Laboratory diagnostics at RKI
Detection of relevant highly pathogenic agents
Date: 12/04/2024
Ebola-Virus, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Vaccinia Virus, Francisella tularensis (v.l.n.r.)
The Robert Koch Institute detects disease-causing biological agents by means of different laboratory diagnostic methods. A selection of highly pathogenic agents and toxins as well as the detection methods used are listed by way of example.
| Agent | Diagnostics | RKI Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Bacillus anthracis | Nucleic acid detection, EM*, cultivation, ELISA, spectroscopy** | ZBS 2: Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms Head of ZBS 2 |
| Brucella melitensis, abortus, spp. | Nucleic acid detection, EM*, cultivation | ZBS 2: Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms Head of ZBS 2 |
| Burkholderia mallei, pseudomallei | Nucleic acid detection, EM*, cultivation, ELISA, spectroscopy** | ZBS 2: Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms Head of ZBS 2 |
| Clostridium botulinum toxins | ELISA, funct. method, spectroscopy**, cultivation, nucleic acid detection, typing | ZBS 3: Biological Toxins Head of ZBS 3 |
| Coxiella burnetii | Nucleic acid detection, EM*, spectroscopy** | ZBS 2: Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms Head of ZBS 2 |
| Francisella tularensis | Nucleic acid detection, EM*, cultivation, ELISA, spectroscopy** | ZBS 2: Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms Head of ZBS 2 |
| Ricin | ELISA, funct. method, spectroscopy**, nucleic acid detection | ZBS 3: Biological Toxins Head of ZBS 3 |
| Staphylococcal enterotoxins, S. aureus | Cultivation, ELISA, spectroscopy** | ZBS 3: Biological Toxins Head of ZBS 3 |
| Variola major | Nucleic acid detection, EM*, ELISA | ZBS 1: Highly Pathogenic Viruses Head of ZBS 1 |
| Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus | Nucleic acid detection, EM*, cultivation, ELISA | ZBS 1: Highly Pathogenic Viruses Head of ZBS 1 |
| Haemorrhagic fever viruses | Nucleic acid detection, EM*, cultivation, ELISA | ZBS 1: Highly Pathogenic Viruses Head of ZBS 1 |
| Yersinia pestis | Nucleic acid detection, EM*, cultivation, ELISA, spectroscopy** | ZBS 2: Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms Head of ZBS 2 |
*Electron microscopy (EM) carried out by ZBS 4
**Spectroscopy carried out by ZBS 6