Laboratory Services - HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections

There are two main HPA laboratories concerned with the testing and diagnostics for both HIV and other Sexually transmitted infections. These are the Virus Reference Department (VRD) and Sexually Transmitted Bacteria Reference Laboratory (STBRL). Among other organisms, VRD provides testing services for HIV 1 and 2, HTLV I and II, HSV 1 and 2. STBRL provides tests for bacterial sexually transmitted pathogens:

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, Chlamydia trachomatis, haemophilus ducreyi.

The Virus Reference Department

The Virus Reference Department was formed by the merging of the Enteric, Respiratory and Neurological Virus Laboratory and Sexually Transmitted & Blood Borne Virus Laboratory in 2005. VRD provides clinical advice and investigations for a wide range of human and non human primate virus infections. It contains WHO accredited national laboratories for influenza and poliovirus and in addition, is a WHO Global Measles laboratory. Its work embraces both reference functions supporting NHS and public health activity and has particular expertise in detection of sexually transmitted and blood borne viral pathogens and the molecular detection and characterisation of enteric, and respiratory viruses. The department offers a wide range of immunoassays for the assessment of human immune responses to viruses and applied research in those fields and in the spongiform encephalopathies.

Laboratory services:

• Blood Borne Viruses Unit (BBVU)
• Immunisation & Diagnosis Unit (IDU) 
• Seromolecular Services Unit (SSU)
• Sexually Transmitted Viruses Unit (STVU)

The Sexually Transmitted Bacteria Reference Laboratory (STBRL)

The Sexually Transmitted Bacteria Reference Laboratory (STBRL) is an expanding laboratory that provides reference and specialist services for the bacterial sexually transmitted pathogens, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium. STBRL currently provides a full reference service for the identification and typing of N. gonorrhoeae, serological confirmation of T. pallidum, molecular diagnostics for C. trachomatis, T. pallidum, Haemophilus ducreyi, C. trachomatis and
M. genitalium. Molecular typing for T. pallidum and C. trachomatis is under development.

Established reference services

• Identification of N. gonorrhoeae
• Susceptibility testing of N. gonorrhoeae
• Molecular confirmation of N. gonorrhoeae.
• Confirmation and genotyping of C. trachomatis LGV serovars (L1,2,3)
• Serological testing for syphilis
• Molecular testing of genital ulcer disease (T. pallidum and Haemophilus ducreyi )
• Molecular Detection of Mycoplasma genitalium