The agony of choice: Impact of the host animal species on the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay performance for host cell protein quantification.

Host cell proteins (HCPs) are inevitable process-related impurities in biotherapeutics commonly monitored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Of particular importance for their reliable detection are the anti-HCP polyclonal antibodies (pAbs), supposed to detect a broad range of HCPs. The present study focuses on the identification of suitable host animal species for the development of high-performance CHO-HCP ELISAs, assuming the generation of pAbs with adequate coverage and specificity.

Detection of IgM and IgG against hepatitis E virus in serum and meat juice samples from pigs at slaughter in Bavaria, Germany.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging foodborne pathogen with domestic and wild pigs (and likely other species such as deer or rabbits) recognized as reservoir. Pathogenesis in pigs usually leads to an asymptomatic course of disease. Since there is no enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for the detection of anti-HEV antibodies in pigs commercially available, the objective of this study was to assess the seroprevalence in fattening pigs at slaughter and at herd level using a newly developed ELISA based on genotype (GT) 1 and GT 3 in Bavaria, Germany.

Systematic screening for novel, serologically reactive Hepatitis E Virus epitopes.

Background: The National Institutes of Health classified Hepatitis E as an emerging disease since Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) is the major cause of acute hepatitis in developing countries. Interestingly, an increasing number of sporadic cases of HEV infections are described in industrialized countries as zoonosis from domestic livestock. Despite the increasing relevance of this pathogen in clinical virology, commercial antibody assays are mainly based on fragments of HEV open reading frame (ORF) 2 and ORF3.

Seroprevalence study in forestry workers from eastern Germany using novel genotype 3- and rat hepatitis E virus-specific immunoglobulin G ELISAs.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent of an acute self-limiting hepatitis in humans. In industrialized countries, autochthonous cases are linked to zoonotic transmission from domestic pigs, wild boar and red deer. The main route of human infection presumably is consumption of contaminated meat.

Prevalence of hepatitis E virus-specific antibodies in humans with occupational exposure to pigs.

Due to the increasing number of non-travel-associated hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections observed in several industrialised countries including Germany, there is a substantial interest in the characterisation of risk factors and transmission routes relevant to autochthonous HEV infections. Autochthonous cases are believed to be the result of a zoonotic HEV transmission from pigs, wild boars and deer. Recently, a high prevalence of HEV-specific antibodies in the German domestic pig population has been demonstrated.

Comparison of the sensitivities of noroviruses and feline calicivirus to chemical disinfection under field-like conditions.

Noroviruses (NV), in the family Caliciviridae, are an important cause of gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. Measures for prevention and control of NV dissemination are therefore necessary to ensure public safety. The abilities of an organic acid (Venno Vet 1 Super), an aldehyde (Venno FF Super), a halogen compound (sodium hypochlorite solution), and a peroxide (Oxystrong FG) to inactivate feline calicivirus (FCV), a cultivable virus surrogate for NV, were studied.