Virus Reference and Surveillance Laboratory (VRSL)
Clinical Virology Program
Contact Information
(518) 869-4559
Influenza Program
The Virus Reference and Surveillance Laboratory (VRSL) is a WHO Collaborating Center for the U.S. Influenza Surveillance System. Selected influenza isolates and primary clinical specimens are forwarded to the CDC throughout the influenza season to contribute to global influenza surveillance and determination of components of future vaccines.
Influenza Sentinel Program
The VRSL provides the laboratory testing for the New York State sentinel physician program that is run by the state epidemiology team in collaboration with the CDC. This program provides an essential service in monitoring the circulating influenza strains during the season. Specimens are tested by both molecular and cellular assays to ensure sensitivity of detection as well as the availability of isolates for analysis. Isolates are subtyped and a selected subset of them sequenced for molecular strain analysis. Selected positive samples and isolates are also forwarded to the CDC as a major contributing effort towards the determination of nationally and internationally circulating strains, and the selection of candidate strains for components of the influenza vaccine for the following season. These services are crucial for influenza pandemic surveillance and preparedness.
The Influenza Genome Sequencing Project
VRSL staff are also collaborators on the NIAID-funded Influenza Genome Sequencing Project. This project is a collaborative effort designed to increase the genome knowledge base of influenza, which can then be accessed to gain a more thorough understanding of influenza virus evolution, transmission and pathogenicity. The entire genome of submitted viruses are sequenced and the data uploaded to GenBank. The VRSL has selected, extracted and submitted several hundred influenza isolates from its repository to this project and the collaboration is ongoing. Data analysis of subsets of these viruses has generated a better understanding of the circulating clades and specific strain evolution during the time periods from which the isolates were selected. For more information on this project please go to the NIAID website.