[Animal experiments performed for diagnosis of microbiological and parasitological diseases in veterinary medicine in Germany] [Article in German]

Abstract

In 1994 ZEBET, the German Center for Documentation and Evaluation of Alternatives to Animal Experi­ments, at the Federal Institute for Health Protection of Consumers and Veterinary Medicine, has asked 32 government institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany about animal experiments conductedfor diagnosis of microbiological diseases and diseases caused by parasites in veterinary medicine in Germany in 1988-1993. Among the 22 institutions answering some had totally replaced animal experiments for the diagnosis of rabies and psittacosis by cell culture methods and of tuberculosis using appropriate culture media. In some institutions diagnosis of tuberculosis is still performed in animals despite the general statement  in the standard for diagnosis of tuberculosis DIN 58943 part 31 (1989) "due to improved diagnostic culture methods ... animaI experiments need not be carried out routinely for the diagnosis of tuberculosis H."  The result of the inquiry shows that not all of the institutes have replaced animal experiments by in vitro alternatives even though they are recommended  in standards, guideli­nes or other regulatory documents. This particularly holds for the diagnosis of rabies, psittacosis and tuberculosis. In some institutions lack of funding may not have allo­wed to establish cell culture methods.