Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Science Strategies
Biohazard Containment and Safety Unit
Biosafety Advisory for Veterinary Facilities
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Interim Guidelines
March 10, 2004
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Subsequent to the recent Avian Influenza outbreaks in several Asian
countries, the United States and any additional areas as
identified1,2,3, we are providing you with the following interim
biosafety advisory regarding the laboratory handling of diagnostic specimens
associated with this strain of influenza.
Precautions for laboratories receiving and processing veterinary
diagnostic specimens from suspected Avian Influenza
cases3:
- specimens may be processed for packaging and distribution to diagnostic
laboratories for further testing in a Containment Level 2
laboratory4,5 using the additional operational practices as outlined
below
- routine diagnostic testing to rule out Avian Influenza may be performed in
a Containment Level 2 laboratory4,5 using the additional operational
practices as outlined below
Additional operational practices:
- laboratory workers should wear protective clothing (e.g. protective solid-front gowns, gloves, shoe covers,
eye protection and N95 respiratory protection) in accordance with the risk of
exposure when handling specimens
- manipulations that may produce aerosols should be carried in a certified
biological safety cabinet
- centrifugation of specimens should be carried out using sealed centrifuge
cups or rotors that are unloaded in a biological safety cabinet
- all contaminated liquid and solid waste to be decontaminated autoclaving,
or by other effective method, prior to disposal6,7
Precautions for laboratories handling veterinary diagnostic
specimens from suspect or confirmed Avian Influenza cases3 for
isolation and further manipulation of the agent:
- specimens must be sent to the National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases
(NCFAD)
in Winnipeg for confirmation
- specimens may be processed in a Containment Level 2
laboratory4,5 for packaging and distribution to NCFAD for further
testing using the additional operational practices as outlined above
- manipulations involving growth of the agent should be in a Containment
Level 3 laboratory4,5 using Containment Level 3 operational
practices4,5
- Manipulations involving growth of the agent must not be performed in the
same laboratory that is simultaneously culturing material that may contain
other influenza viruses
- PCR testing of
extracted genetic material may be performed in a Containment Level 2
laboratory4,5
Note: For Containment Level 3 facilities manipulating
specimens from confirmed Avian Influenza cases, the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA)
requires, under the authority of the Health of Animals
Act8, that operational procedures must be reviewed and
certified by the CFIA prior to work commencing. In
addition, all staff and visitors must agree before entering the laboratory, not
to have contact with avian and porcine species for a period of five (5)
days.
For information on biosafety precautions for other activities (e.g. research with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza),
contact the Biohazard Containment and Safety Division at the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency (613) 221-7088.
Transportation of diagnostic specimens:
- Packaging, shipping and transport of specimens must, as a minimum, comply
with the requirements of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations,
Transport Canada9 and the Dangerous Goods Regulations, International
Air Transport Association10. These requirements state:
- For air shipment, clinical specimens from suspicious and confirmed cases
(i.e. samples from patients meeting case
definition) must be shipped as UN 3373 diagnostic specimens or clinical
specimens
- For air shipment, cultures of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus, must
be shipped as UN 2814 Infectious Substance affecting humans (Highly Pathogenic
Avian Influenza Virus)(Risk Group 3).
Further biosafety information may be obtained from the Biohazard Containment and Safety Unit of the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency at (613) 221-7088, fax (613) 228-6129 or web site at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/sci/bio/bioe.shtml or the Office of
Laboratory Security, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Public
Health Agency of Canada at (613) 957-1779, fax (613) 941-0596 or web site at:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pphb-dgspsp/ols-bsl/index.html
References:
- Current SARS/Avian influenza (H5N1)
affected areas, Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pphb-dgspsp/h5n1/index.html
- Flu Information - Avian Influenza, Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/diseases/flu/avian.html
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Animal Products, Animal Health and
Production Division, Avian Influenza, http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/disemala/avflu/avflue.shtml
- Containment Standards for Veterinary Facilities, 1st
edition, 1996, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/sci/lab/convet/convete.shtml
- Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines, 3rd Edition (Draft),
Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pphb-dgspsp/ols-bsl/lbg-ldmbl/index.html
- Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Pathogen Data Sheet. Canadian
Food Inspection Agency. Version 1.1, March 10, 2004 (draft). http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/sci/bio/avflue.shtml
- Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza MSDS. Office International des
Epizooties. Updated April 22, 2002.
http://www.oie.int/eng/maladies/fiches/a_a150.htm
- Health of Animals Act, June 19,1990,
http://laws.justice.gc.ca./en/H-3.3/fulltoc.html
- Transport Dangerous Goods, Transport Canada,
http://www.tc.gc.ca/tdg/menu.htm
- Dangerous Goods Regulations, International Air Transport
Association,
https://www.iataonline.com/
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