International Journal of Medical Microbiology This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Presence of hypervirulence-associated determinants in Klebsiella pneumoniae from hospitalised patients in Germany
CONCLUSIONS: Our study results show that K. pneumoniae strains that carry several determinants of hypervirulence are present for many years in Germany. The detection of carbapenemase genes and hypervirulence associated genes on the same plasmid is highly problematic and requires intensified screening and molecular surveillance. However, the non-uniform definition of hvKp complicates their detection. Testing for hypermucoviscosity alone is not specific enough to identify hvKp. Thus, we suggest that the classification of hvKp should be applied to isolates that not only fulfil phenotypical criteria (severe clinical manifestat...
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - February 15, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Anika Wahl Martin A Fischer Kathleen Klaper Annelie M üller Stefan Borgmann Johannes Friesen Klaus-Peter Hunfeld Arkadius Ilmberger Susanne Kolbe-Busch Michael Kresken Norman Lippmann Christoph L übbert Matthias Marschner Bernd Neumann Niels Pfennigwert Source Type: research

Measles vaccination - An underestimated prevention measure: Analyzing a fatal case in Hildesheim, Germany
We describe here an outbreak of measles occurring in Hildesheim. The outbreak comprised 43 cases and lasted 14 weeks. Surprisingly, a high number of vaccination failures was observed since 11 cases had received two doses of the MMR vaccine and 4 additional cases were vaccinated once. A 33-year-old woman passed away during the outbreak. She was the mother of 5 children between 4 and 16 years of age. Two schoolchildren contracted measles and passed it on to the rest of the family. Due to delivery bottlenecks, the vaccination of the mother was delayed. She developed measles-like symptoms 3 days after vaccination and was found...
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - February 9, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Katharina Hueppe Jan Ortman Hannah Gauselmann Sabine Santibanez Annette Mankertz Source Type: research

Genomic surveillance of STEC/EHEC infections in Germany 2020 to 2022 permits insight into virulence gene profiles and novel O-antigen gene clusters
In conclusion, the implemented surveillance tools now allow to comprehensively define the population of clinical STEC strains including those associated with the severe disease manifestation HUS reaching a new surveillance level in Germany.PMID:38310676 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijmm.2024.151610 (Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology)
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - February 4, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Angelika Fruth Christina Lang Tobias Gr ößl Thomas Garn Antje Flieger Source Type: research

Integrated molecular, phenotypic and epidemiological surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Germany
Int J Med Microbiol. 2024 Jan 29;314:151611. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2024.151611. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTNumbers of infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae are among the top three sexually transmitted infections (STI) worldwide. In addition, the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae pose an important public-health issue. The integration of genomic, phenotypic and epidemiological data to monitor Neisseria gonorrhoeae fosters our understanding of the emergence and spread of AMR in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and helps to inform therapy guidelines and intervention strategies. Thus, the Gon...
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - February 3, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Kathleen Klaper Hana Tlap ák Regina Selb Klaus Jansen Dagmar Heuer Source Type: research

Accelerating SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance in a routine clinical setting with nanopore sequencing
CONCLUSIONS: Parallel integration of Illumina and nanopore sequencing strategies is a suitable solution to ensure both high-throughput and rapid response to cope with accelerating the surveillance demands of SARS-CoV-2 while also maintaining accuracy.PMID:38290400 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijmm.2024.151599 (Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology)
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - January 30, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Sergio Buenestado-Serrano Marta Herranz Álvaro Otero-Sobrino Andrea Molero-Salinas Cristina Rodr íguez-Grande Amadeo Sanz-P érez Mar ía José Durán Galván Pilar Catal án Roberto Alonso Patricia Mu ñoz Laura P érez-Lago Dar ío García de Viedma G Source Type: research

Hub and Spoke: Next level in regional networks for infection prevention
Int J Med Microbiol. 2024 Jan 26;314:151605. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2024.151605. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe threat of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are real and increasing every day. They affect not only healthcare systems but also communities, causing economic and public health concerns. Governments must take action to tackle AMR and prevent the spread of MDROs and regional hubs have a critical role to play in achieving this outcome. Furthermore, bacteria have no borders, consequently, cooperation networks should be extended between countries as a crucial strategy for achievi...
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - January 30, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Daniele Pantano Alexander W Friedrich Source Type: research

Characteristics of two zoonotic swine influenza A(H1N1) viruses isolated in Germany from diseased patients
Int J Med Microbiol. 2024 Jan 24;314:151609. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2024.151609. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTInterspecies transmission of influenza A viruses (IAV) from pigs to humans is a concerning event as porcine IAV represent a reservoir of potentially pandemic IAV. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of two porcine A(H1N1)v viruses isolated from human cases by evaluating their genetic, antigenic and virological characteristics. The HA genes of those human isolates belonged to clades 1C.2.1 and 1C.2.2, respectively, of the A(H1N1) Eurasian avian-like swine influenza lineage. Antigenic profiling revealed substantial c...
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - January 29, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Alla Heider Marianne Wedde Viola Weinheimer Stephanie D öllinger Masyar Monazahian Ralf D ürrwald Thorsten Wolff Brunhilde Schweiger Source Type: research

Polyhexanide based contact lens storage fluids frequently exhibit insufficient antifungal activity against Fusarium species
CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the use of Aldox- or hydrogen peroxide-based storage fluids may reduce the risk of Fusarium keratitis, while polyhexanide-based agents largely lack efficacy against Fusarium.PMID:38280372 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijmm.2024.151602 (Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology)
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - January 27, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Benedikt Schrenker Anna Zimmermann Thorsten Koch Grit Walther Ronny Martin Daniel Kampik Oliver Kurzai Johanna Theuersbacher Source Type: research

Developing a next level integrated genomic surveillance: Advances in the molecular epidemiology of HIV in Germany
Int J Med Microbiol. 2024 Jan 20;314:151606. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2024.151606. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAdvances in the molecular epidemiological studies of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) by laboratory and bioinformatic automation should allow the processing of larger numbers of samples and more comprehensive and faster data analysis in order to provide a higher resolution of the current HIV infection situation in near real-time and a better understanding of the dynamic of the German HIV epidemic. The early detection of the emergence and transmission of new HIV variants is imp...
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - January 26, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Kirsten Hanke Vera Rykalina Uwe Koppe Barbara Gunsenheimer-Bartmeyer Dagmar Heuer Karolin Meixenberger Source Type: research

Impact of Mycobacteroides abscessus colony morphology on biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance
In this study, a porous glass bead biofilm model was used to compare biofilm formation, biofilm organization and biofilm matrix composition in addition to the antimicrobial susceptibility of M. abscessus biofilms versus suspensions of isogenic (smooth and rough) patient isolates. Both morphotypes reached the same cell densities in biofilms. The biofilm architecture, however, was dramatically different with evenly distributed oligo-layered biofilms in smooth isolates, compared to tightly packed, voluminous biofilm clusters in rough morphotypes. Biofilms of both morphotypes contained more total biomass of the matrix componen...
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - January 21, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Anna Maria Oschmann-Kadenbach Christoph Schaudinn Leonard Borst Carsten Schwarz Katharina Konrat Mardjan Arvand Astrid Lewin Source Type: research

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on norovirus circulation in Germany
Int J Med Microbiol. 2024 Jan 18;314:151600. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2024.151600. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTHuman norovirus is a major cause of viral gastroenteritis in all age groups. The virus is constantly and rapidly changing, allowing mutations and recombination events to create great diversity of circulating viruses. With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a wide range of public health measures were introduced worldwide to control human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2. In Germany, control measures such as distance rules, contact restrictions, personal protection equipment as well as intensive hand hygien...
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - January 21, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Sonja Jacobsen Mirko Faber Britta Altmann Andreas Mas Marques C-Thomas Bock Sandra Niendorf Source Type: research

Different populations of A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses in a patient with hemolytic-uremic syndrome
Int J Med Microbiol. 2024 Jan 11;314:151598. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2024.151598. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTRespiratory viral infections may have different impacts ranging from infection without symptoms to severe disease or even death though the reasons are not well characterized. A patient (age group 5-15 years) displaying symptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome died one day after hospitalization. qPCR, next generation sequencing, virus isolation, antigenic characterization, resistance analysis was performed and virus replication kinetics in well-differentiated airway cells were determined. Autopsy revealed hemorrhagic pne...
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - January 18, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Yuguang Fu Marianne Wedde Sigrun Smola Djin-Ye Oh Thorsten Pfuhl J ürgen Rissland Michael Zemlin Fidelis A Flockerzi Rainer M Bohle Andrea Th ürmer Susanne Duwe Barbara Biere Janine Reiche Brunhilde Schweiger Christin Mache Thorsten Wolff Georg Herrler Source Type: research

Pasteurella multocida strains of a novel capsular serotype and lethal to Marmota himalayana on Qinghai-Tibet plateau in China
Int J Med Microbiol. 2024 Jan 5;314:151597. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2024.151597. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTPasteurella multocida is a zoonotic pathogen causing serious diseases in humans and animals. Here, we report P. multocida from wildlife on China's Qinghai-Tibet plateau with a novel capsular serotype, forming a single branch on the core-genome phylogenetic tree: four strains isolated from dead Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana) and one genome assembled from metagenomic sequencing of a dead Woolly hare (Lepus oiostolus). Four of the strains were identified as subspecies multocida and one was septica. The mouse model...
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - January 13, 2024 Category: Microbiology Authors: Ran Duan Dongyue Lyu Shuai Qin Junrong Liang Wenpeng Gu Qun Duan Weiwei Wu Deming Tang Haonan Han Xiaojin Zheng Jinxiao Xi Asaiti Bukai Xinmin Lu Peng Zhang Dan Zhang Meng Xiao Huaiqi Jing Xin Wang Source Type: research

Prolonged carriage of OXA-244-carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli complicates epidemiological investigations
Int J Med Microbiol. 2023 Dec 19;314:151595. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2023.151595. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe rapid increase of OXA-244-producing Escherichia coli, predominantly driven by genetically clustered isolates of sequence type (ST)38, has been observed in at least nine European countries, including Germany. However, the reasons for the spread of OXA-244-producing E. coli remain unclear. Here, we aim to evaluate the possibility of prolonged carriage. We identified a total of six different patients with repeated detection of OXA-244-producing E. coli isolates, which were subjected to both short and long-read whole...
Source: International Journal of Medical Microbiology - December 30, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Felix Reichert Simon Brinkwirth Niels Pfennigwerth Sebastian Haller Lena Sophie Fritsch Tim Eckmanns Guido Werner S ören Gatermann J örg B Hans Source Type: research