IRR

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the International Reagent Resource (IRR) to provide registered users with reagents, test kits, and information for studying and detecting influenza virus and other pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2. Public health labs use these reagents across the globe for the surveillance of newly emerging pathogen strains, such as Influenza (H1N1 and H5N1).

Supporting global surveillance of emerging pathogens and emergency response by centralized distribution of diagnostic test kits, ensuring we stay ahead of the next potential public health threat.

IRR has supported the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, the 2015-2017 Zika outbreak, and, most recently, the COVID-19 emergency response. In early February 2020, IRR joined the emergency response and began supplying US state and local public health labs with EUA-approved COVID-19 diagnostic test kits. By the end of 2021, IRR had distributed over 86,500 COVID-19 related reagents and test kits nationwide, with a catalog expansion from April to December 2020, including numerous commercially produced EUA assays, to provide more products needed for viral testing.

world map image IRR supports over 800 registered labs across 180 countries and distributes over 1,220 different types of reagents for the detection of influenza, non-flu respiratory viruses,bacterial diseases, and emergency response. The IRR is primarily a resource used to procure pathogen test components and assemble, qualify, and distribute these kits to public health laboratories. This resource supports the detection and characterization of pathogens, which will aid in informing interventions. By centralizing these functions, IRR promotes access and use of these materials in the scientific and public health community and assures quality control of the reagents.

The International Reagent Resource is managed under contract by American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). Please login to search the catalog for all available items. Scientists must be registered with IRR to request materials.

IRR State and Global Public Health Labs

In 2008, CDC established the International Reagent Resource (IRR)--a dynamic and adaptable distribution program that provides reagents, test kits, and information for the detection of influenza and other emerging viral and bacterial pathogens at no cost to registered domestic and international public health labs.

COVID-19 - IRR in Action

In early February 2020, IRR joined the emergency response and began supplying US state and local public health labs with EUA-approved COVID-19 diagnostic test kits. To date, the IRR has distributed over 43,000 reagents nationwide, serving as a critical resource to domestic laboratories helping to save lives and protect people,24/7.

IRR distributed > 4 times the volume of reagents from February- June 2020 compared to the previous flu season.

IRR used a data-driven algorithm to support equitable nationwide testing during resource-limited time periods.

Response reagent turnaround has ranged from 1.5 to 4 days from order approval to reagent delivery.

Develop • Distribute • Detect

Develops and assures high-quality, standardized kits and reagents

Supports research and development of improved diagnostic tests, vaccines, and detection methods

Distributes almost 13,000 non-emergency response reagents annually

Supports over 750 registered laboratories in 167 countries at no cost to registered global public health labs

Reagent Catalog

IRR reagents for the detection of influenza, non-flu viruses, bacteria, and other emerging pathogens

InternatIonal reagent resource

IRR Impacts Outbreaks and Pandemics

H1N1

April 15, 2009: The ﬁrst human infection with new

inﬂuenza A H1N1 virus was detected in California.

June 11, 2009: The World Health Organization (WHO)

declared that a pandemic of 2009 H1N1 ﬂu was under way.

October 5, 2009: The ﬁrst doses of H1N1 vaccine were

given in the U.S

December 18, 2009: The ﬁrst 100 million doses of 2009

H1N1 vaccine were available for ordering.

April 2009 - 2010: CDC estimates there were ~60.8 million

cases, ~274,304 hospitalizations, and ~12,469 deaths in

the United States due to H1N1.

2009–2010: In response to the H1N1 inﬂuenza pandemic,

IRR distributed 21,346 kits, ancillary reagents, and controls

to over 150 countries.

August 2010: The H1N1 pandemic ended.

ZIKA

Late 2015: Large outbreaks of Zika virus occurred in the

Americas.

November 2015: Increased number of cases of

microcephaly cases reported in Brazil.

February 2016: WHO declared microcephaly and

associated neurologic disease public health event of

international concern; Zika virus was later determined to

be the cause.

2016: Locally transmitted cases of Zika virus disease were

reported in several U.S. states and territories.

Late 2016: There were 5,168 cases of Zika in U.S. states

and 36,512 in U.S. territories.

October 2016–2017: IRR shipped 2,312 Zika support

items in 277 shipments to 105 laboratories in 39

countries.

November 2016: WHO declared the public health

emergency over but noted that the epidemic and the

public health challenge posed by Zika virus still continues.

2015–2017: Over 3,700 newborns conﬁrmed to have

congenital Zika virus infection in the Americas.

COVID-19

December 31, 2019: Chinese health oﬃcials reported

a cluster of cases of acute respiratory illness in Wuhan,

China

January 7, 2020: Chinese authorities conﬁrmed that this

outbreak was caused by a novel coronavirus.

January 20, 2020: The ﬁrst case was conﬁrmed in the U.S.

Early February 2020: IRR began to provide reagents for the

detection of COVID-19 to U.S. state and local public health

laboratories.

March 3, 2020: U.S. oﬃcials approved widespread testing.

March 11, 2020: WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

Early April 2020: IRR expanded the catalog of COVID-19

diagnostic supplies for registered state and local public

health laboratories.

February–June 2020: IRR distributed over 42,000

reagents domestically for the detection of COVID-19.

Early July 2020: There were over 10.5 million cases and

over 512,000 deaths worldwide. In the U.S., there were

over 2.6 million cases and over 128,000 deaths.

International Reagent Resources

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