Guidance

RVPBRU: reference and diagnostic services

Respiratory and vaccine preventable bacteria reference unit (RVPBRU), provides national and international reference laboratory services for a number of bacteria causing respiratory, systemic and vaccine preventable bacterial infections.

RVPBRU is part of Public Health England’s bacteria reference department (BRD).

RVPBRU is made up of 3 sections:

respiratory and systemic bacterial section
vaccine preventable bacterial section
international section

RVPBRU services

RVPBRU provides national reference facilities for many respiratory, systemic and vaccine-preventable bacterial associated bacteria, including:

Lancefield Group A Streptococci (GAS), Streptococcus pyogenes
Lancefield Group B Streptococci (GBS), Streptococcus agalactiae
Lancefield Group C and Group G Streptococci
identification of streptococci and related genera
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 offer serodiagnostic testing for:

diphtheria immunity/vaccination studies
tetanus immunity
Bordetella pertussis
bartonella

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.

RVPBRU guidance and forms

BRD manual

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 +44 (0) 20 8327 7887

DX address PHE Colindale Bacteriology, DX 6530002