Department of respiratory, intestinal and exanthematous viral infections

Head: Radomíra Limberková, M.D.

• is a member of MR (Measles, Rubella) LabNet for WHO European Region;
• is a member of NVC (National Verification Commitee) for elimination measles and rubella for WHO European Region;
• is internationally accredited as a WHO National Reference Laboratory for measles and rubella in serology, molecular detection of measles and rubella (RT- PCR) and genotyping of measles;
• is internationally certified  by Instand EQAS in parvovirus B19 DNA quantitative detection (qPCR), serological detection of specific IgG and IgM antibodies to measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and parvovirus B19;
• provides services to a wide variety of public health and health care professionals, as defined by the NRL statute (see the Agreement on the establishment of NRL for MMR of December 2, 1998) and by the Guidelines for the testing of pregnant women exposed to or infected with Rubella – Suppl. No.1, HEM – 372.6 – 12.10.1972, Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic);
• provides services to the Public Health Agency (pursuant to Act No. 258/2000 Coll., on Public Health protection, as amended);
• participates in the MMR surveillance program in the Czech Republic (AHEM, No. 6/2006 Praha);
• cooperates in measles/rubella elimination surveillance in the Czech Republic (HEM-370- 3.6.2002/15612 of 3. 6. 2002);
• performs confirmatory MMR testing and genotyping in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic (Regulation No. 389/2023 of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic on the epidemiological surveillance system for selected infections);
• participates in the preparation of documents for the relevant legislation;
• stores reference specimens;
• cooperates in the preparation of standard testing procedures for virology and algorithms;
• selects the optimal diagnostic procedures;
• cooperates in the assessment of MMR vaccines for immunogenicity and in the adoption of vaccination strategy;
• provides professional training in both conventional and modern laboratory procedures to virology laboratory workers;
• provides pregraduate and postgraduate training and education in the area of MMR and parvovirus B19;
• organizes National EQA for measles serology;

• performs diagnostic testing of MMR and parvovirus B19 for health care settings:

1. diagnosis in pregnant women with or exposed to exanthematous disease, serological testing of children with congenital defects;
2. confirmatory serological testing of suspected clinical cases of MMR and parvovirosis B19;
3. molecular testing of MMR (RT-PCR) and quantitative detection of parvovirus B19 DNA (qPCR); as well as confirmatory testing for plasma centres and blood transfusion centres
4. immunity testing for MMR and parvovirosis B19 (also on request, i.e. to be charged for)