AG Higgins
Group Leader: Dr. Paul G. Higgins Ph.D.
Phone: +49 221 478-32011
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Of porins, pumps and carbapenemases; multi-drug resistance mechanisms of Gram negative bacteria, and molecular epidemiology of ESKAPE organisms and Neisseria gonorrhoeae
(ORCID 0000-0001-8677-9454)
Co-workers:
Prof. Dr. Harald Seifert [Email protection active, please enable JavaScript.]
Tessa Burgwinkel, Technician (-32211/-32231, [Email protection active, please enable JavaScript.])
Vivien Persy, Technician (-32231, -32210, [Email protection active, please enable JavaScript.])
Julia Wille, Technician (-32211/-32231, [Email protection active, please enable JavaScript.])
Dr. rer. nat. Kyriaki Xanthopoulou (-32231, [Email protection active, please enable JavaScript.])
Research Topics
We are interested in the antimicrobial resistance mechanisms and molecular epidemiology of what are termed ESKAPE pathogens; Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species). These organisms are the leading cause of nosocomial infections throughout the world and are particularly problematic because of their ability to escape the action of antibiotics. Furthermore, we are also interested in Neisseria gonorrhoeae because of the rise of multi-drug resistant strains.
Bacteria can become resistant to antimicrobials through a variety of mechanisms; resistance gene acquisition (e.g. beta-lactamases), mutations in drug targets leading to lower affinity to antibiotics (e.g. GyrA and fluoroquinolones), reduced permeability through loss or downregulation of porins (e.g. carbapenem-resistance), or through upregulation of broad substrate efflux pumps (a single RND pump can efflux multiple antimicrobial drug classes such as tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, trimethoprim, beta-lactams, macrolides, tigecycline, and chloramphenicol, as well as antiseptics). We are particularly interested in the role of RND efflux pumps in multi-drug resistant A. baumannii (their regulation and characterising new pumps), colistin resistance in A. baumannii, and non-carbapenemase mechanisms of carbapenem-resistance in K. pneumoniae (porin loss combined with ESBLs), and the class D beta-lactamases (oxacillinases, or OXA).
We use a variety of methodologies to investigate and characterise antimicrobial resistance, both phenotypically and genotypically, but more recently have utilised the power of whole genome sequencing to reveal their mechanisms. For this, we use the MiSeq for short reads combined with MinION for long reads. This approach allows for a high-resolution molecular epidemiology, plasmid characterisation, and to chart and identify high-risk clones.
Recent publications 2017-2022
Fuchs F, Seifert H, Higgins PG. In vitro activity of nitroxoline against carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAb) isolated from the urinary tract. J Antimicrob Chemo. 2022. Accepted. In print.
Camargo CH, Yamada AY, Nagamori FO, de Souza AR, Tiba-Casas MR, de Moraes França FA, Porto MHTN, de Lima Garzon ML, Madalosso G, Higgins PG, de Assis DB. Clonal spread of ArmA- and OXA-23-coproducing Acinetobacter baumannii International Clone2 in Brazil during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Journal Med Microbiol. 2022. Accepted. In print.
Rubio T, Gagné S, Debruyne C, Dias C, Cluzel C, Mongellaz D, Rousselle P, Göttig S, Seifert H, Higgins PG, Salcedo S. Incidence of an intracellular multiplication niche amongst Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates. mSystems. 2022 Feb 22;7(1):e0048821. doi: 10.1128/msystems.00488-21. Epub 2022 Feb 1
Tacconelli E, Göpel S, Gladstone BP, Eisenbeis S, Hölzl F, Buhl M, Górska A, Cattaneo C, Mischnik A, Rieg S, Rohde AM, Kohlmorgen B, Falgenhauer JC, Trauth J, Kaeding N, Kramme E, Biehl LH, Walker SV, Peter S, Gastmeier P, Chakraborty T, Vehreschild MJGT, Seifert H, Rupp J, Kern WV, DZIF BLOOMY study group. Development and validation of the BLOOMY prediction scores for 14-day and 6-month mortality of adult hospitalized patients with bloodstream infections: a multicenter, prospective, cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2022 Jan 19;S1473-3099(21)00587-9. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00587-9.
Biehl LM, Higgins PG*, Stemler J, Gilles M, Peter S, Dörfel D, Vogel W, Kern WV, Gölz H, Bertz H, Rohde H, Klupp E-M, Schafhausen P, Salmanton-García J, Stecher M, Wille J, Liss B, Zweigner J, Seifert H, Vehreschild MJGT. Impact of single room contact precautions on hospital-acquisition and transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococci: a prospective multicentre cohort-study on haematological and oncological wards. Euro Surveill. 2022 Jan;27(2):2001876. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.2.2001876.
Mouftah SF, Pál T, Higgins PG, Ghazawi A, Idaghdour Y, Alqahtani M, Omrani A, Rizvi T, Sonnevend A. Diversity of carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae ST14 and emergence of a subgroup with KL64 capsular locus in the Arabian Peninsula. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. 2021. DOI 10.1007/s10096-021-04384-2
Nodari C, Fuchs SA, Xanthopoulou K, Cayo R, Seifert H, Gales AC, Dilthey A, Higgins PG. pmrCAB recombination events among colistin-susceptible and -resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates belonging to International Clone 7. mSphere. Dec 1:e0074621. doi: 10.1128/msphere.00746-21
Higgins PG, Kniel M, Rojak S, Balczun C, Rohde H, Frickmann H, Hagen RM, Molecular epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated at the German military field laboratory in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan. Microorganisms. 2021 Oct 26;9(11):2229. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9112229
Lucaßen K, Xanthopoulou K, Wille J, Wille T, Wen Y, Hua X, Seifert H, Higgins PG. Characterisation of substitutions in the two component regulatory system AdeRS identified in multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. mSphere 2021 Nov 24;6(6):e0070921. doi: 10.1128/msphere.00709-21. 00709-21.
Pournaras S, Zarrilli R, Higgins PG, Tsioutis C. Carbapenemase-producing organisms as leading cause of hospital infections. Frontiers in Medicine, section Infectious Diseases – Surveillance, Prevention and Treatment. Oct 25;8:775021. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.775021. eCollection 2021
Shein AMS, Wannigama DL, Higgins PG ,Hurst C, Abe S, Hongsing P, Chantaravisoot N, Saethang T, Luk-in S, Lisomeao T, Nilgate S, Rirerm U, Kueakulpattana N, Laowansiri M, Srisakul S, Muhummudaree N, Techawiwattanaboon T, Gan L, XU C, Kupwiwat R, Phattharapornjaroen P, Rojanathanes R, Leelahavanichku A, Chatsuwan T. Novel colistin-EDTA combination for successful eradication of colistin resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae catheter related biofilm infections. Scientific Reports. 2021. 11, Article number: 21676.
Kueakulpattana, N, Wannigama DL, Luk-in S, Hongsing P, Hurst C, Badavath VN, Jenjaroenpun P, Wongsurawa T, Teeratakulpisan N, Kerr SJ, Abe S, Phattharapornjaroen P, Shein AMS, Saethang T, Chantaravisoot N, Higgins PG, Chatsuwan T. Heterosexual men with multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection confers reduce susceptibility to ceftriaxone: First cluster identified in Thailand. Scientific Reports. 2021. 11, 21659. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-00675-y
Paul G, Meißner A, Neuneier J, Neuschmelting V, Grau S, Yagdiran A, Scheyerer M, Malin JL, Suarez I, Lehmann C, Exner M, Wiesmüller GA, Higgins PG, Seifert H, Fätkenheuer G, Zweigner J, Jung N. Outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections after CT-guided spinal injections. Journal of Infection. 2021. 116; 1-9
Lucaßen K, Gerson S, Xanthopoulou K, Wille J, Wille T, Seifert H, Higgins PG. Comparison of the Acinetobacter baumannii reference strains ATCC 17978 and ATCC 19606 in antimicrobial resistance mediated by the AdeABC efflux pump. Antimcrob Agents Chemotherapy. 2021. 65; e0057021
Abou Fayad AG, Haraoui L-P, Sleiman A, Jaafar M, Matar GM, Higgins PG. Diversity of sequence types and impact of fitness cost among carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from Tripoli, Libya. Antimcrob Agents Chemotherapy. 2021. 65; e0027721
Lucaßen K, Müller C, Wille J, Xanthopoulou K, Hackel M, Seifert H, Higgins PG. Prevalence of RND efflux pump regulator variants associated with tigecycline resistance in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii from a worldwide survey. J Antimicrob Chemo. 2021. 76; 1724-1730.
Nemec A, Radolfová-Křížová L, Maixnerová M, Nemec M, Španělová P, Šafránková R, Šedo O, Lopes BS, Higgins PG. Delineation of a novel environmental phylogroup of the genus Acinetobacter encompassing Acinetobacter terrae sp. nov., Acinetobacter terrestris sp. nov. and three other tentative species. Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 2021. 44; 126217
Goeser F, Sifft B, Stein-Thoeringer C, Farowski F, Wolf D, Strassburg CP, Brossart P, Higgins PG, Scheid C, Holderried T, Vehreschild MJGT, Aguilar MC. Fecal microbiota transfer for steroid-refractory intestinal graft-versus-host disease – a case series from two German university hospitals. European Journal of Haematology. 2021. 107; 229-245.
Xanthopoulou K, Wille J, Zweigner J, Lucaßen K, Wille T, Seifert H, Higgins PG. Characterization of a vancomycin-resistant and a vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecium isolate from the same blood culture. J Antimicrob Chemo. 2021. 76: 883-886.
Higgins PG, Hagen RM, Kreikemeyer B, Warnke P, Podbielski A, Frickmann H, Loderstädt U. Molecular epidemiology of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from Northern Africa and the Middle East. Antibiotics Basel. 2021. 10. 291. DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10030291
Al-Hassan L, Elbadawi H, Osman E, Ali S, Elhag K, Cantillon D, Wille J, Seifert H, Higgins PG. Molecular epidemiology of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii from Khartoum State, Sudan. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2021. 628736. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.628736
Hujer AM, Hujer KM, Leonard DA, Powers RA, Wallar BJ, Mack AR, Taracila MA, Rather PN, Higgins PG, Prati F, Caselli E, Marshall SH, Clarke T, Greco C, Venepally P, Brinkac L, Kreiswirth BN, Fouts DE, Bonomo RA. A comprehensive and contemporary “snapshot” of β-lactamases in Acinetobacter baumannii. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. 2021. 99: 2. 115242 doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2020.115242
Klimka A, Mertins A, Rummler LM, Nicolai A, Higgins PG, Günther S, Tosetti B, Krut O, Krönke M. Epitope-specific immunity against Staphylococcus aureus protoporphyrinogen oxidase. NPJ Vaccines 2021. 6. DOI: 10.1038/s41541-020-00268-2
Hua X, He J, Wang J, Zhang L, Zhang L, Xu Q, Shi K, Leptihn S, Shi Y, Fu X, Zhu P, Higgins PG, Yu Y. Novel tigecycline resistance mechanisms in Acinetobacter baumannii mediated by mutations in adeS, rpoB and rrf. Emerging Microbes & Infections. 2021. 10; 1404-1417.
Cerezales M, Biniossek L, Gerson S, Xanthopoulou K, Wohlfarth E, Kaase M, Seifert H, Higgins PG. Novel multiplex PCRs for detection of the most prevalent carbapenemase genes in Gram-negative bacteria within Germany. J Med Microbiol. 2021. 70; Article Number: 001310
Singkham-in U, Wannigama DL, Hongsing P, Higgins PG, Chatsuwan T. Rescued chlorhexidine activity by resveratrol against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii via down-regulation of AdeB efflux pump. PLoS One. 2020 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243082
Hua X, Xu Q, He J, Chen Q, Zhang L, Loh B, Leptihn S, Zhou, Wen Y, Higgins PG, Yu Y. The distribution of mutations and hotspots in transcription regulators of resistance-nodulation-cell division efflux pumps in tigecycline non-susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii in China. Int J Medical Microbiology. 2020. 310: 151464
Nodari CS, Cayô R, Streling AP, Lei F, Wille J, Almeida MS, Paul AIC, Pignatari ACC, Seifert H, Higgins PG, Gales AC. Genomic analysis of extremely drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates belonging to major endemic clones in South America. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2020. 11: 3002
Xanthopoulou K, Urrutikoetxea M, Vidal M, Diaz de Tuesta JL, Sánchez S, Seifert H, Higgins PG, Gallego L. First report of New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase-6 (NDM-6) in an Acinetobacter baumannii isolate identified in a clinical isolate from Northern Spain. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2020. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.589253
Xanthopoulou K, Peter S, Tobys D, Behnke M, Dinkelacker A, Eisenbeis S, Falgenhauer J, Falgenhauer L, Fritzenwanker M, Gölz H, Häcker G, Higgins PG, Imirzalioglu C, Käding N, Kern WV, Kramme E, Kola A, Mischnik A, Rieg S, Rohde AM, Rupp J, Tacconelli E, Vehreschild MJGT, Walker S, Gastmeier P, Seifert H, for the DZIF R-NET Study Group. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium colonising patients on hospital admission in Germany: prevalence and molecular epidemiology. J Antimicrob Chemo. 2020. 75:2743-2751. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkaa271.
Xanthopoulou K, Carattoli A, Wille J, Biehl L, Rohde H, Farowski F, Krut O, Vila L, Feudi C, Seifert H, Higgins PG. Antibiotic resistance and mobile genetic elements in extensively drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae sequence type 147 recovered from Germany. Antibiotics (Basel). 2020. Oct 5;9(10):E675. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics9100675
Higgins PG, Hagen RM, Podbielski A, Frickmann H, Warnke P. Molecular epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from war-injured patients from the Eastern Ukraine. Antibiotics. Antibiotics (Basel). 2020. Sep 5;9(9):E579. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics9090579.
Seifert HS, Müller C, Stefanik D, Higgins PG, Miller A, Kresken M. In-vitro activity of sulbactam-durlobactam against global isolates of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. J Antimicrob Chemo. 2020. 75: 2616-2621.
Cerezales M, Xanthopoulou K, Wille J, Krut O, Seifert H, Gallego L, Higgins PG. Mobile genetic elements harbouring resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from Bolivia. Front Microbiol. 2020. 11:919. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00919.
Gerson S, Lucaßen K, Wille J, Nodari CS, Stefanik D, Nowak J, Wille T, Betts JW, Roca I, Vila J, Cisneros JM, Seifert H, Higgins PG. Diversity of amino acid substitutions in PmrCAB associated with colistin resistance in clinical Acinetobacter baumannii isolates. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2020. 55: 105862.
Bazzi W, Abou Fayad A, Nasser A, Haraoui L-P, el Dewachi O, Abou-Sitta G, Nguyen V-K, Abara A, Landecker H, Knapp C, McEvoy M, Zamman M, Higgins PG, Matar GM. Heavy Metal Toxicity in Armed Conflicts Potentiates AMR in A. baumannii by Selecting for Antibiotic and Heavy Metal Co-resistance Mechanisms. Front Microbiol. 2020 Feb 3;11:68. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00068. eCollection 2020.
Fam NS, Mohamed SH, Gamal D, Wasfy RM, Soliman MS, El-Kholy AA, Higgins PG. Molecular characterization of carbapenem/colistin resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates from Egypt by whole genome sequencing. Infection and Drug Resistance. 2020. 2020: 4487-4493. https://doi.org/10.2147/IDR.S288865
Al-Hassan L, Roemer-Mahler A, Price J, Islam J, El-Mahallawy H, Higgins PG, Hussein AFA, Roca I, Newport M. The TACTIC Experience: Establishing an International, Multidisciplinary Network to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance. J Med Microbiol. 69:1213-1220. doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.001249
Piepenbrock E, Higgins PG*, Wille J, Xanthopoulou K, Zweigner J, Jahn P, Reuter S, Skov R, Eichhorn J, Seifert H. Klebsiella variicola causing nosocomial transmission among neonates – an emerging pathogen? J Med Microbiol. 2020. 69, 396-401.
Seifert H, Stefanik D, Olesky M, Higgins PG. In-vitro activity of the novel fluorocycline TP-6076 against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2020. 55:105829
Schäfer E, Malecki M, Tellez-Castillo C-J, Pfennigwerth N, Marlinghaus L, Higgins PG, Mattner F, Wendel AF. Molecular surveillance of carbapenemase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa at three medical centres in Cologne, Germany. Antimicrob Res Infect Control. 2019. 8, 208. doi:10.1186/s13756-019-0665-5
Günther SD, Fritsch M, Schiffmann LM, Seeger JM, Snipas SJ, Coutelle M, Kufer TA, Higgins PG, Hornung V, Bernardini ML, Höning S, Krönke M, Salvesen GS, Kashkar H. Cytosolic Gram-negative bacteria prevent apoptosis by inhibition of effector caspases through LPS. Nat Microbiol. 2020 Feb;5(2):354-367. DOI: 10.1038/s41564-019-0620-5
Cosgaya C, Ratia C, Marí-Almirall M, Rubio L, Higgins PG, Seifert H, Roca I, Vila J. In vitro and in vivo virulence potential of the emergent species of the Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab) group. Front Microbiol. 2019. 10: 2429.
Betts JW, Hornsey M, Higgins PG, Lucassen K, Wille J, Salguero FJ, Seifert H, La Ragione RM. Restoring the activity of the antibiotic aztreonam using the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Med Microbiol. 2019. 68: 1552-1559.
Opazo-Capurro AF, Higgins PG, Wille J, Seifert H, Cigarroa C, Gonzalez-Muñoz P, Quezada-Aguiluz MA, Dominguez M, Bello HM, Vergara L, González-Rocha GE. Genetic features of Antarctic Acinetobacter radioresistens strain A154 harboring multiple antibiotic-resistance genes. Front Cellular Infect Microbiol. 2019. 9: article 328
Biehl L, Higgins PG*, Wille T, Peter K, Hamprecht A, Peter S, Dörfel D, Vogel W, Haefner H, Lemmen S, Panse J, Rohde H, Klupp E,Schafhausen P, Imirzalioglu C, Falgenhauer L, Salmanton Garcia J, Stecher M, Vehreschild JJ, Seifert H, Vehreschild M. Impact of single room contact precautions on hospital-acquisition and transmission of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli: a prospective multicentre cohort-study in haematological and oncological wards. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2019. 25: 1013-1020.
Dimitriou V, Biehl L, Hamprecht A, Vogel W, Dörfel D, Peter S, Schafhausen P, Rohde H, von Lilienfeld-Toal M, Klassert TE, Slickers P, Ehricht R, Slevogt H, Christ H, Hellmich M, Farowski F, Tsakmaklis A, Higgins PG, Seifert H, Vehreschild MJGT. Controlling intestinal colonisation of high-risk hematology patients with extended- spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae – a randomized controlled trial (CLEAR). 2019. J Antimicrob Chemo. 74: 2065-2074.
Fuchs F, Wille J, Hamprecht A, Parcina M, Lehmann C, Schwarze-Zander C, Seifert H, Higgins PG. In vitro activity of mecillinam and nitroxoline against Neisseria gonorrhoeae – re-purposing old antibiotics in the multi-drug resistance era. J Med Microbiol. 2019. 68: 991-995.
Mertins S, Higgins PG, González Rodríguez M, Borlon C, Gilleman Q, Mertens P, Seifert H, Krönke M, Klimka M. Generation and selection of antibodies for a novel immunochromatographic lateral flow test to rapidly identify OXA-23-like mediated carbapenem-resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii. J Med Microbiol. 2019. 68: 1021-1032.
Farowski F, Solbach P, Tsakmaklis A, Brodesser S, Cruz AMR, Cornely OA, Dettmer K, Higgins PG, Suerbaum S, Jazmati N, Oefner PJ, Vehreschild MJGT, for the German Clinical Microbiome Study Group (GCMSG). Potential biomarkers to predict outcome of faecal microbiota transfer for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. Digestive and Liver Disease. 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dld.2019.01.012. 51: 944-951.
Tietgen M, Kramer J, Brunst S, Djahanschiri B, Wohra S, Higgins PG, Weidensdorfer M, Christ S, Pos KM, Gonzaga A, Steglich M, Nübel U, Ebersberger I, Proschak E, Göttig S. Identification of the novel class D β-lactamase OXA-679 involved in carbapenem resistance in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus. 2019. J Antimicrob Chemo. 74: 1494-1502.
Cerezales M, Xanthopoulou K, Ertel J, Bustamante Z, Seifert H, Gallego L, Higgins PG. Acinetobacter baumannii analysis by core genome MLST in two hospitals in Bolivia: endemicity of international clone 7 isolates (CC25). Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2019. 53: 844-849.
W.A. Rossen JWA, Dombrecht J, Vanfleteren D, De Bruyne K, van Belkum A, Rosema S, Lokate M, Bathoorn E, Reuter S, Grundmann H, Ertel J, Higgins PG, Seifert H Epidemiological typing of Serratia marcescens by whole genome multi-locus sequence typing. J Clin Microbiol. 2019. 57: UNSP e01652-18
D’Souza R, Pinto NA, Nguyen LP, Higgins PG, Vu NT, Byun JH, Cho YL, Choi JR, Yong D. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Acinetobacter spp. panel strains: a cornerstone to facilitate antimicrobial development. Front Microbiol. 2019. 10:559. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00559
Gerson S, Betts JW, Lucaßen K, Nodari CS, Wille J, Josten M, Göttig S, Nowak J, Stefanik D, Roca I, Vila J, Cisneros JM, La Ragione RM, Seifert H, Higgins PG. Investigation of novel pmrB and eptA mutations in isogenic Acinetobacter baumannii isolates associated with colistin resistance and increased virulence in vivo. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2019. 3: e01586-18.
Klotz P, Higgins PG, AR , Failing K, Leidner U, Seifert H, Scheufen S, Semmler T, Ewers C. Seasonal occurrence and carbapenem susceptibility of bovine Acinetobacter baumannii in Germany. Front Microbiol. 2019. 10: 272. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00272
Farowski F, Els G, Tsakmaklis A, Higgins PG, Kahlert CR, Stein-Thoeringer CK, Bobardt JS, Dettmer-Wilde K, Oefner PJ, Vehreschild JJ, Vehreschild MJGT. Assessment of urinary 3-indoxyl sulfate as a marker for gut microbiota diversity and abundance of Clostridiales. Gut Microbes. 2019. 10: 133-141.
Cerezales M, Ocampo-Sosa AA, Alvarez L, Diaz C, Bustamente Z, Santos J, Martinez-Martinez L, Higgins PG, Gallego L. High prevalence of extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii at a Children Hospital in Bolivia. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2018. 11:1118-1123.
Higgins PG, Hrenovic J, Seifert H, Dekic S. Characterization of Acinetobacter baumannii from water and sludge line of secondary wastewater treatment plant. Water Research. 2018. 140:261-267.
Gerson S, Nowak J, Zander E, Ertel J, Wen Y, Krut O, Seifert H, Higgins PG. Diversity of mutations in regulatory genes of resistance-nodulation-cell division efflux pumps in association with tigecycline resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2018. 73:1501-1508.
Cerezales M, Xanthopoulou K, Ertel J, Nemec A, Bustamante Z, Seifert H, Gallego L, Higgins PG. Identification of Acinetobacter seifertii isolated from Bolivian hospitals. J Med Microbiol. 2018. 67:834-837.
Seifert H, Stefanik D, Sutcliffe JA, Higgins PG. In-vitro activity of the novel fluorocycline eravacycline against carbapenem non-susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents. 2018. 51: 62-64.
Blaschke U, Skiebe E, Kaatz M, Higgins PG, Pfeifer Y, Wilharm G. Complete genome sequencing of Acinetobacter sp. strain LoGeW2-3, isolated from the pellet of a white stork, reveals a novel class D beta-lactamase gene. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2018. e01405-17.
Nowak J, Zander E, Stefanik D, Higgins PG, Roca I, Vila J, McConnel MJ, Cisneros JM, Seifert H. High incidence of pandrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates collected from Greece, Italy and Spain as part of the MagicBullet clinical trial. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2017. 72: 3277-3282.
Hujer A, Higgins PG, Rudin S, Buser G, Marshall S, Xanthopoulou K, Seifert H, Rojas L, Domitrovic T, Cassidy PM, Cunningham M, Vega R, Furuno J, Pfeiffer C, Beldavs Z, Wright M, Jacobs M, Adams M, Bonomo R. Nosocomial outbreak of extensively drug resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii isolates containing blaOXA-237 encoded on a plasmid. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2017. 61: pii: e00797-17.
Buser GL, Cassidy PM, Cunningham MC, Rudin S, Hujer AM, Vega R, Furuno JP, Marshall SH, Higgins PG, Jacobs MR, Wright MS, Adams MD, Bonomo RA, Pfeiffer CD, Beldavs ZG. Failure to communicate: transmission of extensively drug-resistant blaOXA-237-containing Acinetobacter baumannii-multiple facilities in Oregon, 2012-2014. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2017. 38: 1135-1341.
Wilharm G, Skiebe E, Higgins PG, Poppel MT, Blaschke U, Leser S, Heider C, Heindorf M, Brauner P, Jäckel U, Böhland K, Cuny C, Łopińska A, Kaminski P, Kasprzak M, Bochenski M, Ciebiera O, Tobółka M, Żołnierowicz KM, Siekiera J, Seifert H, Gagné S, Salcedo SP, Kaatz M, Layer F, Bender JK, Fuchs S, Semmler T, Pfeifer Y, Jerzak L. Relatedness of wildlife and livestock avian isolates of the nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii to lineages spread in hospitals worldwide. Environ Microbiol. 2017. 19:4349-4364.
Wen Y, Ouyang Z, Yu Y, Zhou X, Pei Y, Devreese B, Higgins PG, Zheng F. Mechanistic insight of multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii response regulator AdeR recognize an intercistronic region. Nucleic Acids Res. 2017. 45: 9773-9787.
Ladavac R , Bedenić B , Vranić-Ladavac M, Barišić N, Karčić N , Pompe K, Ferenčić A, Stojanović A, Seifert H, Katić S, Higgins PG. Emergence of different Acinetobacter baumannii clones in a Croatian hospital and correlation with antibiotic susceptibility. J Global Antimicrob Resist. 2017. 10: 213-218.
Higgins PG, Prior P, Harmsen D, Seifert H. Development and evaluation of a core genome multilocus typing scheme for whole-genome sequence-based typing of Acinetobacter baumannii. PLoS One. 2017. 12:e0179228
D’Souza R, Pinto N, Higgins PG, Hwang I, Yong D, Choi J, Lee K, Chong Y. First report of blaOXA-499 as a carbapenemase gene from Acinetobacter pittii. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2017. 61: e0276-16.
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