Pathogen Portal

Medical microbiology reference labs

The Norwegian Health Directorate (Helsedirektoratet) can authorise Norwegian microbiology labs with national responsibility to investigate and report pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (Laboratorier med nasjonal referansefunksjon).

Laboratories with a national reference function in medical microbiology are assigned the following tasks according to the regulation:

Reference diagnostics
Maintaining a collection of strains and other reference materials
Scientific advice and support
Collaboration and research
Monitoring, preparedness, and response to outbreaks of infectious diseases

Norwegian resources

In Norway, several key institutions serve as reference laboratories in the field of medical microbiology, providing essential support for diagnosing, monitoring, and researching infectious diseases. These reference labs play a crucial role in ensuring high-quality testing and supporting public health efforts.

As of 2024 Norway has no national system for bio-banking samples related to pathogens. Each laboratory has its policy to store (if any and duration) the samples.

National reference laboratories

The Norwegian Health Directorate (Helsedirektoratet) maintain a comprehensive list of microbiology reference laboratories.

FHI - Folkehelseinstituttet

FHI is the primary public health institution in Norway and operates several national reference laboratories for medical microbiology.

University Hospitals

Major university hospitals in Norway, such as the University Hospital of North Norway, Oslo University Hospital, and Haukeland University Hospital, host reference laboratories for specific pathogens or medical microbiology disciplines.

VI - Veterinærinstituttet

VI serves as a national reference laboratory for zoonotic diseases and pathogens affecting animals that can also impact human health. It plays a key role in the One Health approach, linking veterinary and medical microbiology.

NORM and NORM-VET Programs

These surveillance programs, while not labs themselves, are closely linked to reference laboratories across Norway. NORM (for human health) and NORM-VET (for animal health and food) collect and analyze data on antibiotic resistance, working with reference labs to ensure high-quality testing and data interpretation.

Regional Laboratories and research institutions

Regional laboratories across Norway, often part of larger hospital systems, or research institutions also act as reference centers for certain pathogens or types of testing, supporting local public health efforts and contributing to national surveillance networks. One example is NMBU being the reference laboratory for the the bacterial toxin caused by Clostridium botulinum.