|  Annex
3 : WHO guidelines for the
storage and transport of human and animal specimens for laboratory diagnosis
of influenza A/H5 infection
Specimen storage
Specimens in viral transport
medium for viral isolation should be kept at 4 °C and transported to the
laboratory promptly. If specimens are transported to the laboratory within 2
days, they may be kept at 4 °C; otherwise they should be frozen at or below
–70 °C until they can be transported to the laboratory. Repeated freezing and thawing must be
avoided to prevent loss of infectivity. Sera may be stored at 4 °C for
approximately one week, but thereafter should be frozen at –20 °C.
Specimens should be collected
and transported in a suitable transport medium on ice or in liquid nitrogen.
Specimens for influenza should not be stored or shipped in dry ice (solid
carbon dioxide) unless they are sealed in glass or sealed, taped and double
plastic-bagged. Carbon dioxide can rapidly inactivate influenza viruses if it
gains access to the specimens through shrinkage of tubes during freezing.
Specimen transport
Transport of specimens should
comply with WHO guidelines for the safe transport of infectious substances and diagnostic specimens (WHO, 1997), available at http://www.who.int/emc/pdfs/emc97_3.pdf
The receiving laboratory should
be notified before shipment of specimens.
Transport of specimens within
national borders should comply with the procedures detailed within each
country’s regulations.
International air transport of
human specimens from suspect or probable highly pathogenic avian influenza
(HPAI) H5 cases, or of specimens from HPAI H5 infected animals must follow
the current edition of the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Dangerous Goods Regulations.
Dangerous goods index
Consignment of diagnostic specimens 2003
The IATA Regulations of 2003 (available at http://www.iata.org/NR/ContentConnector/CS2000/SiteInterface/pdf/cargo/dg/
Consignment_diagnostic_specimens_2003.pdf ) allow specimens known or
suspected to contain the HPAI H5 agent to be transported as UN 3373
“diagnostic specimens” when they are transported for diagnostic or
investigational purposes.
Specimens transported for any
other purposes, and cultures (as defined in the IATA Regulations) prepared
for the deliberate generation of pathogens, must be transported as UN 2814 or
UN 2900, as appropriate.
All specimens to be transported (UN 3373, UN 2900, or UN 2814) must be packaged in triple packaging consisting of three packaging layers (see http://www.iata.org/dangerousgoods/index
).
UN 3373, Diagnostic Specimens,
shall be packed in good quality packaging, which shall be strong enough to
withstand the shocks and loads normally encountered during transport.
Packaging shall be constructed and closed so as to prevent any loss of
contents that might be caused under normal conditions of transport, by
vibration or by changes in temperature, humidity or pressure.
Primary receptacle(s) must be water tight,
e.g., if screw cap seal with parafilm or similar.
Multiple primary receptacles must be wrapped
individually to prevent breakage.
Use enough absorbent material to absorb the
entire contents of all primary receptacles in case of leakage or damage
Proper packing and labeling of the
secondary container for shipping of diagnostic
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