Major achievements in REFHEPA

Development of standard reference methods for hepatitis A virus and Norovirus in bivalve molluscan shellfish

Major achievements in 2004

Different sets of primers for conventional molecular detection of noroviruses and hepatitis A virus were reviewed by the participating laboratories. Using selected primers, methodologies for Real-Time amplification of noroviruses were developed in the laboratories of three of the project partners, while procedures for quantitative detection of hepatitis A virus were developed by two other partners. Following comparison of the developed methods it was agreed by the participants in REFHEPA that a Taqman approach would be adopted for the further development of a standardized Real-Time procedure for quantitative virus detection in shellfish. Significantly it was identified that separate assays would be required for the two genogroups of norovirus and primers were identified for evaluation for genogroups I and II.

The next step will evaluate the selected methodologies and develop reference materials for standardisation of the assays.

See News item

RTD Pillar 3 Kick off meetings for projects 3.1 REFHEPA and 3.2 REDRISK 07-02-04


Both meetings opened with a short presentation from Bill Dore the coordinator of pillar 3 outlining the structure and strategy of SEAFOODplus in general and Pillar 3 specifically. An emphasis was placed on the need for the two projects to work closely together and to investigate opportunities to link with other research efforts. Potetnial interactions with other pillars within SEAFOOplus were also investigated particulary with Pillar 6 with regard to traceability.
 

Projectleader REFHEPA

Dr. Albert Bosch

UB, Spain