Infection with common cold coronaviruses can trigger broad cross-immunity against SARS-CoV-2 proteins

17-May-2023 - Researchers at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf have demonstrated cross-reactive immune responses to another SARS-CoV-2 protein besides the spike protein. The research team found a broad immune system T cell response to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of SARS-CoV-2 in blood ...

Targeted test for antibiotic resistance in clinical Enterobacter species

New discovery enables targeted antibiotic therapy

24-Jan-2023 - Bacteria of the genus Enterobacter are among the most dangerous bacteria associated with hospital infections worldwide. Some of their representatives are highly resistant to commonly used antibiotics, so that the reserve antibiotic colistin is increasingly used as a last resort therapy option. To ...

Recognise and control new variants of the deadly Ebola virus more quickly

11-Feb-2020 - The situation is extraordinary: there have only ever been four declarations of public health emergencies of international concern in the past and now there are two at the same time. Whilst the risks associated with the novel coronavirus are still unclear, people in the Democratic Republic of the ...

Researchers develop first diagnostic test for novel coronavirus in China

17-Jan-2020 - Researchers from the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have developed a new laboratory assay to detect the novel Chinese coronavirus. The assay protocol has now been published by WHO as a guideline for diagnostic detection. The new assay enables ...

How reliable is diagnostic testing for Zika?

05-Mar-2018 - Globally, Brazil has been the hardest hit by the current Zika outbreak. Almost all cases of Zika-associated malformations in newborns have been reported from this country. DZIF scientists from the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have shown that molecular diagnostic tests for the Zika virus ...