Research Groups

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

 

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.

Assoc. 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

 

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

 

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.

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.

Elisabeth Puchhammer-Stöckl, MD, Prof

Center for Virology
Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 40160 65500
FAX: +43 1 40160 965599

E-mail: elisabeth.puchhammer@meduniwien.ac.at

Our main interest is to analyse infections with persistent human viruses, as Herpesviruses or Anelloviruses, to reveal their interaction with the immune system of the infected host, and to investigate their impact especially on immunosuppressed patients.

Persistent viruses stay after primary infection within the host during his or her life time. Their role in the immunocompetent host, especially in regard of aging and chronic immune stimulation, is yet unclear, but it is supposed that they have a substantial impact on human health and disease. In the immunosuppressed host, as transplant recipients, these viruses, as i.e. Herpesviruses or Polyomaviruses, may cause severe, even life threatening infections.

Our current main subject of research in this field is, in particular, the interaction of viruses (in particular of Human Cytomegalovirus) with the humoral immune system and with antiviral NK-cell defence, and the impact of distinct human genetic variations on virus replication. Also, we analyse the use of nonpathogenic persistent viruses, as Anelloviruses, as marker for the individual level of immunosuppression after transplantation and we perform studies to reveal the human virome and the kinetics of persistent virus strain populations over time.

In addition, we are since many years part of an international study group, with the aim to assess on a European level emergence and distribution of drug resistant HIV- and other virus strains.

Irene Görzer, PhD

Center for Virology
Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 40160 65573
FAX: +43 1 40160 965599

E-mail: irene.goerzer@meduniwien.ac.at

We are highly interested in the diversity of virus genomes as it appears in human infections and how it is associated with clinical disease and outcome. A special focus relies on mixed virus infections and their dynamics in the individual human host. This knowledge is important for understanding virus-host interaction and pathogenesis.

Our main research interest is on Human Cytomegalovirus, a major cause of serious illness in congenitally infected newborns and transplant patients under severe immunosuppression. One current project aims to characterize Cytomegalovirus strains in clinical samples using highly sensitive sequencing tools in order to uncover the occurrence and dynamic of mixed virus strain populations in the infected host and to reveal any association of certain strains or mixtures thereof with clinical outcome.

A further research project aims to understand the biological, biochemical and structural properties of the different Cytomegalovirus strains by focusing on polymorphic envelope glycoproteins involved in cell tropism.

Selected publications

Dissection of the HCMV-Specific Antibody Responses in Lung-Transplant Recipients.
Vietzen H, Jaksch P, Görzer I, Honsig C, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2020 Apr;39(4S):S83. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2020.01.1309. Epub 2020 Mar 30. PMID: 32466045

Impact of Human HLA-E and NKG2C Variants and of HCMV Ul40 Genotype Populations on HCMV Replication in Lung Transplant Recipients.
Vietzen H, Hartenberger S, Jaksch P, Honsig C, Geleff S, Segura-Wang M, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2020 Apr;39(4S):S82-S83. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2020.01.1308. Epub 2020 Mar 30. PMID: 32466041

Torque Teno Virus (TTV) Kinetics Can Predict Complications after Lung Transplantation.
Jaksch P, Benazzo A, Schwarz S, Gabriella M, Hielle-Wittmann E, Lambers C, Hötzenecker K, Klepetko W, Görzer I, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2020 Apr;39(4S):S321. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2020.01.724. Epub 2020 Mar 30. PMID: 32465402

Influence of human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein O polymorphism on the inhibitory effect of soluble forms of trimer- and pentamer-specific entry receptors.
Brait N, Stögerer T, Kalser J, Adler B, Kunz I, Benesch M, Kropff B, Mach M, Puchhammer-Stöckl E, Görzer I. J Virol. 2020 Apr 29:JVI.00107-20. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00107-20. Online ahead of print. PMID: 32350071

HCMV-Specific Antibody Response And Development Of ADCC Against HCMV After Lung Transplantation.
Vietzen H, Görzer I, Honsig C, Jaksch P, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. J Infect Dis. 2020 Mar 11:jiaa097. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa097. Online ahead of print. PMID: 32157310

Torque Teno Virus as a novel biomarker targeting the efficacy of immunosuppression after lung transplantation. Jaksch P, Kundi M, Görzer I, Muraközy G, Christopher L, Benazzo A, Hoetzenecker K, Klepetko W, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. J Infect Dis. 2018 Jul 20, doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiy452. [Epub ahead of print]

Temporal dynamics of the lung and plasma viromes in lung transplant recipients. Segura-Wang M, Görzer I, Jaksch P, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. PLoS One. 2018 Jul 6;13(7)

NKG2C Deletion is a Risk Factor for Human Cytomegalovirus-Viremia and Disease after Lung Transplantation. Vietzen H, Pollak K, Honsig C, Jaksch P, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. J Infect Dis. 2018 Feb 14;217(5):802-806.

Differences in Growth Properties among two Human Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein O Genotypes, Kalser J, Barbara Adler, Michael Mach, Barbara Kropff, Elisabeth Puchhammer-Stöckl, Irene Görzer, Frontiers in Microbiology, 2017 Aug 22; 8:1609

Association between antibody functions and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication after lung transplantation in HCMV-seropositive patients. Vietzen H, Görzer I, Honsig C, Jaksch P, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2017 Jul 18 : S1053-2498(17)31901.

Association between plasma Torque Teno Virus level and chronic lung allograft dysfunction after lung transplantation. Görzer I, Jaksch P, Strassl R, Klepetko W, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. J Heart Lung Transplant.2017 Mar;36(3):366-368

Intrapulmonary Human Cytomegalovirus replication in lung transplant recipients is associated with a rise of CCL-18 and CCL-20 chemokine levels. Weseslindtner L , Görzer I, Rödl K, Jaksch P, Klepetko W and Puchhammer-Stöckl E. Transplantation. 2017 Jan;101(1):197-203

Association of Human IgG1 Heavy Chain Variants with Neutralization Capacity and Antibody Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity against HCMV. Vietzen H, Görzer I and Puchhammer-Stöckl E. J Infect Dis. 2016 Oct 15;214(8):1175-9.

Transmission of HIV drug resistance and the predicted effect on current first-line regimens in Europe L. Marije Hofstra1,2, Nicolas Sauvageot1, Jan Albert3,25, Ivailo Alexiev4, Federico Garcia5, Daniel Struck1, David A.M.C. Van de Vijver6, Birgitta Åsjö7, Danail Beshkov4, Suzie Coughlan8, Diane Descamps9, Algirdas Griskevicius10, Osamah Hamouda11, Andrzej Horban12, Marjo Van Kasteren13, Tatjana Kolupajeva14, Leondios G. Kostrikis15, Kirsi Liitsola16, Marek Linka17, Orna Mor18, Claus Nielsen19, Dan Otelea20, Dimitrios Paraskevis21, Roger Paredes22, Mario Poljak23, Elisabeth Puchhammer-Stöckl24, Anders Sönnerborg3,25, Danica Staneková26, Maja Stanojevic27, Kristel Van Laethem28, Maurizio Zazzi29, Snjezana Zidovec Lepej30, Charles A.B. Boucher6, Jean-Claude Schmit1 and Annemarie M.J. Wensing2 on behalf of the SPREAD program Clin Infect Dis. 2016 Mar 1;62(5):655-63

Subclass specific antibody responses to Human Cytomegalovirus in lung transplant recipients and their association with constant heavy IgG chain polymorphism and virus replication. Simon B., Weseslindtner L, Görzer I, Pollak K, Jaksch P, Klepetko W and Puchhammer-Stöckl E, J Heart Lung Transplant. 2016 Mar;35(3):370-7.

Combined Analysis of the Prevalence of drug Resistant HBV in antiviral therapy Experienced patients in Europe (CAPRE). Hermans LE, Svicher V, Pas SD, Salpini R, Alvarez M, Ben Ari Z, Boland G, Bruzzone B, Coppola N, Seguin-Devaux C, Dyda T, Garcia F, Kaiser R, Köse S, Krarup H, Lazarevic I, Lunar MM, Maylin S, Micheli V, Mor O, Paraschiv S, Paraskevis D, Poljak M, Puchhammer-Stöckl E, Simon F, Stanojevic M, Stene-Johansen K, Tihic N, Trimoulet P, Verheyen J, Vince A, Weis N, Yalcinkaya T, Zidovec Lepej S, Perno C, Boucher CA, Wensing AM; HEPVIR working group of the European Society for translational antiviral research (ESAR). J Infect Dis. 2015 Jul 1

Pre-transplant plasma torque teno virus load and increase dynamics after lung transplantation. Görzer I, Jaksch P, Kundi M, Seitz T, Klepetko W, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. PLoS One. 2015 Apr 20;10(3):e0122975

TTV-DNA Plasma Load and its Association with Age, Gender, and HCMV IgG-serostatus in Healthy Adults. Haloschan M, Bettesch R, Görzer I, Weseslindtner L, Kundi M, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. Age . 2014 Oct;36(5):9716.

High CXCL-16 levels correlate with symptomatic disease in lung transplant recipients with Human Cytomegalovirus replication in the allograft. Weseslindtner L, Görzer I, Küng E, Roedl K, Jaksch P, Klepetko W, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. Am J Transplant. 2014 Oct;14(10):2406-11.

Assoc. Prof. Karin Stiasny

Center for Virology
Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 40160 65505

E-mail: karin.stiasny@meduniwien.ac.at

 

Humans infected with flaviviruses produce antibodies which can confer long-lasting immunity to the infecting virus. The protective effect of antibodies is based on their capacity to bind to the surface of virus particles, thereby neutralizing virus infectivity. Immune responses, however, are heterogeneous, and some antibodies are very potent in preventing infection but others are ineffective. There is strong evidence that poorly neutralizing or non-neutralizing antibodies can even enhance flavivirus infection of certain cells. In this research area, we dissect the specificities and functional activities of antibody populations in human blood after different flavivirus infections or vaccinations and determine the balance between neutralizing and infection-enhancing activity. A strong focus is on antibodies that react with all flaviviruses but are unable to inhibit infectivity. These broadly cross-reactive antibodies also hamper the specific laboratory diagnosis of flavivirus infections. Our studies will therefore not only have implications for our basic understanding of immune responses to flaviviruses but also impact the design of diagnostic tests.

These studies are supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF (P29928-B30) and by intramural funds of the Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna.

Assoc. Prof. Judith Aberle

Center for Virology
Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 40160 65575

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

 

Virus-specific CD4 T cells are key components of a fully protective immune response against flaviviruses. We study the fine-specificities and functional activities of CD4 T cell responses to vaccination and natural infection with human-pathogenic flaviviruses, i.e. West Nile, Zika, TBE and yellow fever viruses. Our key aims are to enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that guide CD4 T cell epitope selection in infection and vaccination and to understand how protective immune responses are generated. The data will contribute to a molecular understanding of the mechanisms underlying protective immunity and are particularly relevant for designing flavivirus vaccines and the development of diagnostic reagents for analysing T cell responses of vaccine candidates.These studies are supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF (P29881-B30) and by intramural funds of the Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna.

Prof. Franz X. Heinz

Center for Virology
Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 40160 65500

E-mail: franz.x.heinz@meduniwien.ac.at

 

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus is found in many parts of Europe as well as Central and Eastern Asia. There are several lines of evidence that tick-borne flaviviruses differ from mosquito-borne ones in specific aspects of virus structure and replication. In this research area, we investigate the organization and infectious properties of TBE virus particles in immature, mature and intermediate forms. These studies will increase our understanding of the molecular antigenic structure of TBE virus, which is highly relevant for the structure-based design of novel vaccines. A detailed knowledge of the viral life cycle can provide new targets for the development of antiviral agents.

These studies are supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF (P27501-B21) and by intramural funds of the Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna.

Rey FA, Stiasny K, Vaney MC, Dellarole M, Heinz FX. 2018. The bright and the dark side of human antibody responses to flaviviruses: Lessons for vaccine design. EMBO Reports 19:206-224.

Koblischke M, Stiasny K, Aberle SW, Malafa S, Tschouchnikas G, Schwaiger J, Kundi M, Heinz FX, Aberle JH. 2018. Structural influence on the dominance of virus-specific CD4 T cell epitopes in Zika virus infection. Frontiers in Immunology 9: 1196.

Heinz FX, Stiasny K. 2017. The antigenic structure of Zika virus and its relation to other flaviviruses: Implications for infection and immunoprophylaxis. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews 81: e00055-00016.

Haslwanter D, Blaas D, Heinz FX, Stiasny K. 2017. A novel mechanism of antibody-mediated enhancement of flavivirus infection. PLOS Pathogens 13:e1006643.

Koblischke M, Mackroth MS, Schwaiger J, Fae I, Fischer G, Stiasny K, Heinz FX, Aberle JH. 2017. Protein structure shapes immunodominance in the CD4 T cell response to yellow fever vaccination. Scientific Reports 7:8907.

Barba-Spaeth G, Dejnirattisai W, Rouvinski A, Vaney M-C, Medits I, Sharma A, Simon-Lorière E, Sakuntabhai A, Cao-Lormeau V-M, Haouz A, England P, Stiasny K, Mongkolsapaya J, Heinz FX, Screaton GR, Rey FA. 2016. Structural basis of potent Zika–dengue virus antibody cross-neutralization. Nature 536:48-53.

Blazevic J, Rouha H, Bradt V, Heinz FX, Stiasny K. 2016. Membrane anchors of the structural flavivirus proteins and their role in virus assembly. J Virol 90:6365-6378.

Tsouchnikas G, Zlatkovic J, Jarmer J, Strauss J, Vratskikh O, Kundi M, Stiasny K, Heinz FX. 2015. Immunization with immune complexes modulates the fine specificity of antibody responses to a flavivirus antigen. J Virol 89:7970-7978.

Schwaiger J, Aberle JH,  Stiasny K, Knapp B, Schreiner W, Fae I, Fischer G, Scheinost O, Chmelik V, Heinz FX.2014. Specificities of human CD4+ T cell responses to an inactivated flavivirus vaccine and infection: correlation with structure and epitope prediction. J Virol. 88(14):7828-42.