Infection Research

Data and Facts
Worldwide, infectious diseases together with cardiovascular diseases represent the most common causes of death. Diseases such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, AIDS and newly arising pathogens and pathogen forms are a threat even to Western industrialised countries. The antibiotic resistance of bacteria, increasing vaccine fatigue and travel abroad promote the spread of infectious diseases around the globe. Researchers have recently recognised that causal relationships exist between infections and certain types of cancer, gastric ulcers and arteriosclerosis. Infections play an important role in more diseases than previously thought.

What Does the BMBF Do?
The BMBF has funded research into infectious diseases since 1981. Up to the end of 2000, a total of 216 million EURO was provided within the framework of the Health Research Programme. Between 1985 and 1995, the ministry invested an additional 11.8 million EURO into the biotechnology programme "Methods of vaccination development". In the past, the BMBF has supported regional and interregional research consortia for investigating the mechanisms of infection and immunity in various infectious diseases.

This measure contributed decisively to the creation and expansion of AIDS research in Germany. Workgroups of both AIDS consortia and hepatitis consortia are still supported in the competence networks for infectious diseases. A total of 17 competence networks are funded in medicine, 4 of which on infectious diseases.Another focus in the infectious disease research is the creation of clinical infection research at the university clinics. To this end, professorships were created for clinical infectious disease research at German institutes of higher education in order to further strengthen the clinical infectious disease research in Germany and build bridges between research and clinics. Only this way is it possible to quickly convert scientific findings into therapeutic and diagnostic measures.

Within the scope of reorganising infectious disease epidemiology in Germany, the BMBF supported the restructuring of the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin (RKI) according to the model of the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) from the end of 1995 to mid-2000. To further expand the area of infectious disease epidemiology, the BMBF promotes until the end of 2005 the creation of model interdisciplinary research networks that integrate the existing structures, such as the RKI and the Public Health Office (ÖGD). Vaccines are no longer used today only for protection against infectious diseases, but are also used for new therapeutic approaches to autoimmune diseases, allergies, cancer and chronic infections. With the vaccine initiative, the BMBF seeks to enable the rapid transfer of results from basic research to industrial production of new vaccines. Before a new vaccine can be introduced to the market, however, expensive research and comprehensive clinical studies are required, in which industry should be included at an early stage. In the first step of the vaccine initiative, funds from the BMBF were used to create a map of vaccine research with the associated platform technologies in Germany. Since 2002, the BMBF has also funded a management structure that is intended to directly promote product-oriented further development of existing vaccine candidates.

Concrete ExamplesTSE Transmissible Spongioform Encephalopathies In the course of fighting Transmissible Spongioform Encephalopathies (TSE), which also includes BSE and the new variant of the Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, the BMBF supports research projects for development of improved diagnosis methods and therapy options for these still untreatable diseases. Another priority is the knowledge transfer between scientists and the public. The national TSE research concept took an inventory of the research performed to date and current research projects on TSE. It serves as a basis for further research concepts. Information on research in the areas of preventive measures, diagnostics, pathogenesis, work safety, the environment and agriculture as well as contact addresses and contact persons in science and administration were included in the concept. All national research activities are coordinated and managed in a national TSE research platform that is intended to achieve denser and more interdisciplinary networking of the scientists. The Internet page http://www.tse-forum.de/tse_forum/index_eng.htm serves as the communication forum for the national TSE research platform and also provides easily understandable information of interest to the public.

Infectious Disease Epidemiology: Three Research Networks
To support the expansion of infectious disease epidemiology in Germany, the BMBF has funded three research networks since 1998 with a total of 11.3 million EURO . The networks are occupied with the following topics: Food-related infections in Germany (coordination: Robert Koch Institute, Berlin), airway infections in children (coordination: University of Mainz) and the spread of nosocomial infections (occuring in hospitals) and of resistant pathogens in intensive care (coordination: Free University of Berlin).

Infectious Disease Epidemiological Research Network: Food-related Infections in Germany
Cooperation between epidemiologists, laboratory scientists and veterinarians is coordinated within this network for the monitoring of food-related infections and the performance of related studies. Examples of these pathogens are Salmonella and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). EHEC infections cause diarrhea and can even lead to death in children and the elderly. Subprojects of the network investigate when and under what conditions infectious diseases end in death, how the pathogens are transmitted and how an infection can be prevented or treated.

Infectious Disease Epidemiological Research Network: Airway Infections in Children
Infections of the airways are the most frequent cause of illness among children. Epidemiologists, immunologists and infectious disease experts work together more closely with the goal of introducing less expensive and faster methods for pathogen detection. The effectiveness of vaccinations is also studied. For example, scientists investigate whether the current vaccination strategy for pertussis favors the spread of certain pathogen subtypes.

Infectious Disease Epidemiological Research Network: Spread of Nosocomial Infections and Resistant Pathogens in Intensive Care
The increasing resistance of bacteria against antibiotics is a major problem in infection medicine. Resistant germs arise in hospitals in particular. The network investigates the transmission and spread of multi-resistant bacteria in intensive care stations. The data on hospital infections is to be collected, analysed and evaluated to develop suitable strategies for improved hospital hygiene.

Clinical Infectious Disease Research / Clinical Researcher Groups
To support the expansion of clinical infectious disease research in university clinics, the BMBF has supported two clinical researcher groups since 2000. A research group at the clinic of the Freiburg Albert Ludwig University is interested, among other things, in disease-triggering factors and the disease progression of hepatitis B and C. This project is supported with approx. 1.5 million EURO . A group of physicians at the clinic of the University of Regensburg is also supported with approximately 1.2 million EURO . The research focus areas here are infections in patients whose immune systems are already weakened by medications. The C3 professorships have also been filled at both universities, creating new core centres for clinical infectious disease research in Germany.

Medical Competence Networks for Infectious Diseases
To improve the transfer of results from basic research to clinical research and finally to patient care, three medical competence networks for infectious diseases are funded: Since autumn of 2001, competence networks have been working on hepatitis and on nosocomial pneumonia (lung inflammation). An additional competence network on HIV/AIDS began its activities in spring of 2002. Each network receives an annual funding of approx. 2.5 million EURO for a period of up to five years.