Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI)

The FLI is an independent higher federal authority under the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture of Germany. The most important aspects of work at the FLI are farm animal health and welfare and the protection of humans from zoonoses. The FLI has numerous National Reference Laboratories and is the host of various FAO, OIE, and WHO reference laboratories for notifiable epizootic diseases. Within the FLI - Institute of Diagnostic Virology (IVD) laboratories and animal stables of BSL-2, BSL-3, and BSL-3+ are available. The FLI has more than 1250 different cell lines available in its archives. The IVD operates 4 different platforms for automated nucleic acid extraction, and more than 10 real-time PCR cyclers, including digital PCR. In addition, 2 ABI 3130 capillary sequencers are available. Moreover, a fully equipped laboratory for next-generation sequencing (NGS) and microarray analysis with currently an Ilumina MiSeq, an Ion Torrent, and a MinION , automated library preparation, as well as an Axon Genepix 4400A microarray reader within the institute.

Webpage: https://www.fli.de/en/home

Key publications

• Hoffmann B et al. Novel Orthobunyavirus in Cattle, Europe, 2011. Emerg Infect Dis (2012) 18:469-72.
• Goller KV et al. Schmallenberg virus as possible ancestor of shamonda virus. Emerg Infect Dis (2012) 18:1644-6
• Wernike K et al. Schmallenberg virus infection of adult type I interferon receptor knock-out mice. PLoS One (2012) 7:e40380
• Hoffmann B et al. A Variegated Squirrel Bornavirus Associated with Fatal Human Encephalitis. N Engl J Med (2015) 373:154-62
• Höper D et al. High definition viral vaccine strain identity and stability testing using full-genome population data – The next generation of vaccine quality control. Vaccine (2015) 33:5829-37
• Hanke et al. Spatio-temporal Analysis of the Genetic Diversity of Arctic Rabies Viruses and Their Reservoir Hosts in Greenland. PLoS Negl Trop Dis (2016) DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004779
• Jenckel M et al. Quasispecies composition and diversity do not reveal any predictors for chronic classical swine fever virus infection. Arch Virol (2016) DOI:10.1007/s00705-016-3161-8
• Pfaff F et al. A novel astrovirus associated with encephalitis and ganglionitis in domestic sheep. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases (2017) DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12623
• Pfaff F et al. A novel alphaherpesvirus associated with fatal diseases in banded penguins. J Gen Virol (2017) DOI:10.1099/jgv.0.000698