According to federal and international regulations, all personnel who are involved in the packaging and shipping of infectious materials are required to have training specific to the category of infectious substances being shipped. This training must be successfully completed and documented before attempting to package or ship EVD specimens.
Because state guidelines may differ, the CDC requires that healthcare facilities contact their respective local and/or state health departments before shipping specimens for EVD testing to determine the proper category for shipping (likely to be category A). The triple packaging system (required for category A substances) must be used when shipping specimens. This includes the use of:
- A watertight, leak-proof primary receptacle
- Leak-proof secondary packaging
- Absorbent material in sufficient quantity to absorb the entire contents of the primary receptacle were to leak or break. The absorbent material is to be placed between the primary receptacle and the secondary packaging
- An itemized list of contents, enclosed between the secondary packaging and the outer packaging (preferably enclosed in a zip lock bag).
- Rigid outer packaging
Important steps when submitting EVD samples to the CDC include, but are not limited to:
- Following state/local health department procedures for notification and consultation for EVD testing requests (this step should be taken before contacting the CDC).
- Consulting with the CDC's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) before shipping. Specimens will not be accepted without prior consultation.
- Contacting your state and/or local health department and the CDC to determine the proper shipping category based on the clinical history and risk assessment by the CDC.
Laboratories should review carefully the CDC's "Guidance for Collection, Transport, and Submission of Specimens for Ebola Virus Testing"14 for detailed instructions.
