Institute of Virology

Community acquired respiratory viral infections (CARV) pose a continuous threat to public health worldwide. Rapid and reliable diagnosis of CARV is crucial e.g. for case detection, patient management, and prognostic appreciation. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic impressively demonstrated the importance of diagnostic tools to contain the pandemic. We aim to develop, evaluate and use novel diagnostic tools for clinical practice, epidemiological studies (Figure 1, Dähne et al., J Clin Virol 2024), and translational research. Our ultimate goal is to translate our research into clinical practice and to provide evidence-based recommendations.

To achieve this, we collaborate with multiple clinical partners both locally and externally as well as with hospital hygiene. Specifically, we have a longstanding collaboration with the German community acquired pneumonia network CAPNETZ. Within this network, we serve as the virological reference laboratory and provide expert diagnostic support for multiple ongoing studies, e.g. the BUrden of Disease and COst of illneSS for RSV and other pathogens among Hospitalized adults (BUCOSS Hosp).

Selected publications from our group:

Wetzke M, Lange M, Koerner-Rettberg C, Kiefer A, Kabesch M, Armbrust S, Abdelkhalek K, Lex C, Hufnagel M, Bode S, Dordelmann M, Lorenz M, Arens S, Panning M, Koster H, Kramer R, Bangert M, Eberhardt F, Barten-Neiner G, Happle C. RSV is the main cause of severe respiratory infections in infants and young children in Germany - data from the prospective, multicenter PAPI study 2021-2023. Infection 2025

Dahne T, Bauer W, Essig A, Schaaf B, Barten-Neiner G, Spinner CD, Pletz MW, Rohde G, Rupp J, Witzenrath M, Panning M, Members of the Csg. Resurgence of common respiratory viruses in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)-A prospective multicenter study. J Clin Virol 2024;173:105694.

Rademacher J, Ewig S, Grabein B, Nachtigall I, Abele-Horn M, Deja M, Gassner M, Gatermann S, Geffers C, Gerlach H, Hagel S, Heussel CP, Kluge S, Kolditz M, Kramme E, Kuhl H, Panning M, Rath PM, Rohde G, Schaaf B, Salzer HJF, Schreiter D, Schweisfurth H, Unverzagt S, Weigand MA, Welte T, Pletz MW. Key summary of German national guideline for adult patients with nosocomial pneumonia- Update 2024 Funding number at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA): 01VSF22007. Infection 2024;52:2531-45.

Bornemann L, Kaup O, Kleideiter J, Ruprecht B, Hoyer A, Panning M, Bornemann R, Wehmeier M. Virus variant-specific clinical performance of a SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test with focus on Omicron variants of concern. Clin Microbiol Infect 2023;29:1085 e1- e8.

Fomenko A, Weibel S, Moezi H, Menger K, Schmucker C, Metzendorf MI, Motschall E, Falcone V, Huzly D, Panning M, Rucker G, Hengel H. Assessing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infectivity by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Rev Med Virol 2022;32:e2342.

Collaborations

• CAPNETZ STIFTUNG, Geschäftsstelle an der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover

• PD Dr. Martin Wetzke, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Klinik für Pädiatrische Pneumologie, Allergologie und Neonatologie, “Pediatric Airway Pathogen Incidence“ (PAPI)-Studie