Division of Virology

Division of Virology operates three WHO National Reference Laboratories: WHO National Poliovirus Reference Laboratory, WHO National Influenza Reference Laboratory and WHO National Reference Laboratory for Exanthematous Diseases. The division operates six virological National Reference Laboratories: the National Reference Laboratories for Influenza and Respiratory Viruses, for Hepatitis Viruses, for Enteroviruses, for Exanthematous Diseases (measles, rubella), for Viral Zoonoses, and for Herpes Viruses.

Laboratories of the Division of Virology perform those epidemiological-microbiological tests that are not performed at the other microbiological laboratories and serve as regional epidemiological-microbiological laboratory for the population of the capital city, Budapest, and the counties Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Nógrád and Pest.

The BSL-4 biosafety laboratory provides a modern means to process dangerous imported zoonotic viral pathogens that can spread between humans. The BSL4 laboratory may operate under BSL3 conditions, thus, the zoonotic viral pathogens regularly occurring in Hungary can be safely processed and produced.

All the laboratories at the Division regularly participate in international proficiency tests with excellent results. Twenty-seven of the procedures of the Division of Virology have been accredited by the National Accreditation Body in 2006. More than 140 000 tests are performed annually.

Division of Virology organize special courses in the field of basic virology for university students, medical laboratory technicians and assistants, and health care professionals specializing in medical or clinical microbiology, epidemiology, infectology, or preventive medicine. The latest scientific results of the Division are presented at another special course for health care professionals. The researchers of the Division regularly publish their results and review publications for Hungarian and international journals. The researchers of the Division give virology and microbiology lectures for BSc and MSc university students, organize PhD courses, and are the active members of the scientific community: they have functions in scientific societies and in reviewing committees of PhD and DSc theses.