NATIONAL HIV IMMUNOLOGY LABORATORY IN BUSINESS TO ASSESS IMMUNOPHENOTYPING LABORATORY PERFORMANCE FOR OVER A DECADE

F Mandy, M Bergeron, C Houle, S Faucher, Z Solajic, S Phaneuf, A Sherring, N Soucy, T Ding, D Bogdanovic, C Chabot
National HIV Immunology Laboratory, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario

Introduction: The National HIV Immunology Laboratory (NHIL is part of a new Center for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Directorate (CIDPC) in the Population and Public health Branch (PPHB) at Helath Cnaada. NHIL serves as a national resource facility for HIV Immunology for those engaged in the treatment and monitoring of Canadians living with HIV.
Objective: NHIL is committed to meet the current and future needs of Canadian clinicians confronting viral epidemics such as AIDS that leaves patients immuno-deficient.
Method: The National HIV Immunology Laboratory (1) provides a nationwide immunology quality assessment programme for CD4 T-cell immunophenotyping; (2) maintains a number of international collaborations to ensure advanced technological expertise in the field; (3) evaluates, assessed, adapts and develops new technologies for monitoring HIV/AIDS disease progression; (4) provides training; and (5) writes and provides guidelines.
Conclusion: NHIL is meeting the needs in Canada by providing expertise and support for monitoring the immune status of Canadians living with HIV.