Laboratory Services 



The following are practical procedures which the CDC laboratory staff have found 

 insure viability of the infectious agent and provide maximum protection for those 

 handling the shipment, both in transit and after it arrives at the laboratoi^. These 

 procedures should be followed when specimens are shipped to CDC for testing. 



a. Packing 



Pack specimens so that they are protected in transit and so that the person- 

 nel who handle the packages are also protected. 



(1) Enclose the specimen in a 2-ml or larger screw-capped tube or vial. 

 (This rule does not apply to bacterial cultures submitted for identification; 

 they should be submitted as slant or stab cultures.) Seal the tube or vial with 

 waterproof tape. 



NEVER mail clinical specimens or cultures in petri plates! 

 NEVER enclose dry ice in hen)!etically sealed contaiiiers' 

 DO NOT use plastic rials for routi)ie shipment of specimens! 



(2) Place the tube in a watertigiit shipping can. Pack absorbent cotton or 

 other suitable absorbent material around the tube to minimize shock and 

 contain any leakage. Do not use particulate material for this purpose. If 

 several tubes are placed in the same can, cushion them by wrapping each 

 individually in paper towels or cotton. Never wrap CDC Fomi 3.203 around 

 the tube containing the specimen; wrap it around the secondary container 

 (see Figure). 



(3) In an outer cardboard shipping container, pack the secondary container 

 surrounded with crumpled newspaper or other shock-resisting insulating 

 material. CDC strongly recommends using a special commercially available 

 styrofoam-lined cardboard shipping container instead of ordinary cardboard 

 containers. Seal the outer shipping container securely and affix a properly 

 completed address label. 



b. Shipping 



(1) When CO2 is used as a refrigerant, mark the outer shipping container in 

 accordance with applicable Department of Transportation regulations and 

 Air Transport Association tariffs. 



(2) Affix the Etiologic Agent/Biological Materials label to an exterior sur- 

 face of any container for etiologic agents (cultures, virus suspensions, bac- 

 terial toxins) in accordance with Title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, 

 Section 72.25. 



(3) If you are shipping specimens for long distances, send tiiem by an 

 expedited package service to assure prompt arrival. (Avoid air freight because 

 it is often delayed.) 



(4) With each specimen, submit a completed CDC Form 3.203. Furnish as 

 much of the information requested on the form as you possibly can, because 

 it facilitates faster and more reliable diagnostic service. 



(5) When possible, ship specimens so that they will arrive at the laboratory 

 at the beginning or middle of the workweek and not just before or during a 

 weekend or holiday. 



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