The Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory (ARRL) was formed in 1996 and currently operates within Barwon Biomedical Research an operating arm of the Geelong Hospital in the Barwon Health care system. The ARRL provides a diagnostic service for rickettsial diseases including Q fever are more recently COVID19. It is involved in a number of research projects which include the development of a Q fever vaccine for animal and human use and investigations into the causes of the Lyme like disease in Australia.

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