Biosafety

The CNRL conforms to the WHO recommendations for human and avian influenza viruses regarding laboratory containment procedures . Human influenza viruses are handled and cultured under biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) conditions while highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAI) have to be handled and cultured under BSL-3 conditions. Since not all CNRL members have BSL-3 facilities (in a recent inventory, 22 of 28 laboratories reported having BSL-3) and since detection of HPAI by nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAT) may be done under BSL-2 conditions, it is the aim of the CNRL to equip all member laboratories for HPAI detection by NAT.

The CNRL also conforms to WHO recommendations for human and avian influenza viruses regarding requirements for transport of infectious material. Diagnostic specimens suspected of containing human influenza virus or HPAI fall under category B infectious substances (UN 3373) and are transported by the CNRL using packaging instructions (PI) 650, although the more stringent PI 620 for category A substances may be used. Cultures of both human influenza and HPAI fall under category A infectious substances (UN 2814) and are transported by the CNRL using PI 620.