In this section
Research and development are key parts of the activity of MMMP and contribute to the scientific basis of the advice and services that the Partnership provides, both for clinical and public health microbiology.
Current R&D activity spans:
- Vaccine evaluation for clinical trials performed under MHRA GCLP: e.g. meningococcal, pneumococcal
- Serosurveys eg measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, pneumococcal, HPV
- Technology: e.g. techniques for rapid diagnosis and molecular epidemiology
- Evaluation of new platforms eg MesoScale Discovery Quickplex
- Public health microbiology: e.g. collaborative projects on meningococcal infections and gastrointestinal infections
EQA schemes
Molecular EQA
| Molecular EQA | NEQAS | QCMD | Other |
| Adenovirus | Adenovirus DNA | ||
| Aspergillus | Aspergillus DNA | ||
| BK Virus | BK DNA | ||
| Bordetella pertussis | B pertussis DNA | ||
| Candida | Candida DNA | ||
| Chlamydia | CT NG | Chlamydia trachomatis | |
| CMV | CMV DNA | CMV DBS, CMV whole blood | |
| CMV drug resistance | CMV drug res | ||
| Coronovirus | Coronovirus RNA | ||
| EBV
EBNA IgG, EBV IgM and EBV IgG. |
EBV DNA | EBV whole blood, EBV DNA | |
| Enteric | Gastroenteritis | Gastroenteritis, Norovirus | |
| Enterovirus | Viruses in CSF | Enterovirus RNA | |
| Flu A | Flu A | ||
| Flu B | Flu B | ||
| Gastroenteritis | Parasitic, Bacterial, virology | ||
| HBV PCR | HBV DNA | HBV DNA | |
| HBV drug resistance | HBV drug resistance | ||
| HBV genotype | HBV geno | ||
| HCV PCR | HCV RNA | HCV RNA
HCV DBS |
|
| Molecular | NEQAS | QCMD | Other |
| HCV genotype | HCV RNA | HCV geno | |
| HHV6 | HHV6 DNA | ||
| Haemophilus influenza b | IMRP | ||
| HIV PCR | HIV RNA | HIV RNA | |
| HIV resistance | ENVA, HIV drug resistance | ||
| HIV integrase | ENV INT | ||
| HPV | HPV | HPV | |
| HSV | Viruses in CSF | HSV | |
| Influenza | Influenza RNA | ||
| JC virus | JC DNA | ||
| Measles | Measles and Mump | Colindale panel | |
| Meningococcal PCR | Central Nervous System II – for N. meningitidis). | ||
| MERS | MERS | ||
| Metapneumovirus | MPV | ||
| MPox | MPOX | ||
| Mycoplasma pneumoniae | MP | ||
| N gonorrhoeae | CT NG | Neisseria gonorrhoeae | |
| Norovirus | Norovirus RNA | ||
| Parainfluenzavirus | Paraflu RNA | ||
| Parechovirus | Parechovirus RNA | ||
| Parvovirus | Parvovirus B19 DNA | ||
| Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumoniae | Pneumocyctis DNA | ||
| Pneumococcal PCR | Central Nervous System II – for Streptococcus pneumoniae | ||
| Rhinovirus | Rhinovirus | ||
| Respiratory syncytical virus | RSV RNA | ||
| SARS-CoV-2 | SCV2 | ||
| Syphilis | Syphilis | ||
| Toxoplasma gondii | Toxoplasma DNA | ||
| Trichomonas | CTNG | TV | |
| VZV | Viruses in CSF | VSV DNA |
Serology EQA
| Serology EQA | NEQAS | Aurevia | Instand |
| AHBS | (Anti-HBs) | ||
| Anti HBc | (HBV serology) | ||
| ASO/ASD | Steptococcal Ab (321) | ||
| Blood donor screen | |||
| Chlamydia Trachomatis | CT IgG | ||
| CMV avidity | (CMV Detection) | CMV | |
| CMV IgG | (CMV Detection) | CMV | |
| CMV IgM | (Hepatitis screen) | CMV | |
| CONH | (HBV serology) | ||
| Cryptococcal Ag | (Cryptococcal Ag detection) | Myco serology 02 | |
| EBV | (EBV Detection) | ||
| HAV IgG | (HAV Detection) | ||
| HAV IgM | (HAV Detection) | ||
| HBsAg | (HBV serology) | ||
| Anti-HBc, Anti-HBc IgM, HBe Ag, Anti-HBe | (HBV serology) | ||
| HCV | (Hep C serology) | ||
| Hepatitis D | Hepatitis D virus Ab | ||
| Hepatitis E | (Hep E serology) | Hepatitis E virus Ab | |
| HIV | (HIV serology) | ||
| HIV p24 | HIV1 P24 | ||
| HSV 1/2 IgG | HSV 1 & 2 | ||
| Serology EQAS | NEQAS | Aurevia | Instand |
| HSV 1/2 IgM | HSV 1 & 2 | ||
| HTLV | HTLV antibodies | ||
| Legionella Ag | (Urinary antigens) | ||
| Lyme disease | (CSQC, via NEQAS) | ||
| Measles IgG | (Measles, Mumps IgG) | ||
| Measles IgM | Measles | ||
| Mumps IgG | (Measles, Mumps IgG) | ||
| Mumps IgM | Mumps | ||
| Parvo IgG | Parvovirus B19 | ||
| Parvo IgM | (Exanthem) | ||
| Pneumo Ag | (Urinary antigens) | ||
| RPR | (Syphilis) | ||
| Rubella IgG | (Rubella IgG) | ||
| Rubella IgM | (Parvo and Rubella Serology) | ||
| STS | (Syphilis) | ||
| SYM | (Syphilis) | ||
| Syph blot | (Syphilis) | ||
| Toxo IgG & IgM | (Toxoplasma) | ||
| TPHA | (Syphilis) | ||
| VZV IgG | VZV IgG | ||
| VZV IgM | VZV | VZV IgM |
Bacteriology EQA
| Bacteriology EQA | Scope | Provider |
| AAFB Microscopy | Presence and absence of AAFB bacilli using ZN or immunofluorescence | UKNEQAS |
| Antifungal Susceptibility testing | Identification and determination of antifungal susceptibilities | UKNEQAS |
| Antimicobial Susceptibility testing | Identification and determination of antimicrobial susceptibilities | UKNEQAS |
| Bacterial Culture | General bacteriology (identification) | UKNEQAS |
| Bacterial identification | General bacteriology (identification) | UKNEQAS |
| Blood cultures | General bacteriology (identification). Isolation and Identification of bacterial pathogens
Blood culture (BacTec analyser) – culture & preliminary identification using Gram staining |
UKNEQAS
Aurevia |
| Cell Count | Sterile fluids (cell count, Gram stain, culture)
|
BMS Micro |
| C. difficile | Detection of toxogenic Clostridium difficile | UKNEQAS |
| Genital Pathogens | Isolation, identification, and if appropriate, determination of antimicrobial susceptibilities
Bacterial Vaginosis |
UKNEQAS
BMS Micro |
| Helicobacter pylori | Antigen detection in faeces | Aurevia |
| MRSA screening | Detection of MRSA by culture methods | UKNEQAS |
| Mycobacteria – culture | Detection of Mycobacterium by Culture | UKNEQAS |
| Molecular detection and resistance testing of mycobacteria | Direct and post culture detection of mycobacteria and rifampicin resistance genes using molecular methods | UKNEQAS |
| Mycology | Mycology | UKNEQAS |
| Parasitology (Faeces & occasional fluid/tissues) | Faecal parasitology | UKNEQAS |
| Surveillance culture for multidrug resistant bacteria | VRE | Aurevia |
| Surveillance culture for multidrug resistant bacteria | CPE, ESBL, multidrug resistant Acinetobacter, Ps.aeruginosa | UKNEQAS |
| Blood culture | Gram stain | Aurevia |
| Urine | Bacterial and Cell count on urine analyser
|
Aurevia |
| Enteric Pathogens | Bacterial Gastroenteritis (QAB124153_1)
Parasitic Gastroenteritis Viral gastroenteritis Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli
Note: EQA samples for enteric pathogens are tested respectively on Serosep molecular platform, DS2, culture or microscopy, depending on the tests. |
QCMD
|
(Last updated November 2025)