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International One Health Symposium 2025

Oct 13 – 15, 2025
Hotel Berlin, Berlin
Europe/Berlin timezone
All review results have been sent out on August 20th + September 2nd.

One Health 2025

MOZART: Model for Arbovirus Infection of the Skin

Oct 13, 2025, 7:10 PM
1m
Area C

Area C
Poster presentation Vectors Snacks & Poster Viewing I

Speaker

Fanny Hellhammer (Research Group for Vector-Associated Biodiversity and Infections, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany; Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany. Actual address Gerold: Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Schöpfstraße 41, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Actual address Stegmann: Institute of Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany)

Description

Mosquito-borne viruses such as Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) cause significant global morbidity and mortality. Transmission via mosquito bite exacerbates disease severity, likely through immunomodulatory components of saliva. To facilitate mechanistic studies under physiologically relevant conditions and reduce reliance on animal models, we established a human skin explant system for mosquito-mediated arbovirus
infection.

In the pilot “MOZART” project, we optimized ex vivo human skin explant cultures and inoculated them either by Aedes aegypti probing or by microinjection. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that RVFV RNA copy numbers remained stable over a 7-day period, whereas CHIKV exhibited a modest but consistent increase. Immunohistochemistry of explants, together with infection assays in primary human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes, confirmed that both viruses productively infect skin cells.

Building on these results, we have developed a standardized protocol for presenting ex vivo Skin explants to infected mosquitoes. This platform enables precise dissection of early cutaneous host responses to natural arbovirus transmission and supports ethically responsible research into vector–host–pathogen interactions.

Registration ID OHS25-190
Professional Status of the Speaker Postdoc
Junior Scientist Status No, I am not a Junior Scientist.

Authors

Fanny Hellhammer (Research Group for Vector-Associated Biodiversity and Infections, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany; Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany. Actual address Gerold: Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Schöpfstraße 41, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Actual address Stegmann: Institute of Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany) Cora Stegmann (Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany. Actual address Gerold: Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Schöpfstraße 41, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Actual address Stegmann: Institute of Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany) Hanna Juliana (Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany) Ingo Gerhauser (Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany) Andreas Beineke (Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany) Florian Neubrech (Klinik für Plastische, Hand- und Mikrochirurgie DIAKOVERE Friederikenstift, Humboldstraße 5. 30169 Hannover, Germany) Gisa Gerold (Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany. Actual address Gerold: Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Schöpfstraße 41, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Actual address Stegmann: Institute of Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany) Stefanie Becker (Research Group for Vector-Associated Biodiversity and Infections, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany; Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany. Actual address Gerold: Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Schöpfstraße 41, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Actual address Stegmann: Institute of Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany)

Presentation materials

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External references

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Peer reviewing

Paper

Accepted on by Inga Regling
abstract2983.pdf