cCMP and cUMP phosphodiesterases in viral infections.

In bacteria, cCMP and cUMP have a key role in defense against infection with bacterial viruses. Bacteriophages encode phosphodiesterases (PDEs; 'nucleases'; Apyc1), which cleave cCMP/cUMP, counteracting this defense. We propose that PDEs are of broader biological relevance, including cCMP/cUMP-cleaving PDEs of eukaryotic viruses, which may constitute new drug targets.

Enteric Ganglioneuritis, a Common Feature in a Subcutaneous TBEV Murine Infection Model.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a severe neurologic disease in Europe and Asia. Disease expression ranges from asymptomatic to severe neurological clinical pictures, involving meningitis, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis and potentially fatal outcome. Humans mostly become infected with TBE virus (TBEV) by the bite of an infected tick.

Tick burden on European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from Saxony, Germany, and detection of tick-borne encephalitis virus in attached ticks.

Southern Germany is known as tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) risk area; however, the north of the country is almost free of human TBE cases. Due to its location in the transition zone between TBE risk areas and areas with only sporadic cases, Saxony is of importance in the surveillance of TBE. Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), showing high seroprevalence of TBE virus (TBEV) antibodies, are considered to be sentinels for TBE risk assessment.

First Isolation and Phylogenetic Analyses of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Lower Saxony, Germany.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is the most important tick-borne arboviral disease in Europe. Presently, the main endemic regions in Germany are located in the southern half of the country. Although recently, sporadic human TBE cases were reported outside of these known endemic regions.

Severe course of rat bite-associated Weil's disease in a patient diagnosed with a new Leptospira-specific real-time quantitative LUX-PCR.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with global distribution, caused by spirochaetes of the genus Leptospira. Transmission of Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, the causative agent of Weil's disease, to humans usually results from exposure to the urine of infected, but mostly asymptomatic, rodents, either by direct contact or indirectly through contaminated soil or water. Although regarded as a re-emerging infectious disease, human leptospirosis is probably underdiagnosed due to its often unspecific clinical appearance and difficulties in culturing leptospires.