National Virus Reference Laboratory

The National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL) is located in UCD, Dublin, Ireland and is affiliated to the University College Dublin School of Medicine. The NVRL provides a diagnostic and reference service for clinicians in Ireland investigating viral infections. For over forty years, the NVRL have provided a virology diagnostic service to the Irish health service.

National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL)
Agency overview
Superseding agency
  • none
JurisdictionIreland
HeadquartersUCD, Dublin
Agency executive
WebsiteOfficial website

The laboratory is accredited by the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) to undertake testing as detailed in the Schedule bearing the Registration Number 326MT, in compliance with the International Standard ISO/IEC 15189:2012 3rd Edition “Medical laboratories - Requirements for quality and competence.”[1]

History

The NVRL was initial established to support the diagnosis and treatment of poliovirus.[2]

COVID-19

The developing and delivering of testing of Ireland was led by the staff in NVRL. With the acquisition of the sequence of the virus, they used this to develop and validate in-house assays in advance of obtaining any commercial diagnostic kits. The NVRL played a vital role in the early detection of COVID-19 cases in Ireland.[3]

Dr Cillian de Gascun, Consultant Virologist and Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory is Chair of the Expert Advisory Group on COVID-19 in Ireland.[4]

Influenza

NVRL is the WHO-recognised National Influenza Centre (NIC) for the Republic of Ireland.[5] The NVRL is a key contributor to data on seasonal influenza surveillance in Ireland. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) in partnership with the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) and NVRL have established a network of 60 computerised general sentinel practices who report on a weekly basis the number of patients seen with influenza-like illness. [6]

HIV

The NVRL performs confirmatory testing on all new HIV diagnoses in Ireland.[7]

References
  1. "UCD National Virus Reference Laboratory". UCD. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  2. "Clinical scientists participate in and oversee the development and implementation of infectious disease detection, result reporting and interpretation". IACS. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  3. "Academy Statement Regarding Covid-19" (PDF). AMLS. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  4. "Coronavirus lockdown steps could remain into winter, says expert". Dublin: The Irish Times. 4 April 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  5. "UCD National Virus Reference Lab Annual Report 2017" (PDF). NVRL UCD. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  6. "Influenza surveillance". HPSC. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  7. "Monitoring Recent HIV Infection in Ireland, 2017" (PDF). HPSC. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
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