New Aspects Regarding the Fluorescence Spectra of Melanin and Neuromelanin in Pigmented Human Tissue Concerning Hypoxia.

Melanin is a crucial pigment in melanomagenesis. Its fluorescence in human tissue is exceedingly weak but can be detected through advanced laser spectroscopy techniques. The spectral profile of melanin fluorescence distinctively varies among melanocytes, nevomelanocytes, and melanoma cells, with melanoma cells exhibiting a notably "red" fluorescence spectrum.

Reemergence of Clade IIb-Associated Mpox, Germany, July-December 2023.

In July 2023, clade IIb-associated mpox reemerged in Germany at low levels, mainly affecting men who have sex with men. We report a representative case and phylogeny of available genome sequences. Our findings underscore the need for standardized surveillance and indication-based vaccination to limit transmission and help prevent endemicity.

Poxvirus infections in dermatology - the neglected, the notable, and the notorious.

The family Poxviridae currently comprises 22 genera that infect vertebrates. Of these, members of the Ortho-, Para-, Mollusci- and Yatapoxvirus genera have been associated with human diseases of high clinical relevance in dermatology. Historically, smallpox had been a notorious health threat until it was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization in 1979.

[Urethritis-spectrum of pathogens, diagnostics and treatment].

A broad spectrum of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses can cause urethritis. In particular, N. gonorrhoeae, C.

Markedly decreasing azithromycin susceptibility of , Germany, 2014 to 2021.

We monitored antimicrobial susceptibility developments of in Germany from January 2014 to May 2021. The proportion of isolates with azithromycin minimum inhibitory concentrations above the epidemiological cut-off increased substantially, from 1.3% in 2014 to 12.

The Mosaic mtr Locus as Major Genetic Determinant of Azithromycin Resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae-Germany, 2018.

Within the German Gonococcal Resistance Network's (GORENET) Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) sample collection, azithromycin-resistant NG isolates increased from 4.3% in 2016 to 9.2% in 2018.

Molecular epidemiological typing of isolates identifies a novel association between genogroup G10557 (G7072) and decreased susceptibility to cefixime, Germany, 2014 to 2017.

BackgroundEmerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR) challenges gonorrhoea treatment and requires surveillance.AimThis observational study describes the genetic diversity of isolates in Germany from 2014 to 2017 and identifies multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST) genogroups associated with AMR or some patient demographics.Methods1,220 gonococcal isolates underwent AMR testing and NG-MAST.

[Rapid diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections : Joint statement of DSTIG, RKI, and PEI, as well as the reference centers for HIV, HBV, and HCV and consulting laboratories for Chlamydia, gonococci, and Treponema pallidum].

In February 2019, the fourth expert meeting on rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for sexually transmitted infections (STI) was held at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Berlin. Novel technical developments and new aspects of RDT applications were discussed by representatives from the German STI Society (DSTIG); RKI; the Paul Ehrlich Institute; national reference centers for HIV, HBV, and HCV; and reference laboratories for Chlamydia, gonococci, and Treponema pallidum.As a result of this meeting, we present a revision of the joint statement on STI diagnostics with RDTs from 2017.

External quality assessment (EQA) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial susceptibility testing in primary laboratories in Germany.

Background: Worldwide, an increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been observed. Until now, no protocol for an external quality assessment (EQA) has been available for Germany. The German gonococcal resistance network (GORENET) performed an EQA of primary laboratories in Germany in order to assess quality of antibiotic susceptibility testing, to gain information about laboratory procedures and to assess the impact of these procedures on test results.

The Laboratory Diagnosis of : Current Testing and Future Demands.

The ideal laboratory test to detect () should be sensitive, specific, easy to use, rapid, and affordable and should provide information about susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs. Currently, such a test is not available and presumably will not be in the near future. Thus, diagnosis of gonococcal infections presently includes application of different techniques to address these requirements.

Bacterial sexually transmitted infections.

Worldwide, the incidence of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has shown a significant increase in recent years. In Germany, this circumstance is reflected by a rise in the number of reported syphilis cases. There has also been an uptick in the incidence of non-notifiable STIs such as gonorrhea and infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium.

Bakterielle sexuell übertragbare Infektionen.

Bakterielle sexuell übertragbare Infektionen (STI) zeigen seit Jahren weltweit eine deutliche Zunahme. In Deutschland wird diese Tatsache durch steigende Meldezahlen für Syphilis bestätigt. Auch für die nicht meldepflichtigen STI Gonorrhoe, Chlamydia-trachomatis- und Mycoplasma-genitalium-Infektionen wird eine zunehmende Inzidenz beobachtet.

Ten years of external quality assessment (EQA) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial susceptibility testing in Europe elucidate high reliability of data.

Background: Confidence in any diagnostic and antimicrobial susceptibility testing data is provided by appropriate and regular quality assurance (QA) procedures. In Europe, the European Gonococcal Antimicrobial Susceptibility Programme (Euro-GASP) has been monitoring the antimicrobial susceptibility in Neisseria gonorrhoeae since 2004. Euro-GASP includes an external quality assessment (EQA) scheme as an essential component for a quality-assured laboratory-based surveillance programme.

Antimicrobial resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Germany: low levels of cephalosporin resistance, but high azithromycin resistance.

Background: The widespread antimicrobial resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a serious problem for the treatment and control of gonorrhoea. Many of the previously effective therapeutic agents are no longer viable. Because N.

[Sexually transmitted infections in Germany : The current epidemiological situation].

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can impair sexual health. Surveillance and study data were used to provide an overview over STIs in Germany. We estimated 3900 new HIV diagnoses in 2015.

[Not Available].

On February 5th, 2016 an expert meeting on rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) for sexually transmitted infections (STI) was held in Berlin at the Robert-Koch-Institute. The aim of the conference was to update a former evaluation of RDTs for diagnosis of HIV, HBV, HCV, T. pallidum, C.

The stepwise two-photon excited melanin fluorescence is a unique diagnostic tool for the detection of malignant transformation in melanocytes.

Malignant transformation of melanocytes is associated with changes in melanogenesis. Therefore, fluorescence of melanin may be an informative indicator of this process. But the conventionally excited autofluorescence of melanin in skin tissue is ultra-weak and its main part in the visible spectral region is hidden by the much stronger fluorescence from other endogenous fluorophores.