Food-associated viruses
Viruses that are found on food as a result of contamination ( path of infection ) are referred to as food-associated viruses (also in short, incorrectly food viruses ).
background
Food does not form a biological host for viruses, i.e. viruses cannot multiply in or on food. They can, however, contaminate them and lead to illnesses when they are eaten. Usually these are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, but other diseases can also occur.
contamination
In most cases, food is contaminated by sick people (some of whom are symptom-free). Viruses can get into food, especially through poor hygiene after a visit to the toilet. Mussels are a special case. These filter water and can absorb existing viruses. Although these do not multiply in the mussel, they do accumulate in the digestive tract. Since z. B. Oysters are often eaten raw, this can easily lead to diseases.
Viruses often spread through food
Detection of Viruses
The PCR is the standard method for the detection of viruses in food. In many cases, real-time quantitative PCR is now preferred.
Due to the many different types of food, however, the extraction of nucleic acids is the real problem in the field of food virology. There is a wealth of different methods here, most of which are specially tailored to the output matrix.
Germany was the first country in the world to introduce an official method for the detection of noroviruses in swab samples by RT-PCR within the framework of Section 64 of the LFGB .
further reading
- Zhang T, Breitbart M, Lee WH, et al. : RNA viral community in human feces: prevalence of plant pathogenic viruses . In: PLoS Biol . . 4, No. 1, January 2006, p. E3. doi : 10.1371 / journal.pbio.0040003 . PMID 16336043 . PMC 1310650 (free full text).
Web links
- Food-borne diseases - information from the Robert Koch Institute
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment Proceedings of the BfR Symposium on Food-Associated Viruses on November 4, 2009 in Berlin (PDF; 263 kB)
- Microbial Risks + Food Hygiene An overview page at the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment