The consultant laboratories ensure the quality of diagnostics of pathogens, zoonotic pathogens or food-borne pathogens that are not subject to notification, reporting or examination. The quality assurance of pathogen diagnostics by the consultant laboratories is carried out, among other things, by conducting interlaboratory tests and scientific studies on the pathogen as well as providing expert advice to veterinarians, veterinary authorities and similar institutions.
The Institute of Food Hygiene has been researching the pathogen Alaria alata since 2008 within the framework of various research projects funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Free State of Saxony and the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. For the first time, a suitable detection method was developed and validated with the Alaria alata mesocercariae migration technique. Furthermore, an investigation scheme for characterising the vitality of Alaria alata mesocercariae was developed. Currently, the research group is engaged in tenacity studies with regard to a possible usefulness of game meat infected with Alaria alata.
Current assessment of the DME
The updated risk assessment of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) from 2017 recommends consuming wild boar meat only if it is sufficiently heated through. It is also stated that at the current time the data situation on Duncker's muscle cone is not uniform enough to carry out a conclusive assessment with regard to all types of consumption of wild game meat.
Activities of the consiliary laboratory
In the course of routine operations, services are provided for veterinary offices and also private persons (e.g. hunters with their own sausage production). For interested laboratories, a DME ring test is offered, in which the good detection properties of AMT are repeatedly confirmed. In addition to advising DME laboratories, the training of laboratory staff in the use of AMT is also an important part of the activities of the consultant laboratory.
If you have any questions about this topic, please contact us.