Guidance

Respiratory virus unit (RVU): diagnostic services

RVU provides laboratory services for respiratory virus infections including Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

• From: UK Health Security Agency
• Published: 1 August 2014
• Last updated: 6 November 2023
  Show all updates

  1. 6 November 2023

     Added E68 request form for typing of respiratory syncytial virus.

  2. 24 January 2020

     Added link to WN-CoV laboratory request form (E28).

  3. 28 June 2018

     Updated the services available from the respiratory virus unit (RVU).

  4. 27 October 2015

     Added guidance about referring flu sample to RVU.

  5. 1 August 2014

     First published.

Services available

Respiratory virus unit (RVU) provides:

• antigenic and genetic characterisation of influenza isolates
• diagnostic and confirmatory PCR, virus isolation and serology
• investigation of outbreaks of respiratory virus infection
• genetic characterisation of respiratory viruses
• antiviral susceptibility testing of influenza viruses

RVU includes the UK World Health Organization (WHO) National Influenza Laboratory, and is a WHO RSV Reference Laboratory and a MERS-CoV Reference Laboratory and is involved in the development of diagnostic tests and vaccine evaluations.

RVU guidance and forms

• WN-CoV laboratory request form (E28)
• Referring influenza samples to respiratory virus unit at UKHSA Colindale
• Influenza serology request form (E2)
• Typing of influenza strains request form (E3)
• Respiratory adenovirus typing request form (E27)
• VRD manual
• Request form for typing of respiratory syncytial virus (E68)

Contact RVU

Respiratory virus unit (RVU)

UK Health Security Agency
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5EQ

Telephone 020 8327 6017

DX address UKHSA Colindale VRD, DX 6530006