VIDRL holds three Australian national reference laboratory designations
The main role of the National Poliovirus Reference laboratory
is to detect and characterise viruses from cases of acute flaccid
paralysis (AFP). The national coordination of AFP surveillance
is conducted by staff of the National Poliovirus Reference Laboratory
and the Epidemiology Unit at VIDRL. Funding for these roles is
from the Department of Human Services (Victoria) and the Commonwealth
Department of Health and Ageing.
The National Measles Reference Laboratory was first designated
in 2001. It will be the focus for Australia's contribution to
the emerging global effort to control measles infection.
The NHSQL is a physical containment (PC) level 4 facility that
is funded through a service agreement with the Commonwealth Department
of Health and Ageing. As such it provides Australia with laboratory
testing facilities for the diagnosis of the quarantineable viral
haemorrhagic fevers Lassa, Ebola, Marburg and Crimean Congo haemorrhagic
fever.
