RVPBRU: reference and diagnostic services
Respiratory and vaccine preventable bacteria reference unit (RVPBRU), provides national and international reference laboratory services.
RVPBRU is part of Public Health England’s bacteria reference department (BRD) and provides reference laboratory services for a number of bacteria causing respiratory, systemic and vaccine preventable bacterial infections.
RVPBRU is made up of 2 sections:
- respiratory and systemic bacterial section
- vaccine preventable bacterial section
RVPBRU services
RVPBRU provides national reference facilities for many respiratory, systemic and vaccine-preventable bacterial associated bacteria, including:
- legionella
- mycoplasma and ureaplasma
- Bordetella pertussis and other bordetella
- pneumococci (Streptococcus pneumoniae)
- toxigenicity testing of Corynebacterium diphtheriae and other potentially toxigenic corynebacteria
- Haemophilus influenzae
RVPBRU also offers serodiagnostic testing for:
- diphtheria immunity or vaccination studies
- tetanus immunity
- Bordetella pertussis
RVPBRU receives bacterial isolates and clinical samples which are analysed by a wide range of methodologies in accordance with customer needs and also performs surveillance and advises on incident and outbreak investigation.
For more information on RVPBRU services and contact details refer to the BRD user manual.
Important service update
To enable Public Health England (PHE) reference and specialist laboratories to continue to provide critical support to the enhanced COVID-19 incident, some service delivery changes have been made with immediate effect.
The situation is regularly reviewed, and the laboratory will communicate the most recent update to the customers via E-lab. For the most current information, kindly contact the relevant department using the contact details provided in the BRD user manual.
RVPBRU forms
Respiratory and systemic bacteria section request form: R1
Vaccine preventable bacteria section request form: R3
Contact
RVPBRU
Public Health England
61 Colindale
London
NW9 5EQ
Email To email individuals use: firstname.surname@phe.gov.uk
Telephone 020 8327 7887
DX address PHE Colindale Bacteriology, DX 6530002
Last updated 14 July 2021 + show all updates
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Updated list of RVPBRU services.
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Amended Important service update.
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Added notification of service delivery changes made to PHE reference and specialist laboratories to provide critical support to the COVID-19 incident.
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First published.