Clinical Virology

Ao Univ. Prof. Dr. Heidemarie Holzmann

Head of Department of Applied Medical Virology

Center for Virology
Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria

Phone: +43 1 40160 65522
FAX: +43 1 40160 965599

E-mail: heidemarie.holzmann@meduniwien.ac.at

Research interests:

Our research interests focus on different viruses with important clinical impact ( flaviviruses, hepatitis viruses, measles virus) in all aspects of clinical virology, including surveillance, molecular epidemiology, course of disease and antiviral treatment as well as their prophylaxis by vaccines.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus, one of the major human pathogenic flaviviruses, is responsible for more than 10.000 hospitalized TBE patients with neurological disease annually in the endemic areas of Europe, central- and eastern Asia. Austria is among the most strongly TBE affected countries in Europe, but represents an exceptional situation because of the high vaccination rate of the total population. We are mainly interested in the clinical course of disease in non-vaccinated and vaccinated patients of different age groups including the characteristics of specific serodiagnosis, the impact of the vaccine coverage of the TBE incidence in Austria, the field effectiveness of the TBE vaccines, and the changing TBE virus epidemiology in Austria.

In addition, we are interested in a precise individualized monitoring of the course of acute and chronic hepatitis virus infections, their response to antiviral treatment and the development of resistance mutations, based on different virological, molecularbiological, and immunological parameters with a special focus on hepatitis C and E virus infections.

Another research interest is the surveillance of measles (and rubella) virus infections in Austria (using a broad selection of test methods), including the evaluation of transmission chains in Austria and Europe by the sequence analysis and genotyping.

Stephan W. Aberle, MD, Prof

Center for Virology
Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria

Phone: +43 1 40160 65555
FAX: +43 1 40160 965599

E-mail: stephan.aberle@meduniwien.ac.at

Research interests:

Molecular technologies are fundamental for diagnostic clinical virology and the rapid implementation of tests to detect newly discovered emerging viruses. We focus on molecular Virology with the aim to significantly improve diagnosis in the field of clinical virology via the detection, quantification and characterization of viral nucleic acids. We develop new test systems, in particular for the identification of new and rare viruses. We perform sequence analysis of virus strains to monitor virus epidemiology and disease trends and to trace back transmission routes. Our main focus in this field is currently on arthropod-borne (Arbo) viruses, including Zika, West Nile and Chikungunya viruses as well as on Hantaviruses, Rotavirus and Hepatitis A and E viruses.

We support investigations and provide advice to public health experts in case of outbreaks of emerging viruses. As part of the “Emerging Viral Disease – Expert Laboratory Network” we work in close cooperation with other international experts in this field.

Asoc.Prof. Priv.Doz. Dr. Lukas Weseslindtner

Center for Virology
Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria

Phone: +43 1 40160 65509
FAX: +43 1 40160 965599

E-mail: lukas.weseslindtner@meduniwien.ac.at

Research interests:

Our main research aim is to investigate whether T-cell associated chemokines may serve as clinical markers in virus infections. Furthermore, we aim to develop new diagnostic tools and deepen the understanding of infections with Parvovirus B19.

Chemokines are small cytokines which regulate immune cell trafficking and thereby shape the immune response against a specific pathogen. By recruiting T-cells with antiviral and pro-inflammatory capabilities to the site of the infection, certain chemokines are thus essential to control virus replication, but on the other hand mediate tissue injury. Therefore, we aim to assess the potential of such chemokines as markers in clinical virology to determine the infection stage (grade of immune activation), the course (resolution vs. persistence), the disease severity (inflammatory level) and the outcome of antiviral therapy in diverse viral infections.

Recently, we introduced such chemokine analyses as a tool in the diagnosis of infections with Parvovirus B19 (B19V), a virus which we are especially interested in. While the clinical course of B19V infections is usually mild, B19V may have considerable clinical significance during pregnancy, calling for an accurate virological diagnosis. In addition to chemokine analyses, we therefore currently develop new diagnostic strategies (i.e. comprehensive serological assays like epitope-type specificity tests) to better stage B19V infection and thereby more accurately evaluate its complication risk in pregnant women. Since it has been recently demonstrated that B19V may also cause long-term persistence in certain individuals, it is our future research aim to investigate the pathogenic implications of this phenomenon.

Priv. Doz. Dr. Monika Redlberger-Fritz

Center for Virology
Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria

Phone: +43 1 40160 65515
FAX: +43 1 40160 965599

E-mail: monika.redlberger@meduniwien.ac.at

Research interests:

Working in the fields of virology and epidemiological surveillance we are interested in the epidemiology of circulating Influenza- and Respiratory Syncytial Viruses (RSV) as well as the genetic and antigenic evolution of these viruses. We investigate the ongoing genetic and antigenic changes and their influence on the annual Influenza and RSV epidemics.

Our present research involves the identification of Influenza virus drift variants and the detection of newly emerging influenza viruses carrying mutations associated with neuraminidase inhibitor resistance. Further we analyse the influenza epidemics in Austria and their impact on the Austrian population by estimating the influenza incidence and the influenza associated mortality. In addition we perform annual estimates on the influenza type and subtype specific influenza vaccine effectiveness. Therefore we are involved in the development and implementation of an European network for the robust estimation of influenza vaccine effectiveness (Development of Robust Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness DRIVE-project: www.drive-eu.org).

In addition we analyse the epidemiology and the genetic variability of RSV in Austria during the last 10 years and we investigate RSV infections in patients receiving passive RSV prophylaxis.

Selected Publications

Weseslindtner L, Aberle JH, Hedman L, Hedman K. The chemokine CXCL-10 is a marker for the infection stage in individuals with Parvovirus B19 DNAemia. J Infect Dis 2017; 215:214-220.

Weseslindtner L, Görzer I, Roedl K, Küng E, Jaksch P, Klepetko W, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. Intrapulmonary Human Cytomegalovirus replication in lung transplant recipients is associated with a rise of CCL-18 and CCL-20 chemokine levels. Transplantation 2017; 101:197-203.

Aichelburg MC, Weseslindtner L, Mandorfer M, Strassl R, Rieger A, Reiberger T, Puchhammer-Stöckl E, Grabmeier-Pfistershammer K. Association of CMV-Specific T Cell-Mediated Immunity with CMV DNAemia and Development of CMV Disease in HIV-1-Infected Individuals. PLoS One. 2015; 31, 10(8):e0137096

Weseslindtner L, Görzer I, Küng E, Roedl K, Jaksch P, Klepetko W, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. High CXCL-16 Levels Correlate With Symptomatic Disease in Lung Transplant Recipients With Human Cytomegalovirus Replication in the Allograft. Am J Transplant 2014; 14: 2406-1411.

Weseslindtner L, Kerschner H, Kundi M, Steinacher D, Simon B, Jaksch P, Hatos-Agyi L, Scheed A, Klepetko W, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. Association of human cytomegalovirus DNAaemia and specific granzyme B responses in lung transplant recipients. Clin Exp Immunol. 2013; 173:438-443.

Bejvl I, Weseslindtner L, Strassl R, Jaksch P, Kundi M, Klepetko W, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. Analysis of plasma surfactant protein D levels in lung transplant recipients. Transpl Infect Dis. 2013; 15 :645-51.

Estimates of global seasonal influenza-associated respiratory mortality: a modelling study. Iuliano AD, Roguski KM, Chang HH, Muscatello DJ, Palekar R, Tempia S, Cohen C, Gran JM, Schanzer D, Cowling BJ, Wu P, Kyncl J, Ang LW, Park M, Redlberger-Fritz M, Yu H, Espenhain L, Krishnan A, Emukule G, van Asten L, Pereira da Silva S, Aungkulanon S, Buchholz U, Widdowson MA, Bresee JS; Global Seasonal Influenza-associated Mortality Collaborator Network. Lancet. 2018 Mar 31; 391(10127):1285-1300. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)33293-2. Epub 2017 Dec 14. Erratum in: Lancet. 2018 Jan 19.

Detailed Report on 2014/15 Influenza Virus Characteristics, and Estimates on Influenza Virus Vaccine Effectiveness from Austria's Sentinel Physician Surveillance Network. Redlberger-Fritz M, Kundi M, Popow-Kraupp T. PLoS One. 2016 Mar 14;11(3):e0149916. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149916. eCollection 2016.

Mandatory vaccination: suited to enhance vaccination coverage in Europe? Holzmann H, Wiedermann U. Euro Surveill. 2019 Jun;24(26). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2019.24.26.1900376.

Reduced seroprevalence against vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) in adult patients with cancer: Necessity of routine vaccination as part of the therapeutic concept. A. Guzek, A. S. Berghoff, J. Jasinska1, E. Garner-Spitzer, A. Wagner, K. Stiasny, H. Holzmann, M. Kundi, C. Zielinski, U. Wiedermann, Ann Oncol. 2020 Feb;31(2):319-321. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2019.11.005.

Excellent safety and effectiveness of high-dose myrcludex-B monotherapy administered for 48 weeks in HDV-related compensated cirrhosis: A case report of 3 patients. Loglio A, Ferenci P, Uceda Renteria SC, Tham CYL, van Bömmel F, Borghi M, Holzmann H, Perbellini R, Trombetta E, Giovanelli S, Greco L, Porretti L, Prati D, Ceriotti F, Lunghi G, Bertoletti A, Lampertico P. J Hepatol. 2019 Oct;71(4):834-839. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.07.003.

Chronic Hepatitis E is associated with Cholangitis. Beer A, Holzmann H, Pischke S, Behrendt P, Wrba F, Schlue J, Drebber U, Neudert B, Halilbasic E, Kreipe H, Lohse A, Sterneck M, Wedemeyer H, Manns M, Dienes HP. Liver Int. 2019 May 18. doi: 10.1111/liv.14137.

Eradication of measles: remaining challenges. Holzmann H, Hengel H, Tenbusch M, Doerr HW. Med Microbiol Immunol. 2016 Jun;205(3):201-8 DOI 10.1007/s00430-016-0451-4

Micro RNAs mir-106a, mir-122 and mir-197 are increased in severe acute viral hepatitis with coagulopathy. Weseslindtner L, Machelheidt I, Eischeid H, Strassl R, Hofer H, Popow-Kraupp T, Dienes HP, Holzmann H, Odenthal M. Liver Int. 2016 Mar;36(3):353-60. doi: 10.1111/liv.12961.

Emergence of tick-borne encephalitis in new endemic areas in Austria: 42 years of surveillance. Heinz FX, Stiasny K, Holzmann H, Kundi M, Sixl W, Wenk M, Kainz W, Essl A, Kund C. Euro Surveill. 2015 Apr 2;20(13):9-16

Fatal acute liver failure in a kidney-transplant recipient. Schiller D, Schoefl R, Holzmann H. Gastroenterology. 2014 Jan;146(1):36, 325.