Structure and presentation of a World Wide Web database of CSF virus isolates held at the EU Reference Laboratory

A computerized database was generated with the epidemiological data of more than 600 CSF virus strains and isolates kept in the EU Reference Laborator y for Classical Swine Fever in Hanover. In addition, as sequence data from defined regions of the genome are increasingly being used for genetic typin g of new isolates and are thus being published, it was decided to integrate them into the database. In order to make the epidemiological and the seque nce data available to other laboratories through the World Wide Web, a sear chable web interface was programmed, which can be accessed using an Interne t browser like Netscape or Internet Explorer. The possibility to exchange d ata via the web has the potential to increase our knowledge concerning gene tic and epidemiological links between outbreaks worldwide. (C) 2000 Elsevie r Science B.V. All rights reserved.