Unit 17: Influenza viruses and other respiratory tract viruses

Date: 22/01/2024

Leader:: PD Dr. Thorsten Wolff
Deputy:: Dr. 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

Performing tasks within the global framework of the National Influenza Centres and participation in global influenza surveillance: Influenza network GISRS (Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System) of the WHO, European Influenza Surveillance Network (EISN) coordinated by ECDC
Collaboration with the National Influenza Working Group (AGI)
Influenza surveillance and sentinel programmes: Typing and subtyping, whole genome sequencing and isolation of influenza viruses.
Characterisation of influenza viruses with regard to their antigenic profile and genetic drift
Investigation of antiviral drugs and viral resistance development
Integrated molecular surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in the post-pandemic period (IMSSC2 project)
Monitoring of vaccine effectiveness within the European VEBIS-project
Virological Surveillance of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) in hospitalized patients for identification of distinct viral lineages (SARS-CoV-2), virus clades (influenza viruses) or viral groups (RSV)
Performance of tasks of the consultant laboratory for human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza viruses (PIV) and metapneumoviruses (HMPV) (provisional management)

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