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International Standardisation of a Method for Detection of Human Pathogenic Viruses in Molluscan Shellfish

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Abstract

The viruses primarily associated with shellfish-borne illness are norovirus, causing gastroenteritis and hepatitis A virus (HAV). Recent years have seen a proliferation of publications on methods for detection of these viruses in shellfish using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, currently no standard harmonised procedures have been published. Standardisation is necessary before virus methods can be considered for adoption within a regulatory framework. A European standardisation working group is developing a two-part (quantitative and qualitative) standard method for virus detection in foodstuffs, including shellfish, which has the potential to be incorporated into EU legislation as a reference method. This article describes the development of the standard method and outlines the key methodology principles adopted, the controls and other quality assurance measures supporting the method and future necessary developments in the area.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge funding by DG Sanco of the European Commission for the Community Reference Laboratory. Participants of the CEN/TC 275/WG6/TAG4 working group are funded by their respective national standardisation bodies, and this funding is gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. European Community Reference Laboratory, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, The Nothe, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8UB, UK

    David Lees

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CEN WG6 TAG4

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Correspondence to David Lees.

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CEN WG6 TAG4: see Appendix for members

Appendix

Appendix

The members of CEN WG6 TAG4 are David Lees (chair), European Community Reference Laboratory, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, The Nothe, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8UB, United Kingdom; Carl-Henrik von Bonsdorff, University of Helsinki, Finland; Leena Maunula, University of Helsinki, Finland; Anna Charlotte Schultz, National Food Institute, Søborg, Denmark; Dietrich Maede, Landesamt fuer Verbraucherschutz Sachsen-Anhalt, Halle, Germany; Reimar Johne, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany; Barbara Becker, Life Science Technologies, Lemgo, Germany; Anja Carl, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Erlangen, Germany; James Lowther, European Community Reference Laboratory, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, The Nothe, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8UB, United Kingdom; Rachel Rangdale, European Community Reference Laboratory, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, The Nothe, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8UB, United Kingdom; Jane Sellwood, Health Protection Agency, Environmental Virology Unit, Reading, United Kingdom; Sinead Keaveney, Marine Institute, Galway, Ireland; Ingeborg Boxman, Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Zutphen, the Netherlands; Saskia Rutjes, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands; Wim van der Poel, Central Veterinary Institute, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Lelystad, the Netherlands; Elisabeth Mathijs, University of Liege, Belgium; Françoise S. Le Guyader, IFREMER, Nantes, France; Fabienne Loisy, CEERAM, Nantes, France; Sylvie Perelle, Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments, Maisons-Alfort, France; Sandra Martin-Latil, Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments, Maisons-Alfort, France; Christian Beuret, Spiez Laboratory, Spiez, Switzerland; Sophie Butot, Nestle Research Centre, Lausanne, Switzerland; Albert Bosch, University of Barcelona, Spain; Rosa Pinto, University of Barcelona, Spain; Rosina Girones, University of Barcelona, Spain; Gloria Sanchez, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos, Burjassot, Spain; Luciana Croci, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy; Dario DeMedici, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy; Apostolos Vantarakis, University of Patras, Greece; Fouad El Tahan,Sokhna Port Laboratory, Suez, Egypt.

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Lees, D., CEN WG6 TAG4. International Standardisation of a Method for Detection of Human Pathogenic Viruses in Molluscan Shellfish. Food Environ Virol 2, 146–155 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12560-010-9042-5

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