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Mission statements & publications

Mission Statement #1

“Population-specific strategies are needed to evaluate and test interventions for respiratory infections in vulnerable patients including children globally.”

About this statement

As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, respiratory pathogens do not respect borders. In addition, immune system functioning is affected by multiple factors that can vary between settings, such as nutritional status, environmental triggers, climate, and genetic background. We aim to understand these factors in order to combat respiratory infections in vulnerable populations worldwide.

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Interview during conference of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases about refugee populations.

Related publications:

EAML Mutsaerts, B van Cranenbroek, SA Madhi, E Simonetti, A Arns, L Jose, A Koen, AE van Herwaarden, MI de Jonge, LM Verhagen. Impact of nutritional status on vaccine-induced immunity in children living in South Africa: investigating the B-cell repertoire and metabolic hormones. Vaccine 2024; Apr 17:S0264-410X(24)00448-1.
A Redfern, MM van der Zalm, J Lishman, P Goussard, L Smit, R Dagan, M Barday, M Mare, M Claassen, G van Zyl, H Rabie, LM Verhagen. Clinical presentation and outcome of acute respiratory illnesses in South African children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2023;42:672-8.
H Wang, X Li, Y Zheng, LM Verhagen, J Gu, L Li, Z Xu, W Wang, MI de Jonge. Concordance in pathogen identification at the upper and lower respiratory tract of children with severe pneumonia. BMC Infect Dis 2023;23:170.
KE Siegers, AE van Herwaarden, JH de Waard, B del Nogal, PWM Hermans, D van Tienoven, GAM Berbers, MI de Jonge, LM Verhagen. The metabolic hormone adiponectin affects the correlation between nutritional status and pneumococcal vaccine response in vulnerable indigenous children. PLoS ONE 2022;e0270736.
LM Verhagen, IA Rivera-Olivero, M Clerc, MLJN Chu, J Engelsdorp Gastelaars, MI Kristensen, GAM Berbers, PWM Hermans, MI de Jonge, JH de Waard, D Bogaert. Nasopharyngeal microbiota profiles in rural Venezuelan children are associated with respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Clin Infect Dis 2021;72:212-21.
MM van der Zalm, J Lishman, LM Verhagen, A Redfern, L Smit, M Barday, D Ruttens, A da Costa, S van Jaarsveld, J Itana, N Schrueder, M van Schalkwyk, N Parker, I Appel, B Fourie, M Claassen, JJ Workman, P Goussard, G van Zyl, H Rabie. Clinical experience with SARS CoV-2 related illness in children – hospital experience in Cape Town, South Africa. Clin Infect Dis 2021;72:938-44.
HM Kansen, MA Lebbink, J Mul, FC van Erp, M van Engelen, E de Vries, SMPJ Prevaes, T My Le, CK van der Ent, LM Verhagen. Risk factors for atopic diseases and recurrent respiratory tract infections in children. Pediatr Pulmonol 2020;55:3168-79.
LM Verhagen, M Hermsen, IA Rivera-Olivero, MC Sisco, MI de Jonge, PWM Hermans, JH de Waard. Nasopharyngeal carriage of respiratory pathogens in Warao Amerindians: significant relationship with stunting. Trop Med Int Health 2017;22:407-14.
Kuipers K, Selm S, van Opzeeland F, Langereis JD, Verhagen LM, Diavatopoulos DA, de Jonge MI. Genetic background impacts vaccine-induced reduction of pneumococcal colonization. Vaccine 2017;35:5235-41.
LM Verhagen, IA Rivera-Olivero, M Hermsen, MC Sisco, M Maes, B del Nogal, D Bogaert, GAM Berbers, PWM Hermans, MI de Jonge, JH de Waard. Introduction of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in an isolated pneumococcal vaccine-naïve indigenous population. Eur Respir J 2016;48:1492-96.
LM Verhagen, MA Overeem, PWM Hermans, B del Nogal, A Márquez Sánchez, N Martinez Acevedo, R Ramirez Murga, J Roelfsema, E Pinelli, JH de Waard. Recurrent wheezing is associated with intestinal protozoan infections in Warao children in Venezuela: a cross-sectional survey. BMC Infect Dis 2014;14:293.
LM Verhagen, K Gómez-Castellano, E Snelders I Rivera-Olivero, L Pocaterra, WJG Melchers, JH de Waard, PWM Hermans. Respiratory infections in Eñepa Amerindians are related to malnutrition and Streptococcus pneumoniae J Infect 2013;67:273-81.
LM Verhagen, A Warris, PWM Hermans, B del Nogal, R de Groot, JH de Waard. High prevalence of acute respiratory tract infections among Warao Amerindian children in Venezuela in relation to low immunization coverage and chronic malnutrition. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2012;31:255-62.

Mission Statement #2

“Improved use of clinical respiratory samples as real-time biosensors can transform early diagnosis, predict disease severity, and guide treatment for vulnerable patients with respiratory infections across diverse global settings, with a particular focus on children.”

About this statement

While current diagnostic methods for childhood respiratory tract infections primarily rely on blood biomarkers, every respiratory tract infection starts with attachment of the respiratory pathogen to the respiratory epithelial cells.

To truly understand the pathophysiology of respiratory tract infections, we focus on characterizing the local immune response at the respiratory mucosal surface. By using easily obtainable and child-friendly respiratory samples such as saliva, we aim to capture real-time insights into mucosal immunity. This will pave the way for novel diagnostic and prognostic approaches.

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Presentation at the “Best of ESPID 2022” session at the hybrid European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases conference. Check it out on YouTube

Interview at the Dutch National Radio station NPO radio 1. Check it out at nporadio1.nl

Interview at EditieNL.

Related publications

Mwape RK, Barday M-A, van der Zalm MM, Verhagen LM. Overview of mucosal immunity and respiratory infections in children: a focus on Africa. Curr Opin Pediatr 2025;37(2):137-144.
MH Koenen, WAA de Steenhuijsen Piters, MI de Jonge, JD Langereis, S Nierkens, MLJN Chu, R van der Woude, RP de Vries, EAM Sanders, D Bogaert, E van der Vries, M Boes, LM Verhagen. Salivary polyreactive antibodies and Haemophilus influenzae are associated with respiratory infection severity in young children with recurrent respiratory infections. Eur Resp J 2024;64(4):2400317.
MH Koenen, RCA de Groot, WAA de Steenhuijsen-Piters, MJLN Chu, K Arp, R Hasrat, ACJM de Bruijn, SC Estevao, E van der Vries, JD Langereis, M Boes, D Bogaert, AMC van Rossum, WWJ Unger, LM Verhagen. Mycoplasma pneumoniae carriage in children with recurrent respiratory tract infections is associated with a less diverse and altered microbiota. eBioMedicine 2023;98:104868.
MH Koenen, WAA de Steenhuijsen Piters, D Bogaert, LM Verhagen. The microbiota in respiratory tract infections: from association to intervention. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2022;35:215-22.
R De Groot, SC Estevao, PM Meyer Sauteur, A Perkasa, T Hoogenboezem, EBM Spuesens, LM Verhagen, AMC van Rossum, WWJ Unger. Mycoplasma pneumoniae carriage evades induction of protective mucosal antibodies. Eur Respir J 2021;59:2100129.
MH Koenen, M Bosma, UA Roorda, FMY Wopereis, A Roos, E van der Vries, D Bogaert, EAM Sanders, M Boes, J Heidema, JM van Montfrans, WAF Balemans, TC van Holten, LM Verhagen. A novel method to standardize IgA measurements shows an increased prevalence of IgA deficiency in young children with recurrent respiratory tract infections. Clin Transl Immunology 2021;10(11):e1344.
MH Koenen, JM van Montfrans, EAM Sanders, D Bogaert, LM Verhagen. Immunoglobulin A deficiency in children: an undervalued clinical issue. Clin Immunol 2019; 209: 108293. 4,13
LM Verhagen, MI de Jonge, P Burghout, K Schraa, L Spagnuolo, S Mennens, MJ Eleveld, CE van der Gaast-de Jongh, A Zomer, PWM Hermans, HJ Bootsma. Genome-wide identification of genes essential for the survival of Streptococcus pneumoniae in human saliva. PLoS ONE 2014;9:e89541.

Mission Statement #3

“In order to combat global respiratory infections, we need to develop interventions based on understanding of the respiratory mucosal immune response.”

About this statement

We study the respiratory mucosal immune system to uncover new therapeutic strategies that enhance local protection against respiratory pathogens in children.

Using a combination of in vitro and in vivo models, we explore how mucosal immune responses can be stimulated or modulated to prevent or mitigate infection. By translating these findings into mucosally applied immune-based therapies, we aim to improve clinical outcomes and reduce the global impact of paediatric respiratory tract infections.

Related media

Lilly during Serious Request about working in Venezuela.

Related publications:

MM van der Zalm, NA Sam-Agudu, LM Verhagen. Respiratory adenovirus infections in children: a focus on Africa. Curr Opin Pediatr 2024; 36(3):342-48.
MH Koenen, JM van Montfrans, SMPJ Prevaes, MP van Engelen, E van der Vries, M Boes, EAM Sanders, D Bogaert, LM Verhagen. Antibody deficiencies in children are associated with prematurity and a family history of infections. Pediatr Res 2023;94:2047-53.
D Peeters, N van Geloven, LE Visser, D Bogaert, AMC van Rossum, GJA Driessen, LM Verhagen. Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial evaluating the clinical effect of antibiotic prophylaxis in children with recurrent respiratory tract infections: the Approach study. BMJ Open 2021;11:e044505.
LM Verhagen, M Hermsen, IA Rivera-Olivero, MC Sisco, E Pinelli, PWM Hermans, GAM Berbers, JH de Waard, MI de Jonge. Stunting correlates with high salivary and serum antibodies after 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination of Venezuelan Amerindian children. Vaccine 2016;34:2312-20.