@article{ReilImholtDrewesetal.2016,
  author    = {Reil, Daniela and Imholt, Christian and Drewes, Stephan and Ulrich, Rainer G{\"u}nter and Eccard, Jana and Jacob, Jens},
  title     = {Environmental conditions in favour of a hantavirus outbreak in 2015 in Germany?},
  series = {Zoonoses and Public Health},
  volume    = {63},
  journal   = {Zoonoses and Public Health},
  publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell},
  address   = {Hoboken},
  issn      = {1863-1959},
  doi       = {10.1111/zph.12217},
  pages     = {83 -- 88},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Bank voles can harbour Puumala virus (PUUV) and vole populations usually peak in years after beech mast. A beech mast occurred in 2014 and a predictive model indicates high vole abundance in 2015. This pattern is similar to the years 2009/2011 when beech mast occurred, bank voles multiplied and human PUUV infections increased a year later. Given similar environmental conditions in 2014/2015, increased risk of human PUUV infections in 2015 is likely. Risk management measures are recommended.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{FischerSpierlingHeuseretal.2018,
  author    = {Fischer, Stefan and Spierling, Nastasja G. and Heuser, Elisa and Kling, Christopher and Schmidt, Sabrina and Rosenfeld, Ulrike M. and Reil, Daniela and Imholt, Christian and Jacob, Jens and Ulrich, Rainer G. and Essbauer, Sandra},
  title     = {High prevalence of Rickettsia helvetica in wild small mammal populations in Germany},
  series = {Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases},
  number    = {3},
  publisher = {Elsevier GMBH},
  address   = {M{\"u}nchen},
  issn      = {1877-959X},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.01.009},
  pages     = {500 -- 505},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {Since the beginning of the 21st century, spotted fever rickettsioses are known as emerging diseases worldwide. Rickettsiae are obligately intracellular bacteria transmitted by arthropod vectors. The ecology of Rickettsia species has not been investigated in detail, but small mammals are considered to play a role as reservoirs. Aim of this study was to monitor rickettsiae in wild small mammals over a period of five years in four federal states of Germany. Initial screening of ear pinna tissues of 3939 animals by Pan-Rick real-time PCR targeting the citrate synthase (gltA) gene revealed 296 rodents of seven species and 19 shrews of two species positive for rickettsial DNA. Outer membrane protein gene (ompB, ompAIV) PCRs based typing resulted in the identification of three species: Rickettsia helvetica (90.9\%) was found as the dominantly occurring species in the four investigated federal states, but Rickettsia felis (7.8\%) and Rickettsia raoultii (1.3\%) were also detected. The prevalence of Rickettsia spp. in rodents of the genus Apodemus was found to be higher (approximately 14\%) than in all other rodent and shrew species at all investigated sites. General linear mixed model analyses indicated that heavier (older) individuals of yellow-necked mice and male common voles seem to contain more often rickettsial DNA than younger ones. Furthermore, rodents generally collected in forests in summer and autumn more often carried rickettsial DNA. In conclusion, this study indicated a high prevalence of R. helvetica in small mammal populations and suggests an age-dependent increase of the DNA prevalence in some of the species and in animals originating from forest habitats. The finding of R. helvetica and R. felis DNA in multiple small mammal species may indicate frequent trans-species transmission by feeding of vectors on different species. Further investigations should target the reason for the discrepancy between the high rickettsial DNA prevalence in rodents and the so far almost absence of clinical apparent human infections.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{FischerMayerSchollImholtetal.2018,
  author    = {Fischer, Stefan and Mayer-Scholl, Anne and Imholt, Christian and Spierling, Nastasja G. and Heuser, Elisa and Schmidt, Sabrina and Reil, Daniela and Rosenfeld, Ulrike M. and Jacob, Jens and N{\"o}ckler, Karsten and Ulrich, Rainer G.},
  title     = {Leptospira genomospecies and sequence type prevalence in small mammal populations in Germany},
  series = {Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases},
  volume    = {18},
  journal   = {Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases},
  number    = {4},
  publisher = {Liebert},
  address   = {New Rochelle},
  issn      = {1530-3667},
  doi       = {10.1089/vbz.2017.2140},
  pages     = {188 -- 199},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {Leptospirosis is a worldwide emerging infectious disease caused by zoonotic bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Numerous mammals, including domestic and companion animals, can be infected by Leptospira spp., but rodents and other small mammals are considered the main reservoir. The annual number of recorded human leptospirosis cases in Germany (2001-2016) was 25-166. Field fever outbreaks in strawberry pickers, due to infection with Leptospira kirschneri serovar Grippotyphosa, were reported in 2007 and 2014. To identify the most commonly occurring Leptospira genomospecies, sequence types (STs), and their small mammal host specificity, a monitoring study was performed during 2010-2014 in four federal states of Germany. Initial screening of kidney tissues of 3,950 animals by PCR targeting the lipl32 gene revealed 435 rodents of 6 species and 89 shrews of three species positive for leptospiral DNA. PCR-based analyses resulted in the identification of the genomospecies L. kirschneri (62.7\%), Leptospira interrogans (28.3\%), and Leptospira borgpetersenii (9.0\%), which are represented by four, one, and two STs, respectively. The average Leptospira prevalence was highest (approximate to 30\%) in common voles (Microtus arvalis) and field voles (Microtus agrestis). Both species were exclusively infected with L. kirschneri. In contrast, in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis), DNA of all three genomospecies was detected, and in common shrews (Sorex araneus) DNA of L. kirschneri and L. borgpetersenii was identified. The association between individual infection status and demographic factors varied between species; infection status was always positively correlated to body weight. In conclusion, the study confirmed a broad geographical distribution of Leptospira in small mammals and suggested an important public health relevance of common and field voles as reservoirs of L. kirschneri. Furthermore, the investigations identified seasonal, habitat-related, as well as individual influences on Leptospira prevalence in small mammals that might impact public health.},
  language  = {en}
}