Unit 17: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses

Head:

Thorsten Wolff

(Deputy):

Ralf Dürrwald

The unit is responsible for the surveillance of and research into influenza viruses and other major respiratory viral pathogens in Germany. The virological surveillance of circulating influenza viruses is carried out by the National Reference Centre for Influenza, which is part of the unit, within the framework of the National German Influenza Working Group. Every year up to 5,000 samples from patients with influenza-like illness are investigated here, which are sent by the sentinel network of general practitioners and paediatricians. Since the 2010/2011 season the samples are investigated on a routine basis also for the presence of respiratory syncytial viruses. Diagnostic typing/subtypings, sequencing and antigenic characterisation of circulating viruses enable a rapid detection of antigenic drift variants and mutant viruses resistant against licensed antiviral agents. Furthermore, the unit conducts complementary molecular virological studies to investigate the viral gene functions that control the virulence, tropism and host specificity of human and animal pathogenic influenza viruses. A specific focus is on the contribution of host factors of virus propagation and viral mechanisms that sabotage innate immune defences. The activities of the unit are integrated into the European Influenza Surveillance Network (EISN) and support the annual vaccine recommendations by WHO. At the same time they contribute to a better understanding of viral pathogens and the derivation of new strategies for the prophylaxis and therapy of respiratory virus diseases.

Tasks, Projects

Surveillance and molecular epidemiology

• Execution of tasks within the framework of the National Reference Centre Influenza and participation in global influenza surveillance: Influenza Network of the WHO, European Influenza Surveillance Network (EISN)
• Virological surveillance within the National German Working Group Influenza
• Influenza surveillance and sentinel programmes: isolation, typing and subtyping of influenza viruses
• Characterisation of influenza viruses with regard to their antigenic profile and the genetic drift
• Studies on resistance development and characterisation of resistant influenza viruses
• Molecular epidemiology of other respiratory virus infections (e.g. RSV, HMPV, HRV)

Molecular pathogenesis

• Characterisation of gene functions of the influenza virus to suppress defence reactions of innate immunity
• Analyses of host specificity and tropism of human and animal pathogenic influenza viruses
• Studies on cellular signalling pathways in cells infected with influenza viruses
• Identification and investigation of host factors of influenza viruses
• Development of new approaches to the therapy and prophylaxis of virus influenza

The unit is actively involved in various research and educational networks:

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