Virus Reference Department Director's Foreword

The HPA Virus Reference Department (VRD) is a national and international reference centre for a wide range of virus infections. We receive clinical samples and viral isolates from public health departments, National Health Service and commercial laboratories across the UK and internationally for specialist testing, virus characterisation and susceptibility testing. During 2010/2011 more than 100,000 reference specimens were investigated in VRD which reflects the value of VRD services to clinicians, microbiologists, consultants in communicable disease control, and HPA Surveillance colleagues.

The department is made up of ten units, including the Respiratory Virus Unit - which includes the UK National Influenza Laboratory, the Enteric Virus Unit - which includes the National Polio Laboratory, the Zoonotic Virus Unit - which houses a high containment laboratory, the Immunisation and Diagnosis Unit - which includes a WHO global measles reference laboratory, the HIV and Antiviral Group - which houses the WHO Collaborating Centre for Laboratory and Diagnostic Support and the WHO Global and Specialised HIV Drug Resistant Laboratory and the Papillomavirus Reference Unit. VRD houses a joint Blood Borne Virus Unit with the National Blood Service, providing reference services for hepatitis viruses and other risks to blood supply. Members of VRD staff sit on a number of national and international panels and provide advice to the WHO, FSA, Dept. of Health, European Union and  ECDC as well as to other HPA departments, and provide assistance and advice in national and international outbreak investigations.
The main focus of the laboratory's work is to provide reference and specialist diagnosis services. The expertise developed through the provision of this reference service supports a substantial applied research and development programme. We also provide support for outbreak investigations in the UK and internationally. VRD was involved in the development and evaluation of oral fluid testing for HIV, hepatitis and measles, mumps and rubella. The resultant national diagnostic service offered to primary care plays an important role in monitoring vaccine programmes and infection in hard to reach groups. The WHO Measles Laboratory has established a web-reportable sequence database (MeaNS) which is used by the WHO laboratory network. During 2003 the laboratory played a key role in the international response to the SARS outbreak. The WHO National Influenza Laboratory has been involved in establishing the National Influenza Diagnostic Network and has played a key role in the investigation of recent avian influenza outbreaks and the swine flu (H1N1) pandemic, including the development of diagnostic tests and vaccine evaluation.
Professor David Brown
Director VRD

Last reviewed: 18 May 2011