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Unit 17: Influenza viruses and other respiratory tract viruses

Head:
Thorsten Wolff
Deputy:
Ralf Dürrwald

Unit 17 is concerned with the surveillance and research of influenza and other important respiratory viral diseases in Germany. The focus is on analyses of influenza viruses currently circulating in humans with regard to their evolution, molecular epidemiology, antigenic profile and incidence, as well as investigations of gene functions that control viral virulence and host specificity. Other human respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus and human parainfluenza viruses are monitored throughout the year by whole genome sequencing as part of the surveillance of acute viral respiratory diseases at RKI on the levels of ambulant and hospitalized patients. Among other purposes, certain thresholds in the positivity rates for influenza virus and RSV in samples from primary care are used to define the beginnings and ends of epidemic influenza virus and RSV circulation, respectively.

The activities of Unit 17 support the WHO's vaccine recommendations for influenza and serve to improve our understanding of the pathogens as well as to establish new strategies for the prophylaxis and therapy of respiratory viral diseases.

Tasks

Surveillance and molecular epidemiology

Molecular virological studies of respiratory viruses

  • Analysis of factors and mechanisms underlying viral virulence and host specificity
  • Development of new in vitro and ex vivo infection models in the context of risk assessment of respiratory viruses

Activities in research and education networks

Date: 22.01.2024

Publications

  • Rose AM, Nicolay N, Sandonis Martín V, Mazagatos C, Petrović G, Niessen FA, Machado A, Launay O, Denayer S, Seyler L, Baruch J, Burgui C, Loghin II, Domegan L, Vaikutytė R, Husa P, Panagiotakopoulos G, Aouali N, Dürrwald R, Howard J, Pozo F, Sastre-Palou B, Nonković D, Knol MJ, Kislaya I, Luong Nguyen LB, Bossuyt N, Demuyser T, Džiugytė A, Martínez-Baz I, Popescu C, Duffy R, Kuliešė M, Součková L, Michelaki S, Simon M, Reiche J, Otero-Barrós MT, Lovrić Makarić Z, Bruijning-Verhagen PC, Gomez V, Lesieur Z, Barbezange C, Van Nedervelde E, Borg ML, Castilla J, Lazar M, O'Donnell J, Jonikaitė I, Demlová R, Amerali M, Wirtz G, Tolksdorf K, Valenciano M, Bacci S, Kissling E, I-MOVE-COVID-19 hospital study team, VEBIS hospital study team, Members of the I-MOVE-COVID-19 and VEBIS hospital study teams (in addition to the named authors) (2023): Vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalisation in adults (≥ 20 years) during Alpha- and Delta-dominant circulation: I-MOVE-COVID-19 and VEBIS SARI VE networks, Europe, 2021.
    Euro Surveill. 2023 28 (47): doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.47.2300186. more

  • Rose AM, Nicolay N, Sandonis Martín V, Mazagatos C, Petrović G, Baruch J, Denayer S, Seyler L, Domegan L, Launay O, Machado A, Burgui C, Vaikutyte R, Niessen FA, Loghin II, Husa P, Aouali N, Panagiotakopoulos G, Tolksdorf K, Horváth JK, Howard J, Pozo F, Gallardo V, Nonković D, Džiugytė A, Bossuyt N, Demuyser T, Duffy R, Luong Nguyen LB, Kislaya I, Martínez-Baz I, Gefenaite G, Knol MJ, Popescu C, Součková L, Simon M, Michelaki S, Reiche J, Ferenczi A, Delgado-Sanz C, Lovrić Makarić Z, Cauchi JP, Barbezange C, Van Nedervelde E, O'Donnell J, Durier C, Guiomar R, Castilla J, Jonikaite I, Bruijning-Verhagen PC, Lazar M, Demlová R, Wirtz G, Amerali M, Dürrwald R, Kunstár MP, Kissling E, Bacci S, Valenciano M; I-MOVE-COVID-19 hospital study team; VEBIS hospital study team; Members of the I-MOVE-COVID-19 and VEBIS hospital study teams (in addition to authors above) (2023): Vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalisation in adults (≥ 20 years) during Omicron-dominant circulation: I-MOVE-COVID-19 and VEBIS SARI VE networks, Europe, 2021 to 2022
    Euro Surveill. 2023 28 (47): doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.47.2300187. more

  • Dürrwald R, Wedde M, Duwe S, Biere B, Reiche J, Köndgen S, Ramos Calderón JP, Budt M, Drechsel O, Fuchs S, Haldemann B, Hartkopf F, Hölzer M, Huska M, Kaiser S, Keeren K, Kröger S, Paraskevopoulou S, Radonic A, Reinhardt B, Semmler T, Thürmer A, Trappe K, Winter K, Mielke M, Buda S, Oh DY, Wolff T (2022): Synopse virologischer Analysen im Nationalen Referenzzentrum für Influenzaviren während der COVID-19-Pandemie.
    Epidemiologisches Bulletin (22): 3–18. doi: 10.25646/10118. more

  • Oh DY, Hölzer M, Paraskevopoulou S, Trofimova M, Hartkopf F, Budt M, Wedde M, Richard H, Haldemann B, Domaszewska T, Reiche J, Keeren K, Radonić A, Calderón JPR, Smith MR, Brinkmann A, Trappe K, Drechsel O, Klaper K, Hein S, Hildt E, Haas W, Calvignac-Spencer S, Semmler T, Dürrwald R, Thürmer A, Drosten C, Fuchs S, Kröger S, von Kleist M, Wolff T; Integrated Molecular Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 (IMS-SC2) Laboratory Network (for RKI: Biere B, Nitsche A) (2022): Advancing Precision Vaccinology by Molecular and Genomic Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Germany, 2021.
    Clin Infect Dis 75 (Suppl 1): S110-S120. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac399. more

  • Mache C, Schulze J, Holland G, Bourquain D, Gensch JM, Oh DY, Nitsche A, Dürrwald R, Laue M, Wolff T (2022): SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is attenuated for replication in a polarized human lung epithelial cell model.
    Commun Biol. 5 (1): 1138. doi: 10.1038/s42003-022-04068-3. more

  • Kissling E, Pozo F, Martínez-Baz I, Buda S, Vilcu AM, Domegan L, Mazagatos C, Dijkstra F, Latorre-Margalef N, Kurečić Filipović S, Machado A, Lazar M, Casado I, Dürrwald R, van der Werf S, O'Donnell J, Linares Dopido JA, Meijer A, Riess M, Višekruna Vučina V, Rodrigues AP, Mihai ME, Castilla J, Goerlitz L, Falchi A, Connell J, Castrillejo D, Hooiveld M, Carnahan A, Ilić M, Guiomar R, Ivanciuc A, Maurel M, Omokanye A, Valenciano M (2022): Influenza vaccine effectiveness against influenza A subtypes in Europe: Results from the 2021-2022 I-MOVE primary care multicentre study
    Influenza Other Respir Viruses 17 (1): e13069. doi: 10.1111/irv.13069. more

  • Heider A, Wedde M, Dürrwald R, Wolff T, Schweiger B (2022): Molecular characterization and evolution dynamics of influenza B viruses circulating in Germany from season 1996/1997 to 2019/2020
    Virus Research 322 (198926): 127-133. doi: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198926. more

  • Cai W, Dürrwald R, Biere B, Schweiger B, Haas W, Wolff T, Buda S, Reiche J (2022): Determination of respiratory syncytial virus epidemic seasons by using 95% confidence interval of positivity rates, 2011-2021, Germany.
    Influenza Other Respir Viruses: doi: 10.1111/irv.12996. Epub ahead of print. more

  • Subissi L, von Gottberg A, Thukral L, Worp N, Oude Munnink BB, Rathore S, Abu-Raddad LJ, Aguilera X, Alm E, Archer BN, Attar Cohen H, Barakat A, Barclay WS, Bhiman JN, Caly L, Chand M, Chen M, Cullinane A, de Oliveira T, Drosten C, Druce J, Effler P, El Masry I, Faye A, Gaseitsiwe S, Ghedin E, Grant R, Haagmans BL, Herring BL, Iyer SS, Kassamali Z, Kakkar M, Kondor RJ, Leite JA, Leo YS, Leung GM, Marklewitz M, Moyo S, Mendez-Rico J, Melhem NM, Munster V, Nahapetyan K, Oh DY, Pavlin BI, Peacock TP, Peiris M, Peng Z, Poon LLM, Rambaut A, Sacks J, Shen Y, Siqueira MM, Tessema SK, Volz EM, Thiel V, van der Werf S, Briand S, Perkins MD, Van Kerkhove MD, Koopmans MPG, Agrawal A (2022): An early warning system for emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
    Nat Med 28 (6): 1110-1115. doi: 10.1038/s41591-022-01836-w. more

  • Patrono LV, Vrancken B, Budt M, Düx A, Lequime S, Boral S, Gilbert MTP, Gogarten JF, Hoffmann L, Horst D, Merkel K, Morens D, Prepoint B, Schlotterbeck J, Schuenemann VJ, Suchard MA, Taubenberger JK, Tenkhoff L, Urban C, Widulin N, Winter E, Worobey M, Schnalke T, Wolff T, Lemey P, Calvignac-Spencer S. (2022): Archival influenza virus genomes from Europe reveal genomic variability during the 1918 pandemic.
    Nat Commun. 13 (2): 2314. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-29614-9. more

  • Grossegesse M, Bourquain D, Neumann M, Schaade L, Schulze J, Mache C, Wolff T, Nitsche A, Doellinger J (2022): Deep Time Course Proteomics of SARS-CoV- and SARS-CoV-2-Infected Human Lung Epithelial Cells (Calu-3) Reveals Strong Induction of Interferon-Stimulated Gene Expression by SARS-CoV-2 in Contrast to SARS-CoV.
    J. Proteome Res. 21 (2): 459-469. doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00783. more

  • Schulze J, Mache C, Balázs A, Frey D, Niemeyer D, Olze H, Dommerich S, Drosten C, Hocke AC, Mall MA, Hippenstiel S, Wolff T (2021): Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 replication in explant cultures of the human upper respiratory tract reveals broad tissue tropism of wild-type and B.1.1.7 variant viruses.
    J. Infect. Dis. 224 (12): Epub Oct 15. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiab523. more

  • Schroeder S, Mache C, Kleine-Weber H, Corman VM, Muth D, Richter A, Fatykhova D, Memish ZA, Stanifer ML, Boulant S, Gultom M, Dijkman R, Eggeling S, Hocke A, Hippenstiel S, Thiel V, Pöhlmann S, Wolff T et al. (2021): Functional comparison of MERS-coronavirus lineages reveals increased replicative fitness of the recombinant lineage 5.
    Nat. Commun. 12 (1): 5324. Epub Sep 7. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-25519-1. more

  • Wendisch D, Dietrich O, Mari T, von Stillfried S, Ibarra IL, Mittermaier M, Mache C, Chua RL, Knoll R, Timm S, Brumhard S, Krammer T, Zauber H, Hiller AL, Pascual-Reguant A, Mothes R, Bülow RD, Schulze J, Leipold AM, Djudjaj S, Erhard F, Geffers R, Pott F, Kazmierski J, Radke J, Pergantis P, Baßler K, Conrad C, Aschenbrenner AC, Sawitzki B, Landthaler M, Wyler E, Horst D; Deutsche COVID-19 OMICS Initiative (DeCOI) Hippenstiel S, Hocke A, Heppner FL, Uhrig A, Garcia C, Machleidt F, Herold S, Elezkurtaj S, Thibeault C, Witzenrath M, Cochain C, Suttorp N, Drosten C, Goffinet C, Kurth F, Schultze JL, Radbruch H, Ochs M, Eils R, Müller-Redetzky H, Hauser AE, Luecken MD, Theis FJ, Conrad C, Wolff T et al. (2021): SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers profibrotic macrophage responses and lung fibrosis.
    Cell 184 (26): 6243–6261.e27. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.11.033. more

  • Biere B, Oh DY, Wolff T, Dürrwald R (2021): Surveillance of endemic human Coronaviruses in Germany, 2019/2020.
    Lancet Reg. Health Eur. 11: 100262. Epub Nov 4. doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100262. more

  • Stadtmüller M, Bhatia S, Kiran P, Hilsch M, Reiter-Scherer V, Adam L, Parshad B, Budt M, Klenk S, Sellrie K, Lauster D, Seeberger PH, Hackenberger CPR, Herrmann A, Haag R, Wolff T (2021): Evaluation of multivalent sialylated polyglycerols for resistance induction in and broad antiviral activity against influenza A viruses.
    J. Med. Chem. 64 (17): 12774-12789. Epub Aug 25. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00794. more

  • Oh DY, Biere B, Grenz M, Wolff T, Schweiger B, Dürrwald R, Reiche J (2021): Virological surveillance and molecular characterization of human parainfluenzavirus infection in children with acute respiratory illness: Germany, 2015–2019.
    Microorganisms 9 (7): 1508. Epub Jul 14. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9071508. more

  • Oh DY, Buda S, Biere B, Reiche J, Schlosser F, Duwe S, Wedde M, von Kleist M, Mielke M, Wolff T, Dürrwald R (2021): Trends in respiratory virus circulation following COVID-19-targeted nonpharmaceutical interventions in Germany, January – September 2020: Analysis of national surveillance data.
    Lancet Reg. Health Eur. 6: 100112. Epub Jun 7. doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100112. more

  • Fischer C, Mögling R, Melidou A, Kühne A, Oliveira-Filho EF, Wolff T, Reiche J et al. (2021): Variable sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection in European expert laboratories: external quality assessment, June and July 2020.
    J. Clin. Microbiol. 59 (3): e02676-20. Epub 2020 Dec 9. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02676-20. more

  • Nie C, Stadtmüller M, Parshad B, Wallert M, Ahmadi V, Kerkhoff Y, Bhatia S, Block S, Cheng C, Wolff T, Haag R (2021): Heteromultivalent topology-matched nanostructures as potent and broad-spectrum influenza A virus inhibitors.
    Sci. Adv. 7 (1): eabd3803. Epub Jan 1. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abd3803. more

  • Dürrwald R, Wedde M, Biere B, Oh DY, Heßler-Klee M, Geidel C, Volmer R, Hauri AM, Gerst K, Thürmer A, Appelt S, Reiche J, Duwe S, Buda S, Wolff T, Haas W (2020): Zoonotic infection with swine A/H1avN1 influenza virus in a child, Germany, June 2020.
    Euro Surveill. 25 (42): 2001638. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.42.2001638. more

  • Haralampiev I, Prisner S, Nitzan M, Schade M, Jolmes F, Schreiber M, Loidolt-Krüger M, Jongen K, Chamiolo J, Nilson N, Winter F, Friedman N, Seitz O, Wolff T, Herrmann A (2020): Selective flexible packaging pathways of the segmented genome of influenza A virus.
    Nat. Commun. 11 (1): 4355. Epub Aug 28. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-18108-1. more

  • Nie C, Stadtmüller M, Yang H, Xia Y, Wolff T et al. (2020): Spiky nanostructures with geometry-matching topography for virus inhibition.
    Nano Lett. 20 (7): 5367-5375. Epub Jun 9. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c01723. more

  • Nie C, Parshad B, Bhatia S, Cheng C, Stadtmüller M, Oehrl A, Kerkhoff Y, Wolff T, Haag R (2020): Topology-matching design of an influenza neutralizing spiky nanoparticle-based inhibitor with a dual mode of action.
    Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 59 (36): 15532–15536. Epub May 18. doi: 10.1002/anie.202004832. more

  • Demminger DE, Walz L, Dietert K, Hoffmann H, Planz O, Gruber AD, von Messling V, Wolff T (2020): Adeno-associated virus-vectored influenza vaccine elicits neutralizing and Fcγ receptor-activating antibodies.
    EMBO Mol. Med. 12 (5): e10938. Epub Mar 12. doi: 10.15252/emmm.201910938. more

  • Lauster D, Klenk S, Ludwig K, Nojoumi S, Behren S, Adam L, Stadtmüller M, Saenger S, Zimmler S, Hönzke K, Yao L, Hoffmann U, Bardua M, Hamann A, Witzenrath M, Sander LE, Wolff T et al. (2020): Phage capsid nanoparticles with defined ligand arrangement block influenza virus entry.
    Nat. Nanotechnol. 15 (5): 373-379. Epub Mar 30. doi: 10.1038/s41565-020-0660-2. more

  • Bogdanow B, Wang X, Eichelbaum K, Sadewasser A, Husic I, Paki K, Budt M, Hergeselle M, Vetter B, Hou J, Chen W, Wiebusch L, Meyer IM, Wolff T, Selbach M (2019): The dynamic proteome of influenza A virus infection identifies M segment splicing as a host range determinant.
    Nat. Commun. 10 (1): 5518. Epub Dec 4. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-13520-8. more

  • Peteranderl C, Kuznetsova I, Schulze J, Hardt M, Lecuona E, Sznajder JI, Vadász I, Morty RE, Pleschka S, Wolff T, Herold S (2019): Influenza A virus infection induces apical redistribution of Na+, K+-ATPase in lung epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo.
    Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 61 (3): 395–398. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2019-0096LE. more

  • Kissling E, Pozo F, Buda S, Vilcu AM, Gherasim A, Brytting M, Domegan L, Gómez V, Meijer A, Lazar M, Vučina VV, Dürrwald R et al.; I-MOVE primary care study team (for Germany Preuß U, Tolksdorf K, Biere B, Wedde M) (2019): Low 2018/19 vaccine effectiveness against influenza A(H3N2) among 15–64-year-olds in Europe: exploration by birth cohort.
    Euro Surveill. 24 (48): pii=1900604. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2019.24.48.1900604. more

  • Obodai E, Odoom JK, Adiku T, Goka B, Wolff T, Biere B, Schweiger B, Reiche J (2018): The significance of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) in children from Ghana with acute lower respiratory tract infection: A molecular epidemiological analysis, 2006 and 2013–2014
    PLoS One 13 (9): e0203788. Epub Sep 10. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203788. more

  • Grund C, Hoffmann D, Ulrich R, Naguib M, Schinköthe J, Hoffmann B, Harder T, Saenger S, Zscheppang K, Tönnies M, Hippenstiel S, Hocke A, Wolff T et al. (2018): A novel European H5N8 influenza A virus has increased virulence in ducks but low zoonotic potential
    Emerg. Microbes Infect. 7 (1): 132. Epub Jul 19. doi: 10.1038/s41426-018-0130-1. more

  • Reiche J, Böttcher S, Diedrich S, Buchholz U, Buda S, Haas W, Schweiger B, Wolff T (2015): Low-level circulation of enterovirus D68-associated acute respiratory infections, Germany, 2014
    Emerg. Infect. Dis. 21 (05): 837–841. doi: 10.3201/eid2105.141900. more

  • Knepper J, Schierhorn KL, Becher A, Budt M, Tönnies M, Bauer TT, Schneider P, Neudecker J, Rückert JC, Gruber AD, Suttorp N, Schweiger B, Hippenstiel S, Hocke AC, Wolff T (2013): The novel human influenza A(H7N9) virus is naturally adapted to efficient growth in human lung tissue
    MBio 4 (5): e00601–13. Epub Oct. 8. doi: 10.1128/mBio.00601-13. more

  • Hocke AC, Becher A, Knepper J, Peter A, Holland G, Tönnies M, Bauer TT, Schneider P, Neudecker J, Muth D, Wendtner CM, Rückert JC, Drosten C, Gruber AD, Laue M, Suttorp N, Hippenstiel S, Wolff T (2013): Emerging human Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus causes widespread infection and alveolar damage in human lungs
    Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 188 (7): 882–886. Epub Oct 1. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201305-0954LE. more