UCD National Virus Reference Laboratory

Ongoing building works at UCD Belfield has necessitated a new Access Route to UCD NVRL for deliveries and sample drop. 

Please refer to the aerial picture and follow the red route.

If you have any queries, please call 01-7164401 and ask for the Facilities Team

From 1st September 2024, UCD NVRL will cease to investigate Dried Blood Spots (DBS)/Guthrie card samples for anti-CMV IgM. 

 In line with UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations*, DBS samples will continue to be investigated for the presence of CMV DNA by nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT).

 Please note that the specimen of choice for the investigation of congenital CMV infection in a patient less than 3 weeks old is a URINE sample, for the presence of CMV DNA by NAAT.

Date of change: 29^th July 2024

Test code: AEBV

The current real-time PCR assay for the detection and quantification of EBV DNA is manufactured by Artus however this assay has now been discontinued. The NVRL will switch to an assay provided by Altona Diagnostics.

The Altona assay reports in International Units per ml (IU/ml) compared to copies/ml in the Artus assay. Reporting in IU/ml aids standardisation of reporting between different assays and laboratories.

UCD NVRL wishes to inform its users that from the week beginning 8th July 2024, there is no longer the option to contact UCD NVRL by FAX.

Contact options can be found at https://nvrl.ucd.ie/contactus

• nvrl@ucd.ie
• nvrl@healthmail.ie
• nvrl.admin@healthmail.ie
• nvrl.qa@healthmail.ie

or call 01-7164401

UCD NVRL wishes to inform its users that the provision of Out-of-Hours (OOH) Measles Molecular testing will cease at the end of June 2024. The last date for OOH testing will be 29^th June 2024.

The provision of serological investigations out of hours will continue.

Any queries in relation to this service should be addressed to the UCD NVRL Clinical team on 01-7164401

Reference: CN-24-13 (June 2024)