Emergency Preparedness & Response
- Specific Hazards
- Bioterrorism
- A–Z
- Anthrax
- What You Need To Know
- Mail Handlers
- Questions & Answers
- Additional Fact Sheets & Overviews
- Cutaneous Anthrax
- Diagnosis
- Environment
- Exposure Management
- Infection Control
- Lab Testing
- Images
- Preparation & Planning
- References
- Surveillance & Investigation
- Training & Education
- Treatment
- Vaccination
- Work Safety
- Arenaviruses
- Botulism
- Brucella
- Cholera
- Ebola virus
- E. coli
- Food safety threats
- Glanders
- Lassa fever
- Marburg virus
- Melioidosis
- Plague
- Q fever
- Salmonella
- Shigella
- Smallpox
- Smallpox Basics
- Vaccine Basics
- Clinicians
- Vaccination Q & A (for professionals)
- Health Officials
- People Selected for Response Teams
- Diagnosis/
Evaluation - Lab Testing
- Infection Control
- Surveillance & Investigation
- Preparation & Planning
- Response
- Vaccination
- Images
- Medical Management
- Training & Education
- References
- Tularemia
- Typhoid fever
- Viral hemorrhagic fevers
- Anthrax
- List by Category
- Fact Sheets
- Case Definitions
- Training
- Surveillance
- Preparation & Planning
- First Responders
- Lab Info
- A–Z
- Chemical
- A–Z
- Abrin
- Adamsite
- Ammonia
- Arsenic
- Arsine
- Barium
- Benzene
- Brevetoxin
- Bromine
- BZ
- Carbon monoxide
- Chlorine
- Chromium
- Colchicine
- Cyanide
- Digitalis
- Ethylene glycol
- Hydrazine
- Hydrofluoric acid
- Lewisite
- Melamine
- Mercury
- Methyl bromide
- Methyl isocyanate
- Nicotine
- Nitrogen mustard
- Opioids
- Organic solvents
- Osmium tetroxide
- Paraquat
- Phosgene
- Phosgene oxime
- Phosphine
- Phosphorus
- Pulmonary agents
- Ricin
- Sarin
- Saxitoxin
- Selenium
- Sodium azide
- Sodium monofluoroacetate
- Soman
- Strychnine
- Sulfur mustard
- Sulfuryl Fluoride
- Super Warfarin
- Tabun
- Tetrodotoxin
- Thallium
- Trichothecene
- Unidentified Chemical
- VX
- List by Category
- Chemical-Specific Fact Sheets
- Toxicology FAQs
- Case Definitions
- Toxic Syndrome Descriptions
- Toxicological Profiles
- Training
- First Responders
- Medical Management
- Emergency Response Cards
- Lab Info
- Surveillance
- Preparation & Planning
- A–Z
- Gulf Oil Spill 2010
- Radiation
- Mass Casualties
- Natural Disasters & Severe Weather
- Recent Outbreaks & Incidents
- Bioterrorism
- Preparedness for All Hazards
- Children
- Clinician Resources
- About COCA
- COCA Partner Organizations
- COCA Conference Calls
- Conference Calls - 2013
- Conference Calls - 2012
- Conference Calls - 2011
- Conference Calls - 2010
- June 3, 2010
- June 9, 2010
- June 22, 2010
- July 8, 2010
- July 27, 2010
- August 3, 2010
- August 17, 2010
- August 30, 2010
- September 2, 2010
- September 16, 2010
- September 21, 2010
- September 22, 2010
- October 1, 2010
- November 2, 2010
- November 9, 2010
- November 23, 2010
- December 2, 2010
- December 7, 2010
- December 14, 2010
- December 15, 2010
- Continuing Education Credit for COCA Calls
- Updates & Reminders
- Reminders - 2012
- Reminders - 2011
- Reminders - 2010
- Updates - 2013
- Updates - 2012
- January 3, 2012
- January 17, 2012
- January 30, 2012
- February 13, 2012
- February 27, 2012
- March 12, 2012
- March 26, 2012
- April 9, 2012
- April 23, 2012
- May 7, 2012
- May 21, 2012
- June 4, 2012
- June 18, 2012
- July 2, 2012
- July 16, 2012
- July 30, 2012
- August 13, 2012
- August 27, 2012
- September 10, 2012
- September 24, 2012
- October 8, 2012
- October 22, 2012
- November 5, 2012
- November 19, 2012
- December 3, 2012
- Updates - 2011
- January 3, 2011
- January 18, 2011
- January 31, 2011
- February 14, 2011
- February 28, 2011
- March 14, 2011
- March 21, 2011
- April 4, 2011
- April 11, 2011
- April 25, 2011
- May 9, 2011
- May 23, 2011
- June 6, 2011
- June 20, 2011
- July 5, 2011
- July 18, 2011
- August 1, 2011
- August 15, 2011
- August 29, 2011
- September 12, 2011
- September 26, 2011
- October 11, 2011
- November 7, 2011
- November 21, 2011
- December 5, 2011
- December 19, 2011
- Updates - 2010
- Join the COCA Mailing List
- Conference & Training Opportunities
- Emergency Preparedness and Response Training Resources
- Communicating in the First Hours
- Coping with a Disaster
- Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication (CERC)
- Health Alert Network (HAN)
- HAN Jurisdictions
- HAN Message Types
- Sign-Up for HAN Updates
- HAN Archive
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- HAN00304
- HAN00303
- HAN00302
- HAN00301
- HAN00300
- HAN00299
- HAN00298
- HAN00297
- HAN00296
- HAN00295
- HAN00294
- HAN00293
- HAN00292
- HAN00291
- HAN00290
- HAN00289
- HAN00288
- HAN00287
- HAN00286
- HAN00285
- HAN00284
- HAN00283
- HAN00282
- HAN00281
- HAN00280
- 2008
- HAN00279
- HAN00278
- HAN00277
- HAN00276
- HAN00275
- HAN00274
- HAN00273
- HAN00272
- HAN00271
- HAN00270
- HAN00269
- HAN00268
- 2007
- 2006
- HAN00256
- HAN00255
- HAN00254
- HAN00253
- HAN00252
- HAN00251
- HAN00250
- HAN00249
- HAN00248
- HAN00247
- HAN00246
- HAN00245
- HAN00244
- HAN00243
- HAN00242
- HAN00241
- HAN00240
- 2005
- HAN00239
- HAN00238
- HAN00237
- HAN00236
- HAN00235
- HAN00234
- HAN00233
- HAN00232
- HAN00231
- HAN00230
- HAN00229
- HAN00228
- HAN00227
- HAN00226
- HAN00225
- HAN00224
- HAN00223
- HAN00222
- HAN00221
- HAN00220
- 2004
- HAN00219
- HAN00218
- HAN00217
- HAN00216
- HAN00215
- HAN00214
- HAN00213
- HAN00212
- HAN00211
- HAN00210
- HAN00209
- HAN00208
- HAN00207
- HAN00206
- HAN00205
- HAN00204
- HAN00203
- HAN00202
- HAN00201
- HAN00200
- HAN00199
- HAN00198
- HAN00197
- HAN00196
- HAN00195
- HAN00194
- HAN00193
- HAN00192
- HAN00191
- HAN00190
- HAN00189
- HAN00188
- HAN00187
- HAN00186
- HAN00185
- HAN00184
- HAN00183
- HAN00182
- HAN00181
- 2003
- HAN00180
- HAN00179
- HAN00178
- HAN00177
- HAN00176
- HAN00175
- HAN00174
- HAN00173
- HAN00172
- HAN00171
- HAN00170
- HAN00169
- HAN00168
- HAN00167
- HAN00166
- HAN00165
- HAN00164
- HAN00163
- HAN00162
- HAN00161
- HAN00160
- HAN00159
- HAN00158
- HAN00157
- HAN00156
- HAN00155
- HAN00154
- HAN00153
- HAN00152
- HAN00151
- HAN00150
- HAN00149
- HAN00148
- HAN00147
- HAN00146
- HAN00145
- HAN00144
- HAN00143
- HAN00142
- HAN00141
- HAN00140
- HAN00139
- HAN00138
- HAN00137
- HAN00136
- HAN00135
- HAN00134
- HAN00133
- HAN00132
- HAN00131
- HAN00130
- HAN00129
- HAN00128
- HAN00127
- HAN00126
- HAN00125
- HAN00124
- HAN00123
- HAN00122
- HAN00121
- HAN00120
- HAN00119
- HAN00118
- HAN00117
- HAN00116
- HAN00115
- HAN00114
- HAN00113
- HAN00112
- HAN00111
- HAN00110
- HAN00109
- HAN00108
- 2002
- HAN00107
- HAN00106
- HAN00105
- HAN00104
- HAN00103
- HAN00102
- HAN00101
- HAN00100
- HAN00099
- HAN00098
- HAN00097
- HAN00096
- HAN00095
- HAN00094
- HAN00093
- HAN00092
- HAN00091
- HAN00090
- HAN00089
- HAN00088
- HAN00087
- HAN00086
- HAN00085
- HAN00084
- HAN00083
- HAN00082
- HAN00081
- HAN00080
- HAN00079
- HAN00078
- HAN00077
- HAN00076
- HAN00075
- HAN00074
- HAN00073
- HAN00072
- HAN00071
- HAN00070
- HAN00069
- HAN00068
- HAN00067
- 2001
- HAN00066
- HAN00065
- HAN00064
- HAN00063
- HAN00062
- HAN00061
- HAN00060
- HAN00059
- HAN00058
- HAN00057
- HAN00056
- HAN00055
- HAN00054
- HAN00053
- HAN00052
- HAN00051
- HAN00050
- HAN00049
- HAN00048
- HAN00047
- HAN00046
- HAN00045
- HAN00044
- HAN00043
- HAN00042
- HAN00041
- HAN00040
- HAN00039
- HAN00038
- HAN00037
- HAN00036
- HAN00035
- HAN00034
- HAN00033
- HAN00032
- HAN00031
- HAN00030
- HAN00029
- HAN00028
- HAN00027
- HAN00025
- HAN00024
- HAN00023
- HAN00022
- HAN00021
- HAN00020
- HAN00019
- HAN00018
- HAN00017
- HAN00016
- HAN00015
- HAN00014
- HAN00013
- HAN00012
- HAN00011
- HAN00010
- HAN00009
- HAN00008
- HAN00007
- HAN00006
- HAN00005
- HAN00004
- HAN00003
- HAN00002
- HAN00001
- Lab Info
- Laboratory Response Network (LRN)
- Preparation & Planning
- Related Links
- Risk Communicator
- Issue 3
- Emergency & Risk Communication
- Anthrax Scare
- Pan Flu Preparedness
- YouTube is Your Friend
- Additional Resources
- Contributors
- Issue 2
- Priceless Collaboration for Hurricane Preparedness
- Talking to WHO's John Rainford - New WHO Guidelines
- Emergency Communication Challenges in Hurricane Katrina Response
- Hurricane Readiness in High-Risk Areas: Survey Results
- Elements of a Successful Exercise: Functional vs Tabletop and Beyond
- Collaboration & Communication During Emergency Response
- Public Health Observances
- Calendar of Training Opportunities
- Contributors
- Issue 1
- Introduction to the Risk Communicator
- Social Media & Emergency Communication
- Messaging Is Matter of Trust
- Program Spotlight: Frontlines of the CA Wildfires
- Research Summaries: Summaries of Work from Deborah Glik and Craig Lefebvre
- Risk Communication Opportunities During National Observances
- Upcoming Conferences, Training, and Workshops of Interest to Risk Communicators
- Contributors
- About the Newsletter
- SNAPS
- Social Media
- Surveillance
- Training & Education
- What CDC Is Doing
- What You Can Do
- Blog: Public Health Matters
- What's New
- A - Z Index
Improving the Public Health Laboratory Infrastructure
Prior to 1999, the public health laboratory infrastructure in the United States was on the decline. Most state and local public health laboratories were not capable of rapid molecular testing for biological threat agents. The ones that could test for threat agents were using traditional culture testing methods that take more time to yield results. Because getting test results within hours, not days, is critical in the event of a biological or chemical attack, it was clear that the LRN was needed to improve laboratory capacity in the public health system.
In a 1998 Association of Public Health Laboratories survey of state public health laboratories, 12 of 38 responding states reported having Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) capability. BSL-3 laboratories have the ability to test for infectious agents that could cause serious or potentially lethal diseases. It has been a goal of the LRN to increase BSL-3 capability to at least one BSL-3 laboratory in each state. Today, there are 46 states with at least one LRN-member public health lab with BSL-3 capability.
Since 1999, funding provided for the LRN has enabled many state and local public health laboratories to renovate their facilities to comply with strict safety and containment standards; allow the purchase of state-of-the-art testing equipment; fund more than 400 laboratory worker positions annually; and provides member laboratories with the necessary supplies to support tests developed by the LRN. Today, LRN laboratories can perform rapid tests for high-priority biological agents that cause anthrax, smallpox, and plague.- Share
- Add this to...
- Favorites
- Del.icio.us
- Digg
- Google Bookmarks
- Technorati
- Yahoo MyWeb
- Updates
- Subscribe
- Listen
- Page last modified January 29, 2007
- Content source: CDC Emergency Risk Communication Branch (ERCB), Division of Emergency Operations (DEO), Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR)
Get email updates
To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address:
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348 - Contact CDC-INFO