Maria A. Mejias, MD

Asuncion Mejias, MD, PhD is a principal investigator in the Center for Vaccines and Immunity at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital. She is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the The Ohio State University College of Medicine and faculty from the Division of Infectious Diseases. Her research program focuses on the immunopathogenesis of respiratory viral infections and the mechanisms of viral-host interaction using a multidisciplinary approach, with particular emphasis on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.

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Gender:

• Female

Languages Spoken:

• Spanish
• English

Research Center:

• Center for Vaccines and Immunity

Areas of Interest:

• Our lab studies the pathogenesis of respiratory viral infections in depth, with particular emphasis on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). RSV infection is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants in the US, however therapeutic options are limited and no vaccine is yet available to prevent the infection. To gain insight in to the pathogenesis of the disease we have developed a global, multidisciplinary approach, performing studies in the mouse model of RSV and in children with respiratory viral infections. In parallel, we perform detailed studies on the virus itself and we are characterizing the host differences in disease severity applying microarray analysis. Gene expression analyses has allowed us to better understand the mechanisms of the disease, but also to assess disease severity, responses to therapy and eventually predict outcomes in children with RSV, influenza or rhinovirus infections among others.

Medical School

• Facultad deMedicina University de Malagna
  Date Completed: 07/31/1995

Internship

• Hospital Generol Universitario Gregario Maranon
  Date Completed: 04/30/2001

Residency

• Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón
  Date Completed: 06/30/2001

Fellowship

• University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
  Date Completed: 09/30/2006

Department:

• Pediatrics

Section:

• Infectious Diseases

Speciality:

• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  
• Pediatrics
  

Date of Appointment at Children's Hospital:

• 02/26/2010

2009–present

• Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Nationwide Children's Hospital.

2009–present

• Investigator, Center for Vaccines and Immunity, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital

2007–2009

• Clinical Research Scholar, Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

2007–2009

• Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

2006–2007

• Senior Research Scientist, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

• Santiago B, McCloud B, Mejias A. 2011. An 11 month old with Pneumonia and rash.  Revista Pediatrica de Panama. (Formally Accepted)
• Mejías A and Ramilo O. 2011. The Bacterial-Viral Interactions in Children with Community Acquired Pneumonia.  Ped Infect Dis J. Vol. 30, no. 2.
• Garcia C, Bhore, R, Soriano-Fallas A, Trost M, Chason R, Ramilo O and Mejías, A. 2010. Risk Factors for Bronchiolitis-related Hospitalizations: Differences between Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and non-RSV Bronchiolitis.  Pediatrics. Vol. 126, no. 6. (December): e1453-e1460.
• Torres J.P, Gomez A.M, Khokhar S, Vijay G Bohj V.J, Tagliabue C, Chang M.L, Kiener P.A, Revell P.A, Ramilo O and Mejías A. 2010. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) RNA Loads in Peripheral Blood Correlates with Disease Severity in Mice.  Respiratory Research. Vol. 11. (September 15): 125.
• Berry MPR, Gragan CM, McNab FM, Xu Z, Bloch S, Oni T, Wilkinson K, Banchereau R, Skinner J, Wilkinson R, Quinn C, Blankenship D, Dhawan R, Cush J, Mejias A, Ramilo O, Kon O, Pascual V, Banchereau J, Chaussabel D, O'Garra A. 2010. Transcriptional Profiling Reveals an Interferon-Inducible Neutrophil-Driven Signature in Human Tuberculosis.  Nature. Vol. 466, no. 7309. (August 19): 973-977.
• Mejias A and Ramilo O. 2010. RSV and Asthma, what is the evidence?.  Ed. Luzan. Vol. 1: 1-10.
• Techasaensiri B, Techasaensiri C, Mejias A, McCracken G and Ramilo O. 2010. Viral Co-infections in Children with Invasive Pneumococcal Disease.  Ped Infect Dis J. Vol. 29, no. 6. : 519-523.
• Rodriguez R, Mejias A, and Ramilo O. Acute Bronchiolitis Infections in the Community.  n/a. (In press)
• Jordan-Villegas A, Chang M, Ramilo O, and Mejias A. 2010. Concomitant Respiratory Viral Infection in Children with Kawasaki Disease.  Ped Infect Dis J. Vol. 29, no. 8. : 770-772.
• Torres J.P, Mejias A, and O. Ramilo. 2009. Legionelosis. In Libro de Infectología de la Asociación Española de Pediatria. Madrid, Spain: Libro de Infectología de la Asociación Española de Pediatria.
• Mejías A, Bustos R, Ardura M, Ramírez C, Sánchez PJ. 2009. Persistence of Herpes Simplex Virus DNA in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Neonates with Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis.  J Perinatol. Vol. 4: 290-296.
• Mejías, A, Rodríguez R and Ramilo, O. 2009. Bronchiolitis. In Pediatric Infectious Disease Guidelines in the Emergency Department. Madrid: Edika Med Editorial. 34-37.
• Somers C, Naveed A, Mejías A, Buckingham S. C, Carubelli C, Katz-Gaynor K, Leos N, Gomez A, DeVincenzo J.P, Ramilo O, Jafri H.S. 2009. Effect of dexamethasone on RSV-induced lung inflammation in children: results of a randomized, placebo controlled clinical trial.  Ped Allergy and Immunol. Vol. 20, no. 5: 477-485.
• Mejias, A and Sanchez JP. 2009. Update on Cytomegalovirus.  Anales Españoles de Pediatría. Vol. 70, no. 6: 517-518.
• Mejías, A, García C, Rodríguez R and Ramilo, O. 2009. Virus respiratorio sincitial y otros virus en las sibilancias del lactante. In en SIBILANCIAS EN EL LACTANTE. Madrid: LUZAN 5 SA. 59-72.
• Ramilo O, Mejias A. 2009. Shifting the Paradigm: Host Gene Signatures for Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases.  Cell and Host Microbe. Vol. 6, no. 3: 199-200.
• Mejias A, Torres J.P and O. Ramilo. 2009. Virus Respiratorio Sincitial. In Libro de Infectología de la Asociación Española de Pediatría. Madrid, Spain: Libro de Infectología de la Asociación Española de Pediatría.
• Mejias A. and Ramilo O. 2009. RSV persistence and recurrent wheezing.  Ped Infect Dis J. Vol. 28, no. 6: 450-451.
• Ardura M, Banchereau R, Mejías A, Di Pucchio T, Glaser C, Allantaz F, Pascual V, Banchereau J, Chaussabel D and Ramilo O. 2009. System Biology Approach to Invasive Staphylococcus Aureus Infections Reveals Reduced Central Memory T cells and Increase Monocytes.  PLOS One. Vol. 4, no. 5: e5446.
• Tagliabue C, Salvatore CM, Techasaensiri C, Mejías A, Torres JP, Katz K, Gomez A.M, Esposito S, Principi N, Hardy R.D. 2008. Combined Macrolide/Steroid Therapy is Superior to Either Therapy Alone in Experimental Mycoplasma pneumoniae Respiratory Infection.  J Infect Dis. Vol. 198, no. 15. : 1-9.
• Perez-Yarza, E.G, Moreno A, Lazaro P, Ramilo O and Mejias A. 2008. Asthma after early RSV infection. How to control?.  Ped Infect Dis J. Vol. 27, no. 2. : 192.
• Ramilo O and Mejías A. 2008. RSV Infections: New Strategies vs Old Challenges.  Anales Españoles de Pediatría. Vol. 69, no. 1. : 1-4.
• Bhoj VG, Sun Q, Bhoj E, Somers C, Chen X, Torres JP, Mejías A, Gomez A, Jafri H, Ramilo O, Chen Z. J. 2008. MAVS and MyD88 Are Essential for Innate Immunity But Not Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Response Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus.  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. Vol. 105, no. 37. : 14046-14051.
• Burns J.C, Best B.M, Mejías A, Mahony L, Melish M. E, Jackson M.A, Asmar B, Lang D, Connor J, Keenan G, Ramilo O. 2008. Infliximab treatment of IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease.  J Peds. Vol. 153, no. 6. : 833-838.
• Chaussabel, D., Quinn, C., Shen, J., Patel, P., Glaser, C., Baldwin, N., Stichweh, D. Bennett, L., Allantaz, F., Mejías A., Ardura, M., Kaizer, E., Monnet, L., Allman, W., Randall, H., Punaro, M., Wittkowski, KM., White P., Fay, J., Klintmalm, G., Ramilo, O., Palucka, A.K., Banchereau, J. and Pascual, V. 2008. A modular framework for biomarker and knowledge discovery from blood transcriptional profiling studies: application to systemic lupus erythematosus.  Immunity. Vol. 29, no. 1. : 150-164.
• Mejías A., Chávez-Bueno S, Gomez A, Estripeaut D, Torres J.P, Somers C, Jafri H.S and Ramilo O. 2008. Respiratory syncytial virus persistence: Evidence in the mouse model.  Ped Infect Dis J. Vol. 27, no. 10. : S60-S62.
• Saavedra-Lozano J, Mejías A, Ahmad N, Peromingo E, Ardura M.I, Guillen S, Syed A, Cavuoti D, Ramilo O. 2008. Changing Trends in Acute Osteomyelitis in Children: Impact of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infections.  J Ped Orthopaedics. Vol. 28, no. 5. : 569-575.
• Gill M.A, Long K, Kwon T, Muñiz L, Mejías A, Connolly J, Roy L, Banchereau J and Ramilo O. 2008. Differential recruitment of dendritic cells and monocytes to respiratory mucosal sites in children with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus infections.  J Infect Dis. Vol. 198, no. 11. : 1667-1676.
• Mejias A. and Ramilo O. 2008. Review of palivizumab in the prophylaxis of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in high risk infants.  Biologic Targets and Therapy. Vol. 2, no. 3. : 433-439.
• Estripeaut D, Torrres JP, Somers C, Tagliabue C, Khokhar S, Bohj V.G, Grube S, Wozniakowski A, Gomez A, Ramilo O, Jafri H and Mejías A. 2008. Respiratory Syncytial Virus persistence in the lungs correlates with airway hyperreactivity in the mouse model.  J Infect Dis. Vol. 198. : 1435-1443.
• Chavez-Bueno S, Mejías A, Ahmad N, Merryman R, Jafri H.S, Ramilo O. IntravenousPalivizumab. 2007. IntravenousPalivizumab and Ribavirin Combination for Treatment of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease in High-Risk Pediatric Patients.  Pediatr Infect Dis. Vol. 26, no. 12. : 1089-1093.
• Mejias A. and Ramilo O. 2007. RSV and Asthma up-to-date. The role of genomics.  Anales Españoles de Pediatría. Vol. 66, no. Suppl 2. : 63-68.
• Ardura M.I, Mejías A, Gaynor-Katz K., Revell P, McCracken G.H and Sanchez P.J. 2007. Daptomycin therapy for Invasive Gram-positive Bacterial Infections in Children.  Pediatr Infect Dis. Vol. 26, no. 12. : 1128-1132.
• Mejías A and Ramilo O. 2006. RSV: New approaches to reduce the burden of RSV infection.  Drug Discovery Today Therapeutic Strategies. Vol. 3, no. 2. : 173-181.
• Chávez-Bueno S., Mejías A. and Welliver R.C. 2006. RSV Bronchiolitis. Current and Future strategies for Prophylaxis.  Treat Respir Med. Vol. 5, no. 6. : 483-494.
• Mejías A., Chávez-Bueno S and Ramilo O. 2005. Respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia: mechanisms of inflammation and prolonged airway hyperresponsiveness.  Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. Vol. 18, no. 3. : 199-204.
• Chávez-Bueno S., Mejías A., Jafri H.S. and Ramilo O. 2005. Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Old Challenges and New Approaches.  Pediatric Annals. Vol. 34, no. 1. : 62-68.
• Mejías A., Chávez-Bueno S and Sánchez P.J. 2005. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prophylaxis.  NeoReviews. Vol. 6, no. 1. : e26-e31.
• Mejías A. Chávez-Bueno S., Jafri H.S. and Ramilo O. 2005. RSV Infections: Old Challenges and New Opportunities.  Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal. Vol. 24, no. 11S. : S189-S197.
• Mejías A. Chávez-Bueno S., Ríos A.M., M. Fonseca Aten, A.M Gómez, H.S. Jafri and O. Ramilo. 2004. RSV and Asthma. New Opportunities of Therapeutic Intervention.  Anales Españoles de Pediatría. Vol. 61, no. 3. : 252-260.
• Mejías A., Chavez-Bueno S. and Ramilo O. 2004. Human Metapneumovirus: A Not so new Virus. CME review.  Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. Vol. 23, no. 1. : 1-10.
• Mejías A, and Ramilo O. 2003. Asthma and RSV.  Anales Españoles de Pediatría. Vol. 58, no. 1. : 87-88.
• Mejías A. and Ramilo O. 2002. Asthma and RSV. Myth or truth?.  Anales Españoles de Pediatría. Vol. 57, no. 3. : 199-204.
• Mejías A., Chávez-Bueno S and Ramilo O. Respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia: mechanisms of inflammation and prolonged airway hyperresponsiveness. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases 2005: 18(3): 199-204. PubMed ID: 15864095
• Estripeaut D, Torrres JP, Somers C, Tagliabue C, Khokhar S, Bohj V.G, Grube S, Wozniakowski A, Gomez A, Ramilo O, Jafri H and Mejías A. Respiratory Syncytial Virus persistence in the lungs correlates with airway hyperreactivity in the mouse model. J Infect Dis 2008; 198: 1435-43. PubMed ID: 18828742
• Mejías A. Chávez-Bueno S., Ríos A.M., Saavedra-Lozano J., Fonseca-Aten M., Hatfield J., Kapur P., Gómez A.M, Jafri H.S. and Ramilo O. Anti-RSV Neutralizing Antibody decreases lung inflammation, airway obstruction and airway hyperresponsiveness in the Respiratory Syncytial Virus model. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2004: 48 (5); 1811-1822. PubMed ID: 15105140
• Somers C, Naveed A, Mejías A, Buckingham S. C, Carubelli C, Katz-Gaynor K, Leos N, Gomez A, DeVincenzo J.P, Ramilo O, Jafri H.S. Effect of dexamethasone on RSV-induced lung inflammation in children: results of a randomized, placebo controlled clinical trial. Ped Allergy and Immunol 2009: 20 (5):477-85. PubMed ID: 19397752
• Mejías A, Chavez-Bueno S, Raynor M.B, Connolly J, Kiener P.A, Jafri HS, Ramilo O. Motavizumab, an enhanced anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) neutralizing monoclonal antibody significantly modifies the local and systemic cytokine responses induced by RSV in the mouse model. Virol J 2007; Oct 25; 4(1):109. PubMed ID: 17961258
• Mejías A, Bustos R, Ardura M, Ramírez C, Sánchez PJ. Persistence of Herpes Simplex Virus DNA in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Neonates with Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis. J Perinatol 2009 (4): 290-6. PubMed ID: 19194454
• G. Pérez-Yarza E, Moreno A, Lazaro P, Mejías A and Ramilo O. The Association between Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection and the Development of Childhood Asthma: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal 2007; 26: 733-39. PubMed ID: 17848887
• Mejías A, Chávez-Bueno S. Ríos A.M, Fonseca Aten M., Raynor B., Peromingo E., Soni P., Olsen K.D, Kiener, PA, Gómez A.M, Jafri H.S. and Ramilo O. Comparative Effect of Two Neutralizing anti-RSV Monoclonal Antibodies in the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Murine Model. Time versus Potency. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2005: 49 (11): 4700-7. PubMed ID: 16251314