A5005954545- Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Poxvirus research and outbreaks
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Microbial Inactivation Methods
- Microbial infections and disease research
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Burkholderia infections and melioidosis
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
- Brucella: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Rabies epidemiology and control
Institut für Mikrobiologie der Bundeswehr
2016-2025
Universität der Bundeswehr München
2016-2025
German Center for Infection Research
2014-2024
Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Microbiology
2014-2022
München Klinik Schwabing
2022
Klinikum rechts der Isar
2022
Technical University of Munich
2022
Weatherford College
2022
Public Health England
2015
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
2015
In December, 2019, the newly identified severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China, causing COVID-19, a disease presenting with fever, cough, and often pneumonia. WHO has set strategic objective to interrupt spread of SARS-CoV-2 worldwide. An outbreak Bavaria, Germany, starting at end January, 2020, provided opportunity study transmission events, incubation period, secondary attack rates.
Abstract Background Monkeypox is a zoonotic orthopoxvirus infection endemic in central and western Africa. In May 2022, human monkeypox infections including human-to-human transmission were reported multi-country outbreak Europe North America. Case presentations Here we present the first two cases of humans diagnosed Germany. We clinical virological findings, detection virus DNA blood semen. The presentation medical history our patients suggest close physical contact during sexual...
Cowpox virus (CPXV) was considered as uniform species within the genus Orthopoxvirus (OPV). Previous phylogenetic analysis indicated that CPXV is polyphyletic and isolates may cluster into different clades with two of these showing genetic similarities to either variola (VARV) or vaccinia viruses (VACV). Further analyses were initiated assess both diversity evolutionary background circulating CPXVs. Here we report full-length sequences 20 strains isolated from animal humans in Germany. A...
Brucellosis, a worldwide common bacterial zoonotic disease, has become quite rare in Northern and Western Europe. However, since 2014 significant increase of imported infections caused by Brucella (B.) melitensis been noticed Germany. Patients predominantly originated from Middle East including Turkey Syria. These circumstances afforded an opportunity to gain insights into the population structure strains. Brucella-isolates 57 patients were recovered between January June 2016 with culture...
Abstract Prolonged shedding of infectious SARS-CoV-2 has recently been reported in a number immunosuppressed individuals with COVID-19. Here, we describe the detection high levels replication-competent specimens taken from respiratory tract B-cell depleted patient up to 154 days after initial COVID-19 diagnosis concomitant development mutation rate. In this patient, total 11 nonsynonymous mutations were detected addition Y144 deletion spike protein SARS-CoV-2. Virus evolution studies...
Following the recent discovery of two Pandoravirus species in 2013, a previously described endocytobiont isolated from inflamed eye patient with keratitis was subjected to whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Here, we present complete genome sequence new isolate.
Traditionally, virus taxonomy relied on phenotypic properties; however, a sequence-based has become essential since the recent requirement of species to exhibit monophyly. The Cowpox failed meet this requirement, necessitating reexamination species. Here, we report genomic sequences nine viruses and, by combining them with available data 37 additional genomes, confirm polyphyly and find statistical support based genetic for more than dozen These results are discussed in light current...
During an anthrax outbreak at the Pollino National Park (Basilicata, Italy) in 2004, diseased cattle were buried and from these anthrax-foci Bacillus anthracis endospores still diffuse to surface resulting local accumulations. Recent data suggest that B. multiplies soil outside animal-host body. This notion is supported by frequent isolation of lacking one or both virulence plasmids. Such strains represent evolutionary dead end, as they are likely no longer able successfully infect new...
Abstract In May 2022, human monkeypox infections including human-to-human transmission were reported in a multi-country outbreak Europe and North America. With the first two German cases, we are providing clinical virological findings, detection of virus DNA blood semen. It is important to raise awareness among health professionals rapid correct identification diagnosis this disease, which probably still under-reported Europe. We describe cases (MPX) Germany highlight importance recent...
The anthrax pathogen Bacillus anthracis can remain dormant as spores in soil for many years. This applies to both natural foci and sites of anthropogenic activity such tanneries, abattoirs, or wool factories. A.Br.075 (A-branch) clade (also known A.Br.Sterne) is prominent not only because it comprises several outbreak strains but even more so spore preparations its namesake, the Sterne strain, are counted among most utilized animal vaccines. In this study, we genome-sequenced analyzed 56...
The zoonotic disease tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. This pathogen considered as a category A select agent with potential to be misused in bioterrorism. Molecular typing based on DNA-sequence like canSNP-typing or MLVA has become accepted standard for this organism. Due organism's highly clonal nature, current methods have reached their limit of discrimination classifying closely related subpopulations within subspecies F. tularensis ssp. holarctica. We introduce...
Anthrax is a rare disease in humans but elicits great public fear because of its past use as an agent bioterrorism. Injectional anthrax has been occurring sporadically for more than ten years heroin consumers across multiple European countries and this outbreak difficult to trace back source.We took molecular epidemiological approach understanding outbreak, including whole genome sequencing Bacillus anthracis isolates from the victims. We also screened two large strain repositories closely...
Background: In December 2019, a newly identified coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China, causing respiratory disease (COVID-19) presenting with fever, cough and frequently pneumonia. WHO has set the strategic objective to interrupt virus spread of SARS-CoV-2 worldwide. An outbreak Bavaria, Germany, starting end January 2020, gave opportunity study transmission events, incubation period, attack rates.Methods: A case was defined as person SARS-CoV-2-infection confirmed by PCR. Case...
Although smallpox has been known for centuries, the oldest available variola virus strains were isolated in early 1940s. At that time, large regions of world already smallpox-free. Therefore, genetic information these can represent only very last fraction a long evolutionary process. Based on genomes 48 strains, two clades are differentiated: Clade 1 includes variants major, and clade 2 West African minor (Alastrim) strains. Recently, genome an almost 400-year-old Lithuanian mummy was...
A variety of methods have been established in order to optimize the accessibility DNA originating from Bacillus anthracis cells and endospores facilitate highly sensitive molecular diagnostics. However, most endospore lysis techniques not evaluated respect their quantitative proficiencies. Here, we started by systematically assessing efficiencies 20 extraction kits for vegetative B. cells. Of these, Epicentre MasterPure kit gave best yields quality suitable further genomic analysis. Yet,...
Antibodies against the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can drive adaptive evolution in immunocompromised patients with chronic infection. Here we longitudinally analyze SARS-CoV-2 sequences a B cell-depleted, lymphoma patient chronic, ultimately fatal infection, and identify three mutations that dampen convalescent plasma-mediated neutralization SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, four emerge non-spike regions encoding CD8 T cell epitopes, including one...
The geographical origin of a major present-day phylogenetic group (A branch WNA; A.Br.WNA) American Bacillus anthracis is controversial. One hypothesis postulated that the anthrax pathogen reached North America via then-existing land bridge from northeastern Asia thousands years ago. A competing suggested B. was introduced to couple hundred ago, related European colonization. latter view strongly supported by genomic analysis French isolates are phylogenetically closely strains A.Br.WNA...
We report here the complete genome sequence (GenBank accession no. KX268728) of tick-borne encephalitis strain HB171/11, isolated from an Ixodes ricinus tick a natural focus where human neurological disease is rare. The shows unique characteristics in neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence.
In May 2017, a hospitalized index case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) was confirmed by Serology. The linked to alimentary infection raw milk from goat farm in the region Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, where no previous TBE cases area had been reported before. focus isolation virus ticks and Serological confirmation past one five flock goats. Additional investigations local public health office identified 27 consumers at putative period exposure. For 20/27 exposed persons, anamnestic...
Controlling and monitoring the still ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic regarding geographical distribution, evolution, emergence of new mutations SARS-CoV-2 virus is only possible due to continuous next-generation sequencing (NGS) sharing sequence data worldwide. Efficient strategies enable retrieval increasing numbers high-quality, full-length genomes are, hence, indispensable. Two opposed enrichment methods, tiling multiplex PCR hybridization by...
(1) Background: MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) is the gold standard for microbial fingerprinting, however, phylogenetically closely related species, resolution power drops down to genus level. In this study, we analyzed spectra from 44 strains of B. melitensis, suis and abortus identify optimal classification method within popular supervised unsupervised machine learning (ML) algorithms. (2) Methods: A consensus feature selection strategy was applied pinpoint among 500 MS features those...