Accelerating and strengthening the response to emerging respiratory viruses.
A network of virology laboratories using the same technique for rapid, robust, and comparable results.
To strengthen our preparedness and responsiveness to emerging viruses, VIRvOLT (Virology Operational Laboratories for Drug Testing) was created as part of the Discovery trial and the European EU-RESPONSE project.
Developed by the French National Reference Center (CNR) for respiratory virus infections at the Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL, France), in partnership with bioMérieux, VIRvOLT is a strategic tool for preparing for health crises.
Now integrated into the European PROACT EU-RESPONSE project, it strengthens the existing clinical network by adding on-site operational virology laboratories.
VIRvOLT laboratories enable the rapid measurement of standardized viral loads in respiratory samples and provide comparable results, regardless of the molecular platform used. Thanks to VIRvOLT and our ongoing efforts to harmonize techniques, we can assess the viral efficacy of treatments being tested at any time, for interim or final results.
Eleven European virology laboratories have successfully completed the validation process and joined VIRvOLT. They conduct an External Quality Assessment and participate in a working group once a year. This network aims to integrate new partners and is currently in contact with laboratories in Ireland, Norway, and Italy.
Contacts
Nathalie Bergaud
Project manager
nathalie.bergaud01@chu-lyon.fr
Maude Bouscambert-Duchamp
Virologist
maude.bouscambert-duchamp@chu-lyon.fr
Alexandre Gaymard
Virologist
alexandre.gaymard@chu-lyon.fr
European Virology Laboratory Network
VIRvOLT – Network of operational virology laboratories for treatment evaluation
Newsletter
Events
Working Groups
- 2023 – VIRvOLT working group in Oslo
- 2024 – VIRvOLT working group in Madrid
- 2025 – VIRvOLT working group in Verona
LHUB-ULB – Laboratoire Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles
Brussels – Belgium
LHUB-ULB – Laboratoire Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles
The LHUB-ULB microbiology department is responsible for laboratory analyzes carried out during the preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic care of patients suffering from infectious diseases. In this context, our mission consists of delivering quality results within an optimized response time by promoting efficiency, cutting-edge technologies, expertise and multidisciplinarity, and strong interactions with the clinicians of our partner hospitals.
The microbiology department is made up of 6 clinics and medical units, and deploys its activities in each of our 4 activity centers.
The microbiology department also carries out expert activities in the study and surveillance of certain infections in Belgium, and hosts 4 national reference centers (Staphylococcus species, Campylobacter species, Haemophilus influenza and Legionella species). He also conducts research projects in the fields of diagnosis, epidemiology and resistance to anti-infectives.
Contacts: Benoit.PREVOST(at)LHUB-ULB.BE
Faculty Hospital
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology
Brno – Czech Republic
Faculty Hospital
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology
Laboratory diagnosis
- Molecular Microbiology (Multiplex PCR- herpes viruses, respiratory, meningitis, gastrointestinal, STD,HAV, HBV, HCV, HEV, Borrelia, other)
- Bacteriology, Parasitology, Mycology, antibiotic rezistence
- Infectious Immunology (antibody detection against various viral and bacterial agents)
- Immunopathology (detection of antibodies in autoimmune diseases, allergies)
- BSL2 Laboratory units
Contacts: Kaevska.Marija(at)fnbrno.cz / ZdrazilovaDubska.Lenka(at)fnbrno.cz / Mrkvicova.Martina(at)fnbrno.cz
CNR – National Reference Centre for viruses of infectious diseases
Lyon – France
CNR – National Reference Centre for viruses of infectious diseases
Designated by the Ministry in charge of Health, and more particularly by the General Directorate of Health (DGS) and by Santé Publique France (SPF), to provide expertise on influenza and other respiratory viruses
Part of the Institute for Infectious Agents (IAI) :
- Microbiological expertise among which virological expertise
- Molecular biology, viral culture, serology, serum neutralization
- Access to BSL 3 facilities
Missions
National surveillance of respiratory viruses epidemiology based on several networks providing samples to be analysed by the CNR
- General practionners
- Hospital laboratories
- Private laboratories
National surveillance and management in case of emergence
Virologists: maude.bouscambert-duchamp(at)chu-lyon.fr & alexandre.gaymard(at)chu-lyon.fr
Project Manager : nathalie.bergaud01(at)chu-lyon.fr
Evaggelismos General Hospital
Department of Clinical Microbiology
Athens – Greece
Evaggelismos General Hospital
Department of Clinical Microbiology
The Department of Clinical Microbiology, is a hospital laboratory belonging to Greece’s biggest General Hospital in Athens (Evaggelismos General Hospital).
The Department is divided in sub-Departments:
- Classical Bacteriology Department (blood cultures, urine cultures, respiratory specimen cultures etc., MALDI-TOF analysis, Mycology, Parasitology)
- Serology Department (detection of IgG, IgM, IgA and Ag with ELISA, IFA, CLIA etc.)
- Antibiograms Department
- Tuberculosis Department
- Molecular Diagnostics Department (detection of respiratory viruses, Herpes Viruses, Polyomaviruses, Parvovirus B19 and protozoa such as Toxoplasma and Leishmania, with molecular biology methods. Molecular epidemiology studies for detection of resistance in nosocomial pathogens)
The Department is a BSL- 2 laboratory and is part of the national network for diagnostic testing of SARS-CoV-2
Contact: ekraniot(at)yahoo.com
University of Pécs Clinical Center
Department of laboratory medicine – Unit of molecular genetics
Pécs – Hungary
University of Pécs Clinical Center
Department of laboratory medicine – Unit of molecular genetics
- Clinical routine diagnostic laboratory (the largest laboratory diagnostic service provider in the South Transdanubia region) There are more than 250 types of tests in our laboratory, of which nearly 2.5 million are performed annually. Our institute is a FJ-3 laboratory, which operates non-stop, 24 hours a day.
- Unit of Molecular Genetics is a BSL-2 laboratory holding accredited status for 15 molecular diagnostic testing workflows since 2016 by the National Accreditation Authority.
- Diagnostic palette includes nucleic acid-based diagnostic testing of bacterial and viral human pathogens and automated serology testing (HPV, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and C virus, HSV 1/ 2, CMV, EBV, PB19 and SARS-CoV-2 qualitative, quantitative and genotype analysis, SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike and anti-nucleocapside IgM/IgG detection)
- University of Pecs developed the bacteriology laboratory (culturing, serology and MALDI-TOF analysis) in the Department of Microbiology.
- The laboratory unit is also accredited for genetic testing of Factor II and Factor V, MTHFR, APOE and multidrug resistency gene mutations and polymorphisms (MDR).
- Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund (NEAK) appoints laboratory units for pathogen testing, if the diagnostic or surveillance need for testing exceeds the National Center for Epidemiology’s central laboratory capacity. University of Pecs is appointed for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics and surveillance for the Southern Transdanubian region (3 counties).
Contacts: gombos.katalin(at)pte.hu / urban.peter(at)pte.hu
LNS – Laboratoire national de Santé – Department of microbiology
Luxemburg
LNS – Laboratoire national de Santé – Department of microbiology
- Public institution established by the law of 7 August 2012 and operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Health in Luxembourg
- Multidisciplinary institute with 4 Departments and 2 National Centers:
- National Center of Pathology
- National Center of Genetics
- Medical Biology
- Microbiology
- Forensic medicine
- Health Protection
- Department of Microbiology: 3 services
- Bacteriology – mycology – antibiotic resistance and hospital hygiene
- Virology and Serology
- Pathogen Sequencing: epidemiological and genomic monitoring of pathogens of public interest
- The Department works closely together with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and ECDC to support surveillance of pathogens
- Department of Microbiology is nominated as National Reference Laboratory for Acute Respiratory Infections, HIV and viral Hepatitis
- Infrastructure in the Department: BSL-3
Contacts: Trung.Nguyen(at)lns.etat.lu / Megane.Migliorini(at)lns.etat.lu / Sabrina.Deroo(at)lns.etat.lu
Respiratory Virus Laboratory of the Medical University of Łódź
Łódź – Poland
Respiratory Virus Laboratory of the Medical University of Łódź
The Respiratory Virus Laboratory of the Medical University of Łódź is located in Łódź, Poland.
Our Lab has the facility to perform the biomolecular methodologies.
The Laboratory was one of first reference laboratory in Poland to receive aauthorization for a high complexity molecular based SARS CoV-2 Laboratory Developed Test.
The supervisory body at the national level is the National Institute of Hygiene, and our laboratory is directly subordinate to the above mentioned central institution.
Contacts: izabela.drozdz(at)umed.lodz.pl / maciej.borowiec(at)umed.lodz.pl
INSA – National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses
Lisbon – Portugal
INSA – National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses
Laboratory Diagnosis
- Multiplex PCR (Influenza, SARS-CoV-2, respiratory vírus)
- Virus culture (Influenza, SARS-CoV-2)
- Serology: Influenza (haemaglutination inhibition assay)
- SARS-CoV-2 (IgG anti-Spike, IgG anti-nuclocapside, IgM; imuno chemioluminescent assay- Abbott)
- WGS Influenza and SARS-CoV-2
- Antiviral susceptibility assays: Phenotypic and genotypic assays
Laboratory Facilities
- BSL2 and BSL3
- Virus culture Unit; Respiratory Bacterial Unit (TB, Legionela, Neisseria, Pneumo, Haemophilus)
National Surveillance Program for Influenza and Other Resp. Viruses
Contacts: isabel.carvalho(at)insa.min-saude.pt / raquel.guiomar(at)insa.min-saude.pt / Nuno.Verdasca(at)insa.min-saude.pt
CCL – CASSOVIA COVID LAB
Kosice – Slovakia
CCL – CASSOVIA COVID LAB
- Accredited Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory of COVID-19
- University Laboratory, BSL- 2 laboratory
- Part of the national network for diagnostic of COVID-19
- Common workplace of 2 Departments
- Department of Epidemiology
- Department of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry
- Other diagnostic methods: serology, serum neutralization test – only within research projects
- Bacteriology Laboratory is located in the Department of Medical and Clinical Microbiology
Contacts: monika.halanova(at)upjs.sk / miroslava.rabajdova(at)upjs.sk
Servicio de microbiologia
Hospital La Paz
Madrid – Spain
Servicio de microbiologia
Hospital La Paz
The La Paz University Hospital is a tertiary care center in the Northern Madrid area that receives over 58,000 admissions and cares for over 1,500,000 outpatients per year. The hospital’s Department of Clinical Microbiology and Parasitology is functionally divided into several units that include:
- Virology
- Serology
- Bacteriology
- Mycology
- Parasitology
- Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing
- Next-Generation Sequencing
- Molecular Microbiology Research and Development
- BSL-3 lab
The Clinical Microbiology and Parasitology Department employs both classical and molecular microbiology techniques that include PCRs, whole-genome sequencing, and metagenomics. The department is also part of the national surveillance network for respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
Contacts: eliedahdouh(at)gmail.com
Clinical Virology – University Hospital Basel
Basel – Switzerland
Clinical Virology – University Hospital Basel
Mission
The Clinical Virology Unit at the University Hospital Basel offers a comprehensive range of analyses for diagnosing viral diseases in humans. Dedicated to advancing and validating new technologies and specialized assays, we collaborate closely with clinicians and academic partners to deliver reliable, cutting-edge diagnostic solutions for infectious diseases.
National Surveillance and WHO Reference Center
In our commitment to public health, we actively engage in expert activities, hosting the WHO Reference Centers for Polio and Enteroviruses and the National Confirmation Center for HIV diagnostic testing. Designated by the Federal Office of Public Health Switzerland, we provide expertise in influenza and other respiratory viruses, supporting national surveillance and response efforts.
Laboratory Facilities and Diagnostics
Our laboratory capabilities include a wide array of diagnostic methods, such as multiplex PCR testing, serology, virus culture, antiviral susceptibility testing (phenotypic and genotypic), next-generation sequencing, and third-generation Nanopore sequencing. By combining state-of-the-art technologies with our expertise and strong collaboration with clinical teams and academic researchers, we strive to deliver high-quality diagnostic services and contribute to infectious disease surveillance and research.
Contacts: karoline.leuzinger(a)usb.ch, rainer.gosert(a)usb.ch
