Professor of Child and Adolescent Medicine

Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Medical University Vienna
Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria

Phone: +43 (0)1 40400 - 64020
FAX: +43 (0)1 40400 - 39228

E-mail: angelika.berger@meduniwien.ac.at 

Research Interests
Inflammation in fetuses and neonates and long-term outcome; Diagnosis and treatment of infections in the neonatal intensive care setting; Immune system of preterm infants and neonates.

Inflammation and Infections in Fetuses and Neonates

Abstract

The interest of our group is the immune system of the fetus and neonate with focus on clinical and translational research projects. Preterm infants are particularly prone to infections which is in part a consequence of the immature immune system. We are working on parameters to improve the diagnosis of infections in neonates and on treatment options for those patients. Another focus is the elucidation of the impact of infections on pregnancy outcome, including intrauterine inflammation and long-term adverse pulmonary and neurological outcome of preterm infants. Further interests are nosocomial infections in neonates, and viral infections in the neonatal intensive care setting.

Current projects

“Correlation of detection of Ureaplasma species in a single vaginal smear at 11-14 weeks of gestation by real time PCR with pregnancy outcome”, PhD Dr. Judith Böhm, ongoing

„Implementation of the ROCHE Septifast PCR system for the detection of blood pathogens in neonatal sepsis - A Prospective Study”, PhD Dr. Julia Straub, ongoing

“Second trimester azithromycin for prevention of preterm birth and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm lambs”, cooperation University of Western Australia, Dr. Matthew Kemp, Perth, ongoing

“The effect of prenatal infection on emotional behaviours in adult life”, PhD Deeba Khan, cooperation Prof. Daniela Pollak, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, MUW, ongoing

Project “The effect of pentoxiphyllin on antigen presenting cells of preterm and term  infants”, cooperation Prof. Spittler, Department of Surgery, ongoing

Project „Impact of antimicrobial lactoferrin on in vitro mononuclear cells in preterm and term infants“, cooperation Prof. Spittler, Department of Surgery, MUW ongoing

Project “Clostridium difficile colonization in premature infants – a prospective longitudinal cohort study”, cooperation Prof. Allerberger, AGES (Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety), ongoing

Selected Publications

Kasper DC, Altiok I, Mechtler TP, Langgartner M, Böhm J, Pollak A, Herkner KR, Berger A. Adaption of the Roche Septifast system for low blood volumes. A breakthrough in the early detection of late-onset neonatal sepsis in very low birth weight infants? Neonatology 103:268-273, 2013

Steiner M, Strassl R, Straub J, Böhm J, Popow-Kraupp T, Berger A. Nosocomial rhinovirus infection in preterm infants. PIDJ, 31:1302-1304, 2012

Kasper DC, Mechtler TP, Böhm J, Petricevic L, Gleiss A, Spergser J, Witt A, Berger A. In utero exposure to Ureaplasma spp. is associated with an increased rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants. J Perinatal Med, 39:331-6, 2011