The spectrum of microbes causing invasive infection and sepsis has been changing markedly over the last decades. With the demographic change and consequently growing numbers of prosthetic implants, systemic infections increasingly emerge from biofilms that are poorly accessible for standard antibiotic regimens. Multi-resistant bacteria and fungi, not covered by the commonly used empiric antibiotic treatment, are on the rise and associated with increased mortality. Translational projects and clinical studies within research area Bugs specifically focus on difficult-to-treat infections, aiming to improve our understanding of their biology and to optimize diagnosis, treatment, and clinical management.

Two clinical trials and four translational projects constitute the core of this research area:

• AlertsNet2.0

  Incidence of bloodstream infections, antibiotic resistances, and blood culture ordering and testing practices – a Thuringia-wide prospective population-based surveillance and registry

• Support

  Study on the utility of a statewide counseling program for improving outcomes of patients with staphylococcal bacteremia in Thuringia

• Phenotype

  Glycoproteomic phenotyping and functional analysis of monocytes in different clinical settings of Staphylococcus aureus-induced sepsis

• StaphBone

  Staphylococcus aureus pathogenesis: from sepsis to hematogenous chronic bone infections

• Quantim

  Quantification of innate immune function in whole blood infection assays

• CanBac

  Interactions of Candida albicans with bacteria