Jump directly to main navigation Jump directly to content

Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management (ATB)

Bio Bank

Virus Collection

The virus strain bank is responsible for the collection, preservation and documentation of authentic virus strains which are important for veterinary medicine under defined conditions. It produces certified virus strains and homologous antisera for the institutes of the FLI and for other authorized national and international institutions.

Virus strains are replicated in cooperation with the collection of cell lines in veterinary medicine of the FLI under optimized conditions and by use of characterized cell lines.

Currently, the virus strain bank disposes of more than 600 virus strains and isolates from cattle, pig, horse, dog, cat and poultry, but also from goat, sheep, giraffe, African elephant and various fish species.

Collection of Cell Lines in Veterinary Medicine (CCLV)

The Collection of Cell Lines generates, characterises and collects cell lines which are of interest for veterinary research and diagnostics. Currently the collection comprises 1,500 lines. It includes cell lines of farm animals such as cattle, pig, horse, sheep, goat and poultry and other mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes and insects (70 species).

Authentication and quality-control tests (tests for contamination with mycoplasms, bacteria, BVDV) of the cultures are done routinely.

Cell cultures are provided to scientists of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute and other non-commercial institutions worldwide after consultation of a scientific staff member of the CCLV.

Identity Controls

Species determination is done by:

  • Sequencing
  • PCR-RFLP
  • Proteomics
  • PCR (species specific)
  • taxon specific indirect immunofluorescence

Genotyping of bovine, porcine and human cell lines is done by STR analysis.

Controls of the lines showed misidentification in some cases. Details are indicated in the cell line passport.

Evaluation and classification of viruses

As biological agents, viruses must be evaluated and classified into risk groups, which in turn determine the protection level required for handling them. The underlying taxonomic specifications are determined by ICTV. Important findings on the characterization of known and novel viruses are being developed in various FLI working groups. In close cooperation with BG RCI, FLI is also involved in the scientific evaluation of human and vertebrate pathogenic viruses, the final classification of which is carried out by ABAS. These classifications are published in TRBA 462 (BMAS) and in leaflet B 004 (DGUV).