Microbiology and antimicrobial resistance – Výzkumný ústav veterinárního lékařství, v. v. i.

Food and Environmental Virology

Salmonella Infections in Farm Animals

Probiotics and Animal Health

Collection of Animal Pathogenic Microorganisms

Zoonoses and Antibiotic Resistance

Head of the research group: Barbora ZALEWSKA, MSc., Ph.D.
Phone: +420 777 786 711
E-mail: barbora.zalewska@vri.cz

The research group deals with the safety of foods and environment in terms of their potential contamination with viral agents. The main topics include the development of molecular biological methods and the related study of molecular epidemiology. The laboratory is accredited under No. ČSN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018. In the laboratory, pathogens implicated in significant foodborne viral infections (hepatitis A virus, hepatitis E virus, human noroviruses, adenoviruses, etc.) are detected in foods, environment and biological material. The research team closely cooperates with the inspection authority of the Ministry of Agriculture (CAFIA) and administrative authorities and establishments of the Ministry of Health (KHS, SZÚ, ZÚ).

Head of the research group: doc. RNDr. Ivan RYCHLÍK, Ph.D.
Phone: +420 533 331 201
E-mail: rychlik@vri.cz

The research group is involved in the diagnostics, pathogenesis, immunoprophylaxis and treatment of Salmonella infections in farm animals, with the main emphasis on poultry. To a smaller extent, we also study the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in Salmonella. In addition to Salmonella infections, this research group is involved in the study of poultry gut microbiota and its relationship to the health, age and antibiotherapy. The key methodological approaches include NextGen sequencing and protein mass spectrometry.

For more information about laboratory activities clic HERE

Head of the research group: Mgr. Magdalena CRHÁNOVÁ, Ph.D.
Phone: +420 533 331 214
E-mail: magdalena.crhanova@vri.cz

The research group pays particular attention to animal health sustainability in terms of searching for alternative approaches to the use of antibiotics, aiming at probiotic bacteria and the study of microbiome of the gastrointestinal tract of animals with special focus on pigs. The research is aimed at both the selection of suitable probiotic microorganisms and the relationship of individual feed ingredients for the support of probiotic strains. Currently, the group is engaged in the characterization and selection of suitable probiotic strains of lactic acid bacteria from the digestive tract of wild boars and domestic pigs with the use of the developing next generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. In addition to this topic, the group deals with the use of molecular methods for the detection of selected species of bacteria, yeasts, Prototheca spp. algae and parasitic agents affecting human animal health and food quality.

Head of the research group: MVDr. Markéta REICHELOVÁ.
Phone: +420 533 332 131
E-mail: reichelova@vri.cz

The Collection of Animal Pathogenic Microorganisms (CAPM) focuses on acquiring, depositing and providing the cultures of animal viruses and animal pathogenic bacteria important for veterinary medicine. The laboratory is included in the National Programme on Conservation and Use of Genetic Resources of Microorganisms and Small Animals of Economic Importance. The CAPM contains almost 600 viral strains and 1400 bacterial strains. In addition, cell cultures and microorganisms that are the subject of patent procedure at the national level are deposited here. Information about strains accessible to professionals is provided in the form of printed catalogues and databases in electronic form is available on the website: https://capm.vri.cz/ and website of the Crop Research Institute in Prague: http://www.vurv.cz/collections/vurv.exe/search?lang=cz

Head of the research group: doc. Mgr. Helena JUŘICOVÁ, Ph.D.
Phone: +420 533 331 216
E-mail: helena.juricova@vri.cz

The laboratory is accredited under No. ČSN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and deals with the identification of important zoonotic pathogens (Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, MRSA etc.) in biological materials, foods and environment. The activities of the laboratory include typing of bacterial strains by phenotypic and genotypic techniques, and determination of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents. The laboratory closely collaborates with inspection authorities of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic (SVA and CAFIA) and also with hygiene service of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic (food hygiene, epidemiologists).

Research groups