VIROLOGY
NCPV: a vital resource for virology and global public health
The National Collection of Pathogenic Viruses is this year celebrating 25 years supporting scientific research. Pathology in Practice looks at its role in virology research and global outbreak preparedness.
Established in 2000, the National Collection of Pathogenic Viruses (NCPV) has played a pivotal role in virology research and global outbreak preparedness. NCPV was formed with support from the Wellcome Trust to address the lack of a dedicated national repository for pathogenic viruses in the UK. Over the past 25 years, NCPV has grown into an internationally recognised collection which supports scientific and academic research in the UK and abroad.
Origins and purpose The establishment of NCPV was a strategic response to the United Kingdom’s need for a well-curated, secure, and accessible virus collection. From the outset, the remit has been clear: to preserve, authenticate and supply high-quality, well-characterised pathogenic viruses and associated materials to the scientific and research community.
Operated initially by the Health
Protection Agency and now part of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), NCPV is based at Porton Down, an internationally respected centre for biosafety and infectious disease research. The collection primarily comprises Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) hazard
group 2 human pathogenic viruses and selected hazard group 3 viruses including Specified Animal Pathogens (SAPO). With growing global health challenges and emerging infectious diseases, the collection’s remit remains as relevant today as it was in 2000, and the collection continues to support
the scientific research community with quality, integrity and expertise.
The collection Today, NCPV holds more than 340 unique virus strains, from 19 different virus families, and continues to grow. These include high-consequence pathogens such as SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV, as well as historical strains such as Zika virus (1962 Uganda isolate) and common seasonal human coronaviruses including OC43, 229E, and NL63. Most strains are live virus, and some are inactivated by X-ray irradiation. All viruses in the catalogue are subjected to independent authentication, viability checks and sterility testing, ensuring they meet rigorous quality standards. Each batch is accompanied
All viruses in the catalogue are subjected to independent authentication, viability checks and sterility testing, ensuring they meet rigorous quality standards.
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