Guidance

Meningococcal reference unit (MRU): user manual

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

Documents

Meningococcal reference unit: user manual

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
Published 1 April 2012
Last updated 10 August 2023 + show all updates
  1. Updated Meningococcal reference unit: user manual.

  2. Added updated user manual.

  3. Updated Meningococcal reference unit: user manual.

  4. Updated the 'Meningococcal reference unit user manual'.

  5. Updated manual October 2015.

  6. First published.