Interlaboratory Validation of a Detection Method for Hepatitis E Virus RNA in Pig Liver.

Background: In the last years, the number of notified hepatitis E cases in humans has continuously increased in Europe. Foodborne infection with the zoonotic hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 is considered the major cause of this disease. Undercooked liver and raw sausages containing the liver of pigs and wild boar are at high risk of containing HEV.

Interlaboratory Validation of a Method for Hepatitis E Virus RNA Detection in Meat and Meat Products.

Increasing numbers of hepatitis E cases are currently recognized in many European countries. The zoonotic hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 mainly circulates in domestic pigs and wild boars, and can be transmitted to humans via consumption of insufficiently heated meat or meat products produced from those animals. Here, a detailed protocol for detection of HEV RNA in meat products is provided, which is based on the method originally described by Szabo et al.

Fatal nocardiosis in a dog caused by multiresistant Nocardia veterana.

Among pathogenic Nocardia species in humans and animals, infections caused by Nocardia (N.) veterana have rarely been described and so far, all non-human cases are linked to bovine mastitis in Brazil. The aim of this study was to identify the causative microorganism involved in the death of a three-month-old dog suffering from dyspnea and neurological deficits ante mortem.

Alveolar echinococcosis in a captive red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus).

A 2.5-year old male red-necked wallaby (Macropodus rufogriseus) kept privately in an outdoor enclosure in Germany died with severe jaundice and abdominal enlargement. Post mortem examination revealed ascites, and multiple nodular lesions in liver, diaphragm, omentum, mesentery, spleen, lung, hepatic and thoracic lymph nodes.

High throughput detection of Coxiella burnetii by real-time PCR with internal control system and automated DNA preparation.

Background: Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Q-fever, a widespread zoonosis. Due to its high environmental stability and infectivity it is regarded as a category B biological weapon agent. In domestic animals infection remains either asymptomatic or presents as infertility or abortion.

Reclassification of Paenibacillus larvae subsp. pulvifaciens and Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae as Paenibacillus larvae without subspecies differentiation.

A polyphasic taxonomic study of the two subspecies of Paenibacillus larvae, Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae and Paenibacillus larvae subsp. pulvifaciens, supported the reclassification of the subspecies into one species, Paenibacillus larvae, without subspecies separation.

Proposal to reclassify Paenibacillus larvae subsp. pulvifaciens DSM 3615 (ATCC 49843) as Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae. Results of a comparative biochemical and genetic study.

The bacterial pathogen Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae (P. l.

Real-time fluorescence PCR assays for detection and characterization of Shiga toxin, intimin, and enterohemolysin genes from Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli.

PCR assays have proved useful for detecting and characterizing Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Recent advances in PCR technology have facilitated the development of real-time fluorescence PCR assays with greatly reduced amplification times and improved methods for the detection of amplified target sequences. We developed and evaluated two such assays for the LightCycler instrument: one that simultaneously detects the genes for Shiga toxins 1 and 2 (stx(1) and stx(2)) and another that simultaneously detects the genes for intimin (eae) and enterohemolysin (E-hly).