HIV and Retrovirology Laboratories
Division of HIV Epidemiology
Mandate
The mandate of the Division is to describe the epidemiology of HIV
infection in Canada and to assess the temporal, geographic and demographic
trends in the HIV epidemic. This is done by providing technical and financial
support for extramural research on HIV epidemiology, by performing intramural
research and analysis, and by holding national meetings on issues of
importance to the understanding of HIV epidemiology.
The Division also has the mandate to assess the epidemiology of HIV/TB
co-infection in Canada, to develop a national surveillance network of
HIV-associated risk behaviours, to do national surveillance of occupational
transmission of HIV and to investigate outbreaks of HIV infection.
Contact us at:
Division of HIV Epidemiology
Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control
Brooke Claxton Bldg.,
Level 01, 0108B
PL 0900B1, Tunney's Pasture,
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
HIV/AIDS Surveillance
Mandate
Under the principle of protecting confidentiality, to maintain timely, reliable,
sensitive, accurate, and acceptable data collection systems and ensure that
the data collected is representative of the true state of HIV and AIDS in
Canada.
To provide public health intelligence on the size and trend of the
HIV/AIDS epidemics in Canada, through the collection, analysis and dissemination
of information used to describe and monitor health events.
To provide public health intelligence for policy planning through modelling
and projection.
National HIV/AIDS Laboratories
About the National HIV/AIDS Laboratories
Historically, NHL was created to respond to the HIV epidemic
in Canada. From its inception, its focus has been the Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (both HIV-1 and HIV-2) and the related Simian Immunodeficiency
Virus. Initially, HIV was named Human T-cell Leukaemia Virus III (HTLV-III),
and the NHL developed expertise with two other related HTLVs, i.e., I
and II. Thus, NHL's expertise includes HIV-1, HIV-2, SIV, and HTLV I/II.
Because of the relationship between HIV and certain other retroviruses
such as HTLVs, NHL became the national reference laboratory for Human
T-Cell Leukaemia Virus (HTLV I, HTLV II) testing. NHL has developed considerable
expertise in HTLV and has provided reference diagnostic services for
some time. HTLV serological testing is more complicated and less straightforward
than HIV testing. Many provincial laboratories do not have the capacity
to perform and interpret HTLV tests.
NHL has a long standing relationship with the Medical Devices Bureau
for the purpose of pre-market evaluation of HIV tests. Post-market surveillance
of approved HIV tests is a developing need recognized by NHL and provincial
public health laboratories. NHL will need to collaborate with the Medical
Devices Bureau to define its mandate in post-market surveillance.
NHL's core activities encompass the following:
- national diagnostic testing and reference services;
- quality assurance; and
- directed (targeted) development.
Each of these areas includes research activities, training, transfer
of technology, and dissemination of information.
NHL's core activities remain focused on laboratory science related
to HIV and selected related retroviruses such as SIV.
National Laboratory for HIV Reference Services
- HIV serology reference services
- HTLV I/II confirmatory testing
- HIV test kit evaluation
- HIV serology quality assurance
- Viral culture quality assurance
- HIV seroprevalence studies
National Laboratory for HIV Genetics
- Canadian HIV/AIDS Strain Surveillance Program
- Molecular epidemiology
- Drug resistance studies
- Technology development
- International collaboration
National Laboratory for HIV Pathogenesis
- HIV vaccine development
- Animal models
- HIV immunology
National Laboratory for Analytical Cytology
- HIV surrogate markers
- Immunological methods
- Flow cytometry quality assurance
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