EVAg

This is the public health laboratory of the Ministry of Health, Singapore. The functions include surveillance of indicator pathogens and investigation of communicable disease outbreaks. It also performs testing for new, rare and emerging pathogens, and assists other medical laboratories nationally in the detection of emerging pathogens. It also prepares for biothreat emergencies and all specimens suspected of containing select agents must be submitted to the NPHL for further tests. Surveillance pathogens including influenza, arboviruses, enteroviruses, HIV and adenovirus. Outbreaks investigated include flu-like clusters, foodborne and vector-borne outbreaks. The work is done in BSL2 and BLS3 biocontainment facilities. Methods include virus PCR, isolation in cell lines, serology, sequencing (partial or whole genome), resistance detection, bioinformatics, and electron microscopy. The laboratory is designed by the MOH and WHO as the National Laboratories for Influenza, Measles and Rubella.