Prof Dr Fabian Leendertz

Prof Dr Fabian Leendertz
Research Group Leader
+49 3834-3916-101

Fabian Leendertz studied veterinary medicine at the University of Budapest and the Freie Universität (FU) Berlin. In 2005, he became a doctor of veterinary medicine and group leader of the Primate Diseases Group at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig. Then he became head of the Emerging Zoonoses Junior Research Group at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) Berlin until 2012 and qualified as a specialist veterinarian in microbiology. As head of the RKI project group Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Pathogens (2012 - 2021), he habilitated in microbiology at the FU Berlin in 2016. In 2021, Fabian Leendertz was appointed founding director of the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH) in Greifswald and professor of One Health at the University of Greifswald.

Fabian Leendertz's major achievements include the discovery of a new type of anthrax pathogen (Bacillus cereus bv anthracis) and the first description of leprosy in wild apes. In addition, he led the investigation into the point of origin of the West African Ebola outbreak in 2014 and was a member of the WHO expert group investigating the origin of SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, Prof Leendertz heads one of the three branch offices of the German national One Health Platform and is a member of various advisory boards. These include the advisory committee of the One Health Initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the scientific commission of the Great Apes Survival Partnership of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the expert pool on pandemic preparedness of the German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) working group on One Health governance in the EU, the STAR-IDAZ (Strategic Alliance for the Coordination of Research on the major Infectious Diseases of Animals and Zoonoses) & GloPID-R (Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness) collaborative Working Group on One Health, and the Scientific Advisory Board of the Ivorian National Park Authority Office Ivoirien des Parcs et Réserves (OIPR). In addition, Fabian Leendertz holds memberships in both, the French Académie Nationale de Médicine and the Académie Vétérinaire de France.

In recognition of his commitment to implementing the One Health concept, Fabian Leendertz was awarded UNEP’s Champion of the Earth Award in 2020. In 2023, he was honored by the Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Hamburg with the Hamburg Science Prize for his groundbreaking achievements in the field of zoonotic infectious diseases using the One Health concept.

Publications
Tanga C.T.F., Makouloutou-Nzassi P., Mbehang Nguema P.P., Düx A., Lendzele Sevidzem S., Mavoungou J.F., ... , Leendertz F.H., Mintsa-Nguema R. (2024)
Antimicrobial Resistance in African Great Apes
Antibiotics, 13 (12)
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13121140 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Jaffe J.E., Mätz-Rensing K., Ulrich M., Gräßle T., Behringer V., ... , Wittig R.M., Leendertz F.H. (2024)
Chronic Kidney Disease and Kidney Stone in a Wild Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) in Cote d'Ivoire
J.Med.Primatol., 53 (5)
DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12739 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Badjo A.O.R., Kabore N.F., Zongo A., Gnada K., Ouattara A., Muhigwa M., Ouangraoua S., Poda A., Some S.A., Schubert G., Eckmanns T., Leendertz F.H., ... , Belarbi E., Ouedraogo A.S. (2024)
Burden and epidemiology of Campylobacter species in acute enteritis cases in Burkina Faso
BMC Infectious Diseases, 24 (1)
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09709-y HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Düx A., Lwitiho S.E., Ayouba A., Röthemeier C., Merkel K., Weiss S., Thaurignac G., Lander A., Kouadio L., Nowak K., Corman V., Drosten C., Couacy-Hymann E., Krüger D.H., Kurth A., Calvignac-Spencer S., Peeters M., Ntinginya N.E., ... , Leendertz F.H., Mangu C. (2024)
Detection of Bombali Virus in a Mops condylurus Bat in Kyela, Tanzania
Viruses, 16 (8)
DOI: 10.3390/v16081227 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Badjo A.O.R., Niendorf S., Jacobsen S., Zongo A., Mas Marques A., Vietor A.C., Kabore N.F., Poda A., Some S.A., Ouattara A., Ouangraoua S., Schubert G., Eckmanns T., Leendertz F.H., ... , Belarbi E., Ouedraogo A.S. (2024)
Genetic diversity of enteric viruses responsible of gastroenteritis in urban and rural Burkina Faso
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 18 (7)
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012228 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Gogarten J.F., Düx A., Gräßle T., Lumbu C.P., Markert S., Patrono L.V., Pleh K.A., Singa F.N., Tanga C.T.F., Tombolomako T.B., Couacy-Hymann E., Kouadio L., Ahuka-Mundeke S., Makouloutou-Nzassi P., ... , Calvignac-Spencer S., Leendertz F.H. (2024)
An ounce of prevention is better: Monitoring wildlife health as a tool for pandemic prevention
EMBO Rep.
DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00156-z HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Jaffe J.E., Metzger S., Mätz-Rensing K., Ribas A., Wittig R.M., Leendertz F.H. (2024)
Oesophagostomum stephanostomum causing parasitic granulomas in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) of Tai National Park, Cote d'Ivoire
Am.J.Primatol.
DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23652 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Chasinga T.B., Cikwanine J.P.B., Kribi S., Yoyu J.T., Hofmann N., Grossegesse M., Nitsche A., Tomczyk S., Vietor A.C., Leendertz F.H., Eckmanns T., Kusinza A.B., Munguakonkwa E., Kalk A., Raha M., Kambale N.S., Ayagirwe R.B., ... , Schubert G., Mukwege D. (2024)
Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and risk of viral exposure among healthcare workers in the South Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo: A cross-sectional study
BMJ Open, 14 (1)
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072212 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Friederici A.D., Wittig R.M., Anwander A., Eichner C., Gräßle T., Jäger C., Kirilina E., Lipp I., Düx A., Edwards L.J., Girard-Buttoz C., Jauch A., Kopp K.S., Paquette M., Pine K.J., Unwin S., Haun D.B.M., Leendertz F.H., McElreath R., Morawski M., Gunz P., ... , Weiskopf N., Crockford C. (2023)
Brain structure and function: a multidisciplinary pipeline to study hominoid brain evolution
Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 17
DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1299087 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Rühlemann M.C., Bang C., Gogarten J.F., Hermes B.M., Groussin M., Waschina S., Poyet M., Ulrich M., Akoua-Koffi C., Deschner T., Muyembe-Tamfum J.J., Robbins M.M., Surbeck M., Wittig R.M., Zuberbühler K., Baines J.F., ... , Leendertz F.H., Franke A. (2024)
Functional host-specific adaptation of the intestinal microbiome in hominids
Nature Communications, 15 (1)
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44636-7 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Wieters I., Johnstone S., Makiala-Mandanda S., Poda A., Akoua-Koffi C., Abu Sin M., Eckmanns T., Galeone V., Kabore F.N., Kahwata F., Leendertz F.H., Mputu B., Ouedraogo A.S., Page N., Schink S.B., Toure F.S., Traore A., Venter M., Vietor A.C., ... , Schubert G., Tomczyk S. (2024)
Reported antibiotic use among patients in the multicenter ANDEMIA infectious diseases surveillance study in sub-saharan Africa
Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control, 13 (1)
DOI: 10.1186/s13756-024-01365-w HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Wood R., Tembele W., Hema A., Some A., Kinganda-Lusamaki E., Basilubo C., Lumembe R., Alama N., Mbunsu G., Zongo A., Ahuka S., Muyembe J.J., Leendertz F., Eckmanns T., Schubert G., Kagone T., ... , Makiala S., Tomczyk S. (2024)
Implementation of the WHO core components of an infection prevention and control programme in two sub-saharan African acute health-care facilities: a mixed methods study
Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control, 13 (1)
DOI: 10.1186/s13756-023-01358-1 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Aghebatrafat A.A., Lauber C., Merkel K., Fruth B., Langergraber K., Robbins M.M., Wittig R.M., ... , Leendertz F.H., Calvignac-Spencer S. (2023)
Evolutionary Insight into the Association between New Jersey Polyomavirus and Humans
Viruses, 15 (11)
DOI: 10.3390/v15112248 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
MacIntyre C., Lourens C., Mendes A., de Villiers M., Avenant T., Plessis N.M.D., ... , Leendertz F.H., Venter M. (2023)
West Nile Virus, an Underdiagnosed Cause of Acute Fever of Unknown Origin and Neurological Disease among Hospitalized Patients in South Africa
Viruses, 15 (11)
DOI: 10.3390/v15112207 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Danabalan R., Merkel K., Baerholm Schnell I., Arandjelovic M., Boesch C., Brazzola G., Dieguez P., Dupain J., Kambale-Vyalengerera M., Kühl H.S., Hoffmann C., Lapuente J., Ngoc Thinh V., Zimmermann F., Leendertz F.H., Gilbert M.T.P., Roos C., Mazzoni C., ... , Gogarten J.F., Calvignac-Spencer S. (2023)
Mammal mitogenomics from invertebrate-derived DNA
Environ.DNA.
DOI: 10.1002/edn3.436 HZI-Repositorium
Lynggaard C., Calvignac-Spencer S., Chapman C.A., Kalbitzer U., Leendertz F.H., Omeja P.A., Opito E.A., Sarkar D., ... , Bohmann K., Gogarten J.F. (2023)
Vertebrate environmental DNA from leaf swabs
Curr.Biol., 33 (16)
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.031 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Jahan M., Lagostina L., Gräßle T., Couacy-Hymann E., Kouadio L., Kouakou V.K., Krou H.A., Mossoun A.M., Patrono L.V., Pleh K., Steiner J.A., Yves N., Leendertz F.H., ... , Calvignac-Spencer S., Gogarten J.F. (2023)
Fly iDNA suggests strict reliance of the causative agent of sylvatic anthrax on rainforest ecosystems
Environmental DNA
DOI: 10.1002/edn3.401 HZI-Repositorium
Anoh E.A., Wayoro O., Monemo P., Belarbi E., Sachse A., Wilkinson E., San J.E., Leendertz F.H., Diané B., Calvignac-Spencer S., ... , Akoua-Koffi C., Schubert G. (2023)
Subregional origins of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants during the second pandemic wave in Côte d'Ivoire
Virus Genes
DOI: 10.1007/s11262-023-01984-2 HZI-Repositorium
Gräßle T., Crockford C., Eichner C., Girard-Buttoz C., Jäger C., Kirilina E., Lipp I., Düx A., Edwards L., Jauch A., Kopp K.S., Paquette M., Pine K., Haun D.B.M., McElreath R., Anwander A., Gunz P., Morawski M., Friederici A.D., Weiskopf N., Leendertz F.H., Wittig R.M., Albig K., Amarasekaran B., Angedakin S., Anwander A., Aschoff D., Asiimwe C., Bailanda L., Beehner J.C., Belais R., Bergman T.J., Blazey B., Bernhard A., Bock C., Carlier P., Chantrey J., Crockford C., Deschner T., Düx A., Edwards L., Eichner C., Escoubas G., Ettaj M., Fedurek P., Flores K., Francke R., Friederici A.D., Girard-Buttoz C., Fortun J.G., GoneBi Z.B., Gräßle T., Gruber-Dujardin E., Gunz P., Hartel J., Haun D.B.M., Henshall M., Hobaiter C., Hofman N., Jaffe J.E., Jäger C., Jauch A., Kahemere S., Kirilina E., Klopfleisch R., Knauf-Witzens T., Kopp K.S., Kouima G.L.M., Lange B., Langergraber K., Lawrenz A., Leendertz F.H., Lipp I., Liptovszky M., Theron T.L., Lumbu C.P., Nzassi P.M., Mätz-Rensing K., McElreath R., McLennan M., Mezö Z., Moittie S., Moler T., Morawski M., Morgan D., Mugabe T., Muller M., Müller M., Njumboket I., Olofsson-Sannö K., Ondzie A., Otali E., Paquette M., Pika S., Pine K., Pizarro A., Pléh K., Rendel J., Reichler-Danielowski S., Robbins M.M., Forero A.R., Ruske K., Samuni L., Sanz C., Schüle A., Schwabe I., Schwalm K., Speede S., Southern L., Steiner J., Stidworthy M., Surbeck M., Szentiks C., Tanga T., Ulrich R., Unwin S., van de Waal E., Walker S., Weiskopf N., Wibbelt G., Wittig R.M., Wood K., ... , Zuberbühler K., EBC Consortium (2023)
Sourcing high tissue quality brains from deceased wild primates with known socio-ecology
Methods Ecol.Evol.
DOI: 10.1111/2041-210X.14039 HZI-Repositorium
Jahan M., Calvignac-Spencer S., Chapman C.A., Kalbitzer U., Leendertz F.H., Omeja P.A., Sarkar D., ... , Ulrich M., Gogarten J.F. (2023)
The Movement of Pathogen Carrying Flies at the Human-Wildlife Interface
EcoHealth
DOI: 10.1007/s10393-022-01621-8 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Sawadogo Y., Galal L., Belarbi E., Zongo A., Schubert G., Leendertz F., Kanteh A., Sesay A.K., Erhart A., Banuls A.L., Tarnagda Z., Godreuil S., ... , Tinto H., Ouedraogo A.S. (2022)
Genomic Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Western Burkina Faso, West Africa
Viruses, 14 (12)
DOI: 10.3390/v14122788 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Minhos T., Borges F., Parreira B., Oliveira R., eixo-Pais I., Leendertz F.H., Wittig R., Fernandes C.R., Marques Silva G.H.L., Duarte M., Bruford M.W., ... , Ferreira da Silva M.J., Chikhi L. (2023)
The importance of well protected forests for the conservation genetics of West African colobine monkeys
Am.J.Primatol., 85 (1)
DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23453 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Weiss S., Sudi L.E., Düx A., Mangu C.D., Ntinginya N.E., Shirima G.M., Köndgen S., Schubert G., Witkowski P.T., Muyembe J.J., Ahuka S., Klempa B., ... , Leendertz F.H., Krüger D.H. (2022)
Kiwira Virus, a Newfound Hantavirus Discovered in Free-tailed Bats (Molossidae) in East and Central Africa
Viruses, 14 (11)
DOI: 10.3390/v14112368 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
De Oliveira-Filho E.F., Carneiro I.O., Fischer C., Kuhne A., Postigo-Hidalgo I., Ribas J.R.L., Schumann P., Nowak K., Gogarten J.F., de Lamballerie X., Dantas-Torres F., Netto E.M., Franke C.R., Couacy-Hymann E., ... , Leendertz F.H., Drexler J.F. (2022)
Evidence against Zika virus infection of pets and peri-domestic animals in Latin America and Africa
J.Gen.Virol., 103 (1)
DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001709 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Nuno A., Chesney C., Wellbelove M., Bersacola E., Kalema-Zikusoka G., Leendertz F., ... , Webber A.D., Hockings K.J. (2022)
Protecting great apes from disease: Compliance with measures to reduce anthroponotic disease transmission
People.Nat.
DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10396 HZI-Repositorium
Gogarten J.F., Jahan M., Calvignac-Spencer S., Chapman C.A., Goldberg T.L., ... , Leendertz F.H., Rothman J.M. (2022)
The cost of living in larger primate groups includes higher fly densities
EcoHealth, 19 (2)
DOI: 10.1007/s10393-022-01597-5 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Patrono L.V., Röthemeier C., Kouadio L., Couacy-Hymann E., Wittig R.M., ... , Calvignac-Spencer S., Leendertz F.H. (2022)
Non-invasive genomics of respiratory pathogens infecting wild great apes using hybridisation capture
Influ.Other Respir.Viruses, 16 (5)
DOI: 10.1111/irv.12984 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Plenderleith L.J., Liu W., Li Y., Loy D.E., Mollison E., Connell J., Ayouba A., Esteban A., Peeters M., Sanz C.M., Morgan D.B., Wolfe N.D., Ulrich M., Sachse A., Calvignac-Spencer S., Leendertz F.H., Shaw G.M., ... , Hahn B.H., Sharp P.M. (2022)
Zoonotic origin of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium malariae from African apes
Nat.Commun., 13 (1)
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29306-4 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Hockings K.J., Mubemba B., Avanzi C., Pleh K., Düx A., Bersacola E., Bessa J., Ramon M., Metzger S., Patrono L.V., Jaffe J.E., Benjak A., Bonneaud C., Busso P., Couacy-Hymann E., Gado M., Gagneux S., Johnson R.C., Kodio M., Lynton-Jenkins J., Morozova I., Mätz-Rensing K., Regalla A., Said A.R., Schuenemann V.J., Sow S.O., Spencer J.S., Ulrich M., Zoubi H., Cole S.T., Wittig R.M., ... , Calvignac-Spencer S., Leendertz F.H. (2021)
Leprosy in wild chimpanzees
Nature, 598 (7882)
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03968-4 HZI-Repositorium PubMed
Murthy Sripriya, Couacy-Hymann E., Metzger S., Nowak K., Nys H.D., Boesch C., Wittig R., Jarvis M.A., ... , Leendertz F.H., Ehlers B. (2013)
Absence of frequent herpesvirus transmission in a nonhuman primate predator-prey system in the wild
Journal of Virology, 87 (19)

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