPCR, blood-concentrating techniques and a serological assay in dogs from Costa Rica. Parasites & Vectors. 8:170.
43. Heneberg P, Rojas A, Bizos J, Kockova L, Mala M, Rojas D (2014) Focal Philophthalmus gralli infection possibly persists in Melanoides tuberculata over two years following the definitive hosts removal. Parasitology International. 63:802-807.
44. Rojas A, Rojas D, Montenegro V, Gutiérrez R, Yasur-Landau D, Baneth G (2014) Vector-borne pathogens in dogs from Costa Rica: First molecular description of Babesia vogeli and Hepatozoon canis infections with a high prevalence of monocytic ehrlichiosis and the manifestations of co-infection. Veterinary Parasitology. 199(3-4):121-128.
45. Rojas D, Soto C, Rojas A (2013) Pathology and first report of natural eye infection with the trematode Philophthalmus gralli (Digenea, Philophthalmidae) in Tinamus major (Tinamiformes, Tinamidae), Costa Rica. Parasitology International. 62(6):571-574.
46. Rojas A, Rojas D, Montenegro V, Baneth G (2013) Determinación de Ehrlichia canis y Anaplasma platys en perros de Costa Rica. Acta Medica Costarricense. 55(1):68-69.
47. Rojas A, Vargas M, Ramírez N, Estrada R, Segura A, Herrera M, Villalta M, Gómez A, Gutiérrez JM, León G (2013) Role of the animal model on the pharmacokinetics of equine-derived antivenoms. Toxicon. 70:9-14