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 | ||
| Candida | Candida | ||
| Chlamydia | CT NG | Chlamydia trachomatis | |
| CMV | CMV DNA | CMV DBS, CMV whole blood | |
| CMV drug resistance | CMV drug res | ||
| Coronavirus | Coronavirus RNA | ||
| EBV | EBV DNA | EBV whole blood, EBV DNA | |
| Enteric | Gastroenteritis | Gastroenteritis, Norovirus | |
| Enterovirus | Viruses in CSF | Enterovirus, Parechovirus | |
| Flu A | Flu A | ||
| Flu B | Flu B | ||
| HBV PCR | HBV DNA | HBV DNA | |
| HBV drug resistance | HBV drug resistance | ||
| HBV genotype | HBV geno | ||
| HCV PCR | HCV RNA | HCV RNA, HCV DBS | |
| HCV genotype | HCV RNA | HCV geno | |
| HHV6 | HHV6 | ||
| 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 Mumps | Colindale panel | |
| Meningococcal PCR | Central Nervous System II – for N meningitidis | ||
| MERS | MERS | ||
| Metapneumovirus | MPV | ||
| MPox | MPOX | ||
| N gonorrhoeae | CT NG | Neisseria gonorrhoeae | |
| Parainfluenzavirus | Paraflu | ||
| Parechovirus | Parechovirus RNA | ||
| Parvovirus | Parvovirus B19 | ||
| Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumoniae | Pneumocyctis | ||
| Pneumococcal PCR | Central Nervous System II – for Streptococcus pneumoniae | ||
| Rhinovirus | Rhinovirus | ||
| Respiratory syncytical virus | RSV | ||
| Syphilis | Syphilis | ||
| Toxoplasma gondii | Toxoplasma | ||
| Trichomonas | CTNG | TV | |
| VZV | Viruses in CSF | VSV |
Serology EQA
| Serology EQA | NEQAS | Labquality | Instand |
| AHBS | (Anti-HBs) | (Anti-HBs) | |
| Anti HBc | (HBV serology) | ||
| ASO/ASD | (Exanthem) | ||
| Chlamydia Trachomatis | CT igG | ||
| CMV avidity | CMV | ||
| CMV IgG | (Immunity screen) | CMV | |
| CMV IgM | (Hepatitis screen) | CMV | |
| CONH | (HBV serology) | ||
| Cryptococcal Ag | Myco serology 02 | ||
| EBV | (Hepatitis screen) | ||
| HAV IgG | (Immunity screen) | ||
| HAV IgM | (Hepatitis screen) | ||
| HBsAg | (HBV serology) | ||
| HCV | (Hep C serology) | ||
| Hepatitis D | Hepatitis D virus Ab | ||
| Hepatitis E | Hepatitis E virus Ab | ||
| HIV | (HIV serology) | ||
| HIV p24 | HIV1 P24 | ||
| HSV 1/2 IgG | HSV 1 & 2 | ||
| HSV 1/2 IgM | HSV 1 & 3 | ||
| HTLV | (Blood donor) | ||
| 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 | (Exanthem) | ||
| STS | (Syphilis) | ||
| SYM | (Syphilis) | ||
| Syph blot | (Syphilis) | ||
| Toxo IgG & IgM | (Toxoplasma) | ||
| TPPA | (Syphilis) | ||
| VZV IgG | (Immunity screen) | 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 | UKNEQAS |
| Cell count | Cell count | Lab quality |
| C. difficile | Detection of toxogenic Clostridium difficile | UKNEQAS |
| Crypto/Giardia | Antigen detection | LGC |
| Genital Pathogens | Isolation, identification, and if appropriate, determination of antimicrobial susceptibilities | UKNEQAS |
| Helicobacter pylori | Antigen detection in faceces | Lab Quality |
| 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 | UKNEAS |
| Mycology | Mycology | UKNEQAS |
| Parasitology (Faeces & occasional fluid/tissues) | Faecal parasitology | UKNEQAS |
| Surveillance culture for multidrug resistant bacteria | VRE | Lab Quality |
| Surveillance culture for multidrug resistant bacteria | CPE, ESBL, multidrug resistant Acinetobacter, Ps.aeruginosa | Lab Quality |
| Blood culture | Gram stain, | Lab Quality |
| Urinary antigens | Detection of Legionella pneumophila and Pneumococcal antigens in urine | UKNEQAS |
(Last updated November 2024)