Guidance

Meningococcal reference unit (MRU): user manual

List of available tests for meningococcal disease, what specimens to send and turnaround times.

• From: UK Health Security Agency
• Published: 1 April 2012
• Last updated: 8 July 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 8 July 2026

     Added guidance on throat swabs and added eye swabs to specimen type.

  2. 24 December 2025

     Updated manual.

  3. 12 November 2024

     Updated user manual.

  4. 10 August 2023

     Updated Meningococcal reference unit: user manual.

  5. 12 November 2021

     Added updated user manual.

  6. 1 October 2020

     Updated Meningococcal reference unit: user manual.

  7. 5 November 2018

     Updated the 'Meningococcal reference unit user manual'.

  8. 30 October 2015

     Updated manual October 2015.

  9. 1 April 2012

     First published.

Documents

Meningococcal reference unit: user manual

Ref: GOV-17580

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Details

The Meningococcal Reference Unit (MRU) provides:

• clinical advice for case and outbreak investigation and management
• meningococcal isolate confirmation and characterisation
• meningococcal DNA detection and genogroup detection by real-time PCR
• molecular characterisation from meningococcal isolates and non-culture material (enhanced surveillance)
• technical laboratory advice and support for large scale investigations and carriage studies
• meningococcal vaccine evaluation
• determination of response to meningococcal vaccination
• collection of over 50,000 phenotypically characterised meningococcal isolates
• computerised database of laboratory-confirmed cases
• support for collaborative scientific projects and audits