A5058650321- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Leptospirosis research and findings
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Virology and Viral Diseases
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research
- Pharmacological Effects of Natural Compounds
- Dermatological diseases and infestations
- Immune Cell Function and Interaction
- Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Neuroscience and Music Perception
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Microbial Inactivation Methods
- Respiratory viral infections research
- Poxvirus research and outbreaks
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Agriculture and Farm Safety
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Eosinophilic Disorders and Syndromes
- Parasites and Host Interactions
- Immune Response and Inflammation
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine
2016-2023
University of Lübeck
2021
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
2019
Human Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1) encephalitis is a severe emerging with very high case-fatality rate. While the clinical disease, case definitions, diagnostic algorithms and neuropathology have been described, little known about immunological processes of human BoDV-1 encephalitis. Here, we analyzed serum cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 10 patients fatal for changes different cytokines, chemokines, growth factors other biomarkers over time. From one these individuals, also...
Rickettsia (R.) typhi is the causative agent of endemic typhus, an emerging febrile disease that associated with complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis and liver dysfunction. To elucidate how innate immune mechanisms contribute to defense pathology we here analyzed R. infection CB17 SCID mice are congenic BALB/c but lack adaptive immunity. succumbed within 21 days showed high bacterial load in spleen, brain, lung, liver. Most evident pathological changes typhi-infected were massive...
Abstract Typhus group rickettsiosis is caused by the vectorborne bacteria Rickettsia typhi and R. prowazekii. typhi, which causes murine typhus, less severe endemic form of transmitted fleas; prowazekii, epidemic body lice. To examine immunology human infection with typhus rickettsiae, we retrospectively reviewed clinical signs symptoms, laboratory changes, travel destinations 28 patients who had diagnosed German Reference Center for Tropical Pathogens, Hamburg, Germany, during 2010–2017....
Rickettsia typhi is an intracellular bacterium that causes endemic typhus, a febrile disease can be fatal due to complications including pneumonia, hepatitis and meningoencephalitis, the latter being regular outcome in T B cell-deficient C57BL/6 RAG1-/- mice upon infection. Here, we show CD4+ TH1 cells are generated R. infection as protective cytotoxic CD8+ cells. CD4+- well CD8+-deficient survived without showing symptoms of at any point time. Moreover, adoptively transferred immune entered...
Introduction Tularemia is mainly caused by Francisella tularensis ( Ft ) subsp. Ftt and holarctica in humans more than 200 animal species including rabbits hares. Human clinical manifestations depend on the route of infection range from flu-like symptoms to severe pneumonia with a mortality rate up 60% without treatment. So far, only 2D cell culture models are used study virulence , but gained results transferable human infections certain extent. Method In this study, we firstly established...
Endemic typhus caused by Rickettsia (R.) typhi is an emerging febrile disease that can be fatal due to multiple organ pathology. Here we analyzed the requirements for protection against R. T cells in CB17 SCID model of infection. BALB/c wild-type mice generate CD4+ TH1 and cytotoxic CD8+ both which are sporadically reactivated persistent Either adoptively transferred or protected typhi-infected from death provided long-term control. lacking either IFNγ Perforin were still protective,...
Variegated squirrel bornavirus 1 (VSBV-1) is a zoonotic virus that causes fatal encephalitis in humans who are infected after contact with exotic squirrels. We analyzed the brain lesions and immune responses all 4 known human cases showed panencephalitis. Inflammatory infiltrates areas positive for VSBV-1 RNA antigen consisted of CD4+ CD8+ T cells, perivascular B-cell accumulation. Strong microglial response bizarre astroglial expansion were present. Areas malacia contained neutrophils foamy...
Scrub typhus is a life-threatening zoonotic disease, which caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi , an obligatory intracellular Gram-negative bacterium. It transmitted Leptotrombidium mites in endemic regions of Southeast Asia. So far, data on imported scrub cases to non-endemic areas and immunological descriptions are rare. Eleven that had been diagnosed the German National Reference Center for Tropical Pathogens between 2010 2018 were retrospectively reviewed clinical symptoms, laboratory...
Rickettsioses of the typhus group (TG) and spotted fever (SFG) are emerging bacterial infections worldwide, especially in tropics. Only a few studies on these pathogens their respective clinical diseases have been conducted Malaysia. Here, we performed seroprevalence study among 544 healthy, afebrile indigenous people (Orang Asli) from peninsular Malaysia for TG SFG rickettsioses nine rural peri-urban settlements. The population encompassed children, adolescents, adults. overall...
Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with peak of symptom severity around late childhood and early adolescence. Previous findings in adult GTS suggest that changes perception-action integration, as conceptualized the theory event coding framework, are central for understanding GTS. However, neural mechanisms underlying these processes adolescence elusive.A total 59 children/adolescents aged 9 to 18 years (n = 32 GTS, n 27 typically developing youths) were...
Abstract We evaluated formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 7 patients who died with encephalitic typhus in Hamburg, Germany, during World War II. The archived included only central nervous system tissues >70 years old that had been stored at room temperature. demonstrated successful detection of Rickettsia typhi DNA by a nested qPCR specific to prsA 2 patients. These results indicate R. infections contributed outbreaks Immunohistochemical analyses brain DNA–positive and...
In November 2018, an outbreak of tularemia occurred among hare hunters in Bavaria, Germany. At least one infected was confirmed as the source infection. A number hunting dogs showed elevated antibody titers to Francisella tularensis, but absence titer increases subsequent samples did not point acute infections dogs. Altogether, 12 persons associated with this hunt could be diagnosed by detection specific antibodies. nine patients, and cytokine responses monitored over time. Eight out these...
Rickettsioses are neglected and emerging potentially fatal febrile diseases that caused by obligate intracellular bacteria, rickettsiae. Rickettsia ( R .) typhi . prowazekii constitute the typhus group (TG) of rickettsiae causative agents endemic epidemic typhus, respectively. We recently generated a monoclonal antibody (BNI52) against Characterization BNI52 revealed it specifically recognizes TG but not members spotted fever (SFG) further show binds to protein fragments ±30 kDa exposed on...
Rickettsia slovaca, a spotted fever group rickettsial pathogen, causes syndrome consisting of scalp eschar and neck lymphadenopathy following tick bite. We analyzed the histologic skin reaction in eschar, showing prominent eosinophilic infiltration, as well presence B lymphocytes CD4- CD8-positive T cells. Examination serum cytokine responses over time demonstrated an initial proinflammatory elevation followed by normalization.
The number of homeless people in Germany is steadily increasing. Due to their often precarious living conditions, this specific population may be increasingly exposed ectoparasites that can transmit various pathogens. To assess the prevalence and thus risk such infections, we analyzed seropositivity rickettsiosis, Q fever, tularemia bartonellosis individuals.A total 147 adults from nine shelters Hamburg, Germany, were included. individuals underwent questionnaire-based interviewing, physical...
The intracellular pathogen Rickettsia felis causes flea-borne spotted fever and is increasingly recognized as an emerging cause of febrile illness in Africa, where co-infection with Plasmodium falciparum common. Rickettsiae invade endothelial cells. Little known, however, about the early immune responses to infection. In this study, we characterize for first time cytokine profile acute phase caused by R. infection, well plasmodial co-infection, using serum from 23 children < 15 years age 20...
African tick bite fever, an acute febrile illness, is caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Rickettsia africae. Immune responses to rickettsial infections have so far mainly been investigated in vitro with infected endothelial cells as main target cells, and mouse models. Patient studies are rare little known about immunology of human infections. In this study, inflammatory mediators T cell were examined samples from 13 patients polymerase chain reaction-confirmed R. africae at...