​​​​​​​Vaccine Preve​​ntable Diseases

APHL promotes the role ​of state and local public health laboratories in the detection and surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) by improving knowledge, providing trainings and ensuring quality information exchange.

Before the development of vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP), morbidity and mortality from these diseases were significant in the US. The widespread use of the MMR and DTP vaccines has reduced cases, making these diseases rare.

However, recent measles outbreaks and the resurgence of mumps and pertussis across the US have demonstrated that public health laboratories must maintain the capability and capacity to respond effectively to re-emerging VPDs through routine surveillance, and diagnostic and confirmatory testing. They use a combination of diagnostic techniques, including culture, serology, antigen detection and PCR, to detect and characterize VPDs.​

Vaccine Preventable Diseases Reference Centers 

Enrolled PHL VPD Reference Center Assignments - Viral and Bacterial

APHL and CDC established four Vaccine Preventable Diseases Reference Centers to support testing for all public health laboratories. The California Department of Health-Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory, Wadsworth Center-NYSDOH, Minnesota Department of Health and Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene serve as the VPD Reference Centers.

The VPD Reference Centers perform molecular testing for seven VPDs (measles, mumps, rubella, varicella zoster virus, Bordetella pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitides) on behalf of other public health laboratories that have enrolled as submitting sites. The Reference Centers also offer proficiency testing for molecular testing for VPDs to other public health laboratories.​​​ 

Enrolled PHL VPD RC Assignments by State 

VPD RC Reference Guide and Diagnostic Fact Sheets

For a list of VPD RC services, including specimen types and turnaround times, please see our quick guide​​. Additionally, APHL and CDC have developed a series of fact sheets and guides to aid in testing and deciphering results:

S. pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae has moved from the VPD Reference Centers to the Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Lab Network. Your testing laboratories have not changed, however the submission instructions and shipping processes have. For current submission instructions, contact the AR Lab Network Regional Laboratories at the Minnesota Public Health Laboratory (health.ARLNMN@state.mn.us) or the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene (wiARLN@slh.wisc.edu).

Interested in Enrolling?

Laboratories interested in enrolling in the VPD reference center program should email infectious.diseases@aphl.org for more information.

Resources - ,resourceswebpart CUSTOMIZE  Resources
VPD Reference Center General Information

Specimen Submission Dashboard

This dashboard provides summary information for specimens submitted to the VPD reference centers for testing and characterization. The dashboard is updated bimonthly. To view the dashboard in a larger format, please click the double arrow located in the bottom right of the graphic.