The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with
local and state health departments and public health laboratories
to test specimens from humans and animals with suspected monkeypox
infection. This document provides instructions for the safe packing
and shipment of human and animal specimens for monkeypox testing.
- Contact
your state public health laboratory if you wish to submit human
specimens for monkeypox testing.
-
Coordinate the shipments of all animal specimens with your state
veterinarian to ensure compliance with local, state and federal
animal regulations.
-
For more complete packing instructions see the current edition
of the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Dangerous Goods Regulations: and US
DOT 49 CFR Parts 171-180.
-
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazardous Materials
(HazMat) Regulations, 49 CFR Parts 171 - 180, require all persons
who offer or transport diagnostic specimens to comply with applicable
regulations.
A diagnostic
specimen is any human or animal material being transported
for diagnostic or investigational purposes, but excluding live infected
animals.
DIAGNOSTIC
SPECIMENS TRANSPORTED UNDER THE IATA REGULATIONS ARE ASSIGNED TO
UN IDENTIFICATION NUMBER 3373.
You,
as the shipper - not the transport company - are responsible
for determining the hazard class and properly packaging and
marking the hazard information on the shipment and until the
package reaches the consignee. |
PRIMARY
PACKAGING
-
Primary receptacle(s) must be water tight, e.g., screw cap seal
with parafilm or adhesive tape or similar positive means to prevent
the cap form loosening.
-
Multiple primary receptacles must be wrapped individually to prevent
breakage.
-
When determining the volume of diagnostic specimens being shipped,
include the viral transport media.
-
Primary receptacle(s) must not contain more than 500 ml or 500
g. For animal specimens exceeding 500 g, before packaging, call
CDC at 770-488-7100. The entire contents of the primary receptacle
is the diagnostic specimen.
SECONDARY
PACKAGING
-
Use enough absorbent material in the secondary container to absorb
the entire contents of all primary receptacles in case of leakage
or damage.
- Secondary
packaging must meet the IATA packaging requirements for diagnostic
specimens including 1.2 meter (3.9 feet) drop test procedure.
Since infectious substance packaging surpasses the requirements
for diagnostic specimen packaging, in the IATA Packing Instruction
602, it can be used.
- Infectious
substance packaging will have the required specification markings
on packaging (“UN” will be in a circle), for example:
- Secondary
packaging must be watertight. Follow the packaging manufacturer
or other authorized party’s packing instructions included
with the secondary packaging.
-
Secondary packaging must be at least 100 mm (4 inches) in the
smallest overall external dimension.
- Must
be large enough for shipping documents, e.g., air waybill.
OUTER
PACKAGING
-
The outer packaging must not contain more than 4 L or 4 kg
-
Both dry ice and wet ice must be placed outside the secondary
packaging.
- Dry
ice: packaging must permit the release of carbon dioxide gas and
not allow a build-up of pressure that could rupture the packaging.
The packaging must also meet general requirements for packagings
under IATA and DOT regulations.
-
Wet ice: the packaging must be leak-proof.
-
Each package and the air waybill must be marked with the following
exact wording:
UN
3373 DIAGNOSTIC SPECIMEN
PACKED IN COMPLIANCE WITH
IATA PACKING INSTRUCTION 650 |
- An
itemized list of contents must be enclosed between the secondary
packaging and the outer packaging. Place the list in a sealed
plastic bag to protect from moisture.
-
A Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods is NOT
required.
Proper
packing and labeling of the secondary container for shipping of
diagnostic specimens
SHIPPING
INFORMATION
Please use CDC’s on-line web based incoming specimen tracking
system by completing the shipping information form
or send an e-mail with the shipping information to: EOCLogistic@cdc.gov
Ship the package
to:
Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
ATTN: STAT Lab (forward to Poxvirus Section)
1600 Clifton Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30333
Telephone: 770-488-7100 |