#ABSA Orlando 2012, American Biological Safety Asociation

Early Registration Discounts End Today!

Leaders in the field of biosafety will be meeting in Orlando, Florida from October 19-24, 2012 for the 55th Annual Biological Safety Conference. Three days of preconference courses will continue to offer ABSA's highly regarded education programs for all levels of biosafety experience covering topics from aerobiology to virology. This year's scientific program will also include a Town Hall Meeting on the new select agent regulations. Make sure you arrange your travel so you don't miss the Wednesday afternoon Mock IBC session. Discounts for early registration will end on September 28, 2012. Registration is open and spaces are filling quickly. Reserve your seat!
http://www.absaconference.org.

Low-temperature decontamination with hydrogen peroxide or chlorine dioxide for space applications

Abstract:
The currently used microbial decontamination method for spacecraft and components uses dry-heat microbial reduction at temperatures of >110°C for extended periods to prevent the contamination of extraplanetary destinations. This process is effective and reproducible, but it is also long and costly and precludes the use of heat-labile materials. The need for an alternative to dry-heat microbial reduction has been identified by space agencies. Investigations assessing the biological efficacy of two gaseous decontamination technologies, vapor hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide, were undertaken in a 20-m(3) exposure chamber. Five spore-forming Bacillus spp. were exposed on stainless steel coupons to vaporized hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide gas. Exposure for 20 min to vapor hydrogen peroxide resulted in 6- and 5-log reductions in the recovery of Bacillus atrophaeus and Geobacillus stearothermophilus, respectively. However, in comparison, chlorine dioxide required an exposure period of 60 min to reduce both B. atrophaeus and G. stearothermophilus by 5 logs. Of the three other Bacillus spp. tested, Bacillus thuringiensis proved the most resistant to hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide with D values of 175.4 s and 6.6 h, respectively. Both low-temperature decontamination technologies proved effective at reducing the Bacillus spp. tested within the exposure ranges by over 5 logs, with the exception of B. thuringiensis, which was more resistant to both technologies. These results indicate that a review of the indicator organism choice and loading could provide a more appropriate and realistic challenge for the sterilization procedures used in the space industry.


Reference:
Pottage T, Macken S, Giri K, Walker JT, Bennett AM. Low-temperature decontamination with hydrogen peroxide or chlorine dioxide for space applications. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2012 Jun;78(12):4169-74.

USDA ARS 2nd International Biosafety and Biocontainment Symposium

February 4-7, 2013

Hilton Alexandria Mark Center                         

Registration Now Open!

ABSA will be the managing partner of the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) 2nd International Biosafety & Biocontainment Symposium - Agriculture Research and Response for Field and Lab. The Symposium will be held February 4-7, 2013, in Alexandria Virginia at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. The Symposium will include ten pre-symposium courses and 2½ days of scientific presentations. There will also be exhibits showcasing the latest agricultural biosafety and biocontainment products and services. Registration, sponsors, and details for this event are available at http://arssymposium.absa.org.
Pre-Symposium Courses: (4 hours each)
Plant Pathology 101: Introduction of Principles on Plant Pathology

Program Outline (Subject to Change)

Pre-symposium Courses: (4 hours each)

Monday February 4, 2013

• Plant Pathology 101
• Plant Containment
• Intro to APHIS regulatory oversight
• APHIS Permitting
• Integrated Pest Management & Biocontrol
• Agrodefense
• FBI Biosecurity for Lab Research
• GMO – International Perspective on Biological Safety
• Biocontainment Techniques beyond the Biosafety Cabinet
• Food Defense

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

• Session I – Food Safety, Defense, and Security Research and Biosafety/Biocontainment Challenges
• Session II – Containment and Research Challenges for Work on Plant Pathogens, Pests, GMOs, and Biocontrol AgentsWednesday, February 6, 2013

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

• Session III – Regulatory and Oversight Issues
• Session IV – LAIs

Thursday, February 7, 2013

• Session V – Animal Health

The Symposium will consist of sessions covering a variety of topics including containment and security challenges, GMOs, and agroterrorism. There will be a roundtable discussion on the culture of responsibility and security and another on LAIs and break in containment. Keynote speakers will open the program on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In addition to the valuable courses and sessions, you will have the opportunity to network with professionals from the biosafety and scientific research industries, organizations, and agencies.
Register soon as space is limited. http://arssymposium.absa.org

Pulmonary and heart rate responses to wearing N95 filtering facepiece respirators

rkb.us

BACKGROUND: Filtering facepiece respirators are the most common respirator worn by US health care and industrial workers, yet little is known on the physiologic impact of wearing this protective equipment.
METHODS: Twenty young, healthy subjects exercised on a treadmill at a low-moderate (5.6 km/h) work rate while wearing 4 different models of N95 filtering facepiece respirators for 1 hour each, 2 models of which were equipped with exhalation valves, while being monitored for physiologic variables.
RESULTS: Compared with controls, respirator use was associated with mean 1 hour increases in heart rate (range, 5.7-10.6 beats per minute, P < .001), respiratory rate (range, 1.4-2.4 breaths per minute, P < .05), and transcutaneous carbon dioxide (range, 1.7-3.0 mm Hg, P < .001). No significant differences in oxygen saturation between controls and respirators were noted (P > .05).
CONCLUSION: The pulmonary and heart rate responses to wearing a filtering facepiece respirator for 1 hour at a low-moderate work rate are relatively small and should generally be well tolerated by healthy persons.
Reference
Kim JH, Benson SM, Roberge RJ. Pulmonary and heart rate responses to wearing N95 filtering facepiece respirators. Am J Infect Control. 2012 Aug 31.

Establishing a laboratory network of influenza diagnosis in Indonesia

topnews.in

Abstract
Indonesia has been part of the global influenza surveillance since the establishment of a National Influenza Center (NIC) at the National Institute of Health Research and Development (NIHRD) by the Indonesian Ministry of Health in 1975. When the outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1) occurred, the NIC and US Naval Medical Research Unit 2 were the only diagnostic laboratories equipped for etiology confirmation. The large geographical area of the Republic of Indonesia poses a real challenge to provide prompt and accurate diagnosis nationally. This was the main reason to establish a laboratory network for H5N1 diagnosis in Indonesia. Currently, 44 laboratories have been included in the network capable of performing polymerase chain reaction testing for influenza A. Diagnostic equipment and standard procedures of biosafety and biosecurity of handling specimens have been adopted largely from World Health Organization recommendations.
Reference:

Setiawaty V, Pangesti KN, Sampurno OD. Establishing a laboratory network of influenza diagnosis in Indonesia: an experience from the avian flu (H5N1) outbreak. Clin Epidemiol. 2012;4:209-12. Epub 2012 Aug 15.

#Toxoplasmosis no es un virus, es un parásito @quien

wikimedia.org

Cuando leo noticias como que Shakira tiene toxoplasmosis, pues digo, pobre chica, ojalá la atienda un buen infectólogo. Pero cuando el titular de la noticia dice que la toxoplasmosis es un virus, me entra la extrema urgencia de hacer post en el blog y aclarar el asunto. Los virus y los parásitos tienen un mundo de diferencia en sus estructuras, aunque los dos dependen de un huésped. Los virus solo pueden vivir y reproducirse dentro de una célula, a diferencia de los parásitos que tienen sus propias células y ocasionalmente requieren estadios en células u órganos. Además, los virus son extremadamente pequeños en comparación con los parásitos, y genéticamente los parásitos son cientos de veces mas complejos que los virus. En específico, la toxoplasmosis o Toxoplasma gondii ocasiona una enfermedad que puede ser fatal en humanos, y que infecta también a gatos, convirtiéndolos en huéspedes y fuentes de transmisión, aunque la principal fuente de infección son los alimentos mal lavados y el consumo de carne mal cocida. Algunos de los síntomas pueden consultarse en la página de Medline sobre toxoplasmosis. Las hojas de seguridad de microorganismos de Health Canada las pueden ver en: toxoplasmosis.

Guideline for Microbial Risk Assessment

DESCARGAR

Scientists from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and joined by scientists from other federal agencies developed the Guideline for Microbial Risk Assessment: Pathogenic Microorganisms with Focus on Food and Water (231 pp, 1.24Mb). This document provides a common framework to perform microbial risk assessment (MRA). It lays out a flexible set of approaches, methods, and tools for use to conduct their microbial risk assessment and provide more transparency to the process and results. This guideline addresses issues specific to microbial risk, e.g., secondary transmission, immune status, and growth and die-off of organisms, as well as addressing concepts generic to classical chemical risk assessment.

#WHO guidelines on hand hygiene in health care

Overview. The WHO guidelines on hand hygiene in health care provide health-care workers (HCWs), hospital administrators and health authorities with a thorough review of evidence on hand hygiene in health care and specific recommendations to improve practices and reduce transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to patients and HCWs. The present guidelines are intended to be implemented in any situation in which health care is delivered either to a patient or to a specific group in a population. Therefore, this concept applies to all settings where health care is permanently or occasionally performed, such as home care by birth attendants. Definitions of health-care settings are proposed in Appendix 1.

DESCARGAR

Curso sobre control de infecciones hospitalarias UVG

El Centro de Estudios en Salud de la Universidad del Valle de Guatemala y la oficina Regional para Centro América y Panamá del CDC desarrollaron un curso en línea sobre el control de infecciones en hospitales que pueden ver en las siguientes ligas.
El menú con los cursos.
Curso de control de infecciones.

Recommendations for the Management of #Hepatitis B Virus–Infected Health-Care Providers and Students

The primary goal of this report is to promote patient safety while providing risk management and practice guidance to HBVinfected health-care providers and students, particularly those performing exposure-prone procedures such as certain types of surgery. Because percutaneous injuries sustained by health-care personnel during certain surgical, obstetrical, and dental procedures provide a potential route of HBV transmission to patients as well as providers, this report emphasizes prevention of operator injuries and blood exposures during exposure-prone surgical, obstetrical, and dental procedures.
References:

• Holmberg SD, Suryaprasad S & Ward JW. Updated CDC Recommendations for the Management of Hepatitis B Virus–Infected Health-Care Providers and Students. MMWR 2012 Vol. 61 / No. 3.

• Erratum Vol. 61, No. RR-3

In the MMWR Recommendations and Reports “Updated CDC Recommendations for the Management of Hepatitis B Virus–Infected Health-Care Providers and Students,” an error occurred on page 4 in the second sentence of the section headed “Treatments for Chronic Hepatitis B Infection.” The sentence should read, “Currently, seven therapeutic agents are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, including two formulations of interferon (interferon alpha and pegylated interferon) and five nucleoside or nucleotide analogs (lamuvidine, telbivudine, adefovir, entecavir, and tenofovir).”

Lista de antineoplásicos y otras substancias peligrosas en hospitales #NIOSH 2012

IR A NIOSH DOCUMENT

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Alert: Preventing Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Health Care Settings was published in September 2004. In Appendix A of the Alert, NIOSH identified a sample list of major hazardous drugs. The list was compiled from information provided by four institutions that have generated lists of hazardous drugs for their respective facilities and by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) from the American Hospital Formulary Service Drug Information (AHFS DI) monographs [ASHP/AHFS DI 2003]. The 2004 list was updated in 2010; this update adds 26 drugs to the 2010 list. These additions are new drugs or existing drugs that had new warnings from 2007 to 2009. 
Referencias: 

• Preventing Occupational Exposure to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Health Care Settings 2004
• NIOSH List of Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings 2012 

MAP: Vaccine preventable Outbreaks

http://www.cfr.org/interactives/GH_Vaccine_Map/index.html#intro

Antrax en usuarios de heroina

Wikipedia

El ántrax (o carbunco) es una enfermedad infecciosa, aguda y grave producida por el Bacillus antrhacis, y cuya severidad se establece dependiendo de la vía de entrada al individuo afectado. Las esporas han sido utilizadas como armas biológicas. Sin embargo, es un microorganismo que sobrevive en el ambiente, por lo que los animales pueden comer pastura contaminada y enfermarse, o convertirse en reservorios para la diseminación de la bacteria. 

En Junio de 2012 se describieron dos casos de ánthrax en usuarios de heroína en Alemania, y en ese momento se desconocía el origen de la infección. Para el 10 de Julio de 2012, se han descrito 5 casos en total, incluyendo uno en Francia y uno en Dinamarca, y entre los cuales ya se cuenta una muerte. En uno de los casos, no se ha demostrado el consumo de heroína. Se cree que la heroína, prohibida en Europa, fué introducida de contrabando y que en algún momento estuvo en contacto con animales o pastura contaminada. Un caso complicado, ya que en este momento se han emitido boletines de alerta epidemiológica y policiaca, y varios organismos Europeos están en la búsqueda de la fuente para evitar nuevos casos, incluyendo la EUROPOL (European Law Enforcement Agency) y el ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control). Una de las recomendaciones es que los usuarios de heroína no la utilicen, una medida que las mismas agencias reconocen será difícil de cumplir. Es posible que si los contrabandistas de heroína siguen almacenando en los mismos sitios, o transportandola en los mismos vehículos, se sigan presentando nuevos casos. Ya se han descrito casos de Anthrax en usuarios de heroína en otros países, como en Escocia.

Referencias

• Anthrax cases among injecting drug users Germany

• RAPID RISK ASSESSMENT: Anthrax cases among injecting drug users Germany, June-July 2012

• Bacillus anthracis - Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

El conocimiento como factor de vulnerabilidad a la tuberculosis

speakingofresearch.wordpress.com

Resumen: Este estudio buscó identificar la vulnerabilidad a la tuberculosis (TB) relacionada al conocimiento poseído sobre la enfermedad entre 76 alumnos y profesionales de enfermería. Estudio cuantitativo descriptivo, con datos recolectados mediante cuestionario cerrado acerca de la transmisión, formas de prevención y medidas de bioseguridad, diagnóstico y preconceptos sobre la enfermedad. Datos analizados con software SAS versión 9.1.3 con nivel de significatividad de 5% (<0,05). Se evidenció la vulnerabilidad a TB entre alumnos y profesionales relacionada al conocimiento sobre transmisión, formas de prevención, medidas de bioseguridad y diagnóstico. En lo referente a transmisión, se observó mayor vulnerabilidad entre los profesionales. Los resultados determinan necesidad de inversión en tal asunto por parte de instituciones médico-asistenciales, considerando el papel desempeñado por la enfermería en estrategias de prevención y control de la enfermedad.

Descriptores: Tuberculosis; Vulnerabilidad; Enfermería; Prevención de enfermedades transmisibles

Referencia:

Rev Esc Enferm USP 2012; 46(3):696-703 

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46n3/23.pdf

VIDEO: Fabulous talk of @phylogenomics about our microorganisms

@phylogenomics (Jonathan Eisen) Habla acerca de la microbiota normal humana, y cómo mediante es estudio de su material genético se ha obtenido importante información sobre la necesidad humana de estos microorganismos. También habla de la necesidad de moderar el uso de antibióticos, usarlos sólo cuando es necesario, para evitar eliminar las miles de especies de microorganismos que residen en nuestro organismo. 

Medidas preventivas contra el #cólera

El cólera es una enfermedad aguda, diarreica, provocada por la bacteria Vibrio cholerae, la cual se manifiesta como una infección intestinal. Aproximadamente una de cada 20 personas infectadas puede tener la enfermedad en estado grave, caracterizada por diarrea acuosa profusa, vómitos y entumecimiento de las piernas. En estas personas, la pérdida rápida de líquidos corporales lleva a la deshidratación y a la postración. Sin tratamiento adecuado, puede ocurrir la muerte en cuestión de algunas horas. Una persona puede adquirir cólera bebiendo líquido o comiendo alimentos contaminados con la bacteria del cólera. Durante una epidemia, la fuente de contaminación son generalmente las heces de una persona infectada. La enfermedad puede diseminarse rápidamente en áreas con tratamientos inadecuados de agua potable y aguas residuales. La bacteria del cólera también puede vivir en ríos salubres y aguas costeras. Existen varios antibióticos para el tratamiento de la infección incluyendo tetraciclinas (en caso de síntomas, consulte a su médico). Debido a que existen variantes resistentes, el uso de antibióticos es limitado. Hasta el 80% de los casos puede tratarse satisfactoriamente mediante la pronta administración de sales de rehidratación oral (el sobrecito estándar de SRO de la OMS y el UNICEF). El periodo de incubación puede ser desde algunas horas hasta 5 días. Es susceptible a desinfectantes tales como: 2-5% fenol, 1% hipoclorito de sodio, 4% formaldehído, 2% glutaraldehído, 70% etanol, 70% propanol, 2% ácido peracético, 3-6% peróxido de hidrógeno, y 0.16% yoduro de sodio. El cólera puede sobrevivir en el agua de 5- 10 días. El cólera pertenece al grupo de riesgo 2 y se recomiendas medidas de bioseguridad nivel 2 para su manejo, pero con especial enfasis a evitar la pormación de aerosoles durante su manejo. Para mayor información, consulte las siguientes...

Referencias:

• Wikipedia: Cólera.

• Cholera: Patogen Safety Data Sheet(PSDS), Public Health Agency Canada. 

• Prevención y control de los brotes de cólera: política y recomendaciones de la OMS. 

• El cólera. La higiene, vía para combatirlo. 

Curso en línea de #bioseguridad en granjas porcinas

Objetivo: Que el participante conozca las principales prácticas estratégicas de la bioseguridad y practique sus conocimientos de bioseguridadpor medio de la resolución de casos clínicos y prácticos. El curso es impartido completamente en línea y los participantes no tendrán que trasladarse de su lugar de trabajo o domicilio y estarán en constante contacto con el maestro y los compañeros. Se analizarán las prácticas estratégicas más importantes que se pueden implementar en las granjas utilizando el sistema 20:80 en el que controlando el 20% de las prácticas estratégicas se controla el resto. 
Los temas se analizarán a través de foro, tareas, caricaturas, texto, cuestionario, videoconferencias, videocomedias, lecciones, conferencias en tiempo real, talleres, estudios de casos clínicos y prácticos. Los temas que se revisarán son:

1. Importancia de la bioseguridad 
2. Cómo evitar que el personal introduzca gérmenes patógenos. 
3. Cómo evitar que los vehículos introduzcan gérmenes patógenos 
4. Cómo evitar que los animales y el semen introduzcan gérmenes patógenos. 
5. Cómo reducir la contaminación en la piara. 
6. Política del buen vecino 

Fecha y duración: Cuatro semanas del domingo 2 al sábado29 de septiembre de 2012 (80 horas) Requisitos: Tener computadora y conocer internet. Costo: 200 dólares o su equivalente en pesos mexicanos. Cupo limitado. Al terminar los participantes recibirán un diploma.   
Para inscribirse al curso intensivo en línea de Bioseguridad por favor mande la ficha de depósito por 200 US dólares o su equivalente en pesos mexicanos, en la cuenta de Bancomer 0134058801 a nombre de INIFAP.

Atentamente 

Dr. Antonio Morilla González 
Transferencia de tecnología a distancia 
en control de enfermedades de los cerdos 
INIFAP

School Chemistry Laboratory Safety Guide

DESCARGAR AQUI

Esta guía (School Chemistry Laboratory Safety Guide) escrita inicialmente en 1984 y actualizada en 2006, fué desarrollada por U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission y el National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) como una ayuda a profesores de ciencia para identificar sustancias peligrosas. El documento provee de información a profesores y estudiantes, para tomar acciones preventivas para minimizar los riesgos, exposiciones y accidentes de laboratorio. Esta guía presenta información sobre cómo ordenar, usar, almacenar y mantener sustancias químicas en laboratorios de enseñanza. La guía provee además de información sobre los desechos químicos, equipo de protección y de emergencia, evaluación de riesgos químicos, símbolos y señales químicas comunes, como las hojas de seguridad de materiales y los planes de higiene química. Además, contiene listas de revisión para revisar la información importante para el trabajo de laboratorio, identificar los riesgos y tener procedimientos de trabajo menos riesgosos.

- - - ENGLISH - - -
In 1984, the Council of State Science Supervisors, in association with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, published the safety guide School Science Laboratories: A Guide to Some Hazardous Substances to help science teachers identify hazardous substances that may be used in school laboratories and provide an inventory of these substances. The document attempts to provide teachers, and ultimately their students, with information so that they can take the appropriate precautionary actions in order to prevent or minimize hazards, harmful exposures, and injuries in the laboratory. The guide presents information about ordering, using, storing, and maintaining chemicals in the high school laboratory. The guide also provides information about chemical waste, safety and emergency equipment, assessing chemical hazards, common safety symbols and signs, and fundamental resources relating to chemical safety, such as Material Safety Data Sheets and Chemical Hygiene Plans, to help create a safe environment for learning. In addition, checklists are provided for both teachers and students that highlight important information for working in the laboratory and identify hazards and safe work procedures.

Referencia:
School Chemistry Laboratory Safety Guide
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2007–107

Publica Science artículo de Fouchier sobre la transmisión de influenza H5N1

Ir al artículo original

Finalmente la revista Science publica el controversial artículo original de Fouchier et al. sobre la transmisión de influenza H5N1 en mamíferos.

REFERENCIAS

• Comentario editorial por Bruce Alberts. >> H5N1 << 
• Herfst et al. Airborne Transmission of Influenza A/H5N1 Virus Between Ferrets. Science 22 June 2012: Vol. 336 no. 6088 pp. 1534-1541. Artículo original
• Anthony S. Fauci and Francis S. Collins. Benefits and Risks of Influenza Research: Lessons Learned. Science 22 June 2012: 1522-1523.
• Mark S. Frankel. Regulating the Boundaries of Dual-Use Research. Science 22 June 2012: 1523-1525.
• Carrie D. Wolinetz. Implementing the New U.S. Dual-Use Policy. Science 22 June 2012: 1525-1527.

ABSTRACT
Highly pathogenic avian influenza A/H5N1 virus can cause morbidity and mortality in humans but thus far has not acquired the ability to be transmitted by aerosol or respiratory droplet (“airborne transmission”) between humans. To address the concern that the virus could acquire this ability under natural conditions, we genetically modified A/H5N1 virus by site-directed mutagenesis and subsequent serial passage in ferrets. The genetically modified A/H5N1 virus acquired mutations during passage in ferrets, ultimately becoming airborne transmissible in ferrets. None of the recipient ferrets died after airborne infection with the mutant A/H5N1 viruses. Four amino acid substitutions in the host receptor-binding protein hemagglutinin, and one in the polymerase complex protein basic polymerase 2, were consistently present in airborne-transmitted viruses. The transmissible viruses were sensitive to the antiviral drug oseltamivir and reacted well with antisera raised against H5 influenza vaccine strains. Thus, avian A/H5N1 influenza viruses can acquire the capacity for airborne transmission between mammals without recombination in an intermediate host and therefore constitute a risk for human pandemic influenza.

International Laboratory Safety Culture Survey

La prestigiosa revista Nature realiza en colaboración con el Centro para la Seguridad de Laboratorios de la Universidad de California y BioRAFT una encuesta (International Laboratory Safety Culture Survey [english]) sobre cultura de seguridad en laboratorios de investigación, e invitan a todos los investigadores a que participen, de forma anonima. La encuesta toma responderla entre 15 y 20 minutos y realiza preguntas sobre el tipo de materiales que se utilizan en investigación y que representan un riesgo para el personal, prácticas de entrenamiento, políticas de seguridad, actitudes y creencias, así cono su impacto en investigación. No están realizando invitaciones directas así que todos los interesados pueden participar visitando la página de Nature (AQUI), o directamente en la encuesta (AQUI).

World Rabies Day Webinar, Sept. 20-21, 2012

The Global Alliance for Rabies Control, in cooperation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is pleased to announce the 3rd Annual World Rabies Day Webinar to be held September 20-21, 2012. The Webinar brings together noted leaders in rabies research, One-Health advocates, professionals, students and World Rabies Day event planners in real-time to discuss the important public health issue of rabies while providing a forum for dialogue within and across disciplines. 

The two day event will focus on canine rabies elimination; human rabies surveillance, prevention and intervention; wildlife rabies control; information and education campaigns and building sustainable programs. Day 1 (Sept 20) of the Webinar will concentrate on presentations from Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Day 2 (Sept 21) will spotlight talks from North America, Latin America and the Caribbean Regions. 

There is no cost to attend the Webinars but you must register in advance (HERE).

Enviado por: "Juan A. Montaño"

Natural ventilation for Infection Control / Ventilación natural para el control de infecciones

Durante los dos últimos años, un equipo multidisciplinario de ingenieros, arquitectos, especialistas en el control de las infecciones y microbiólogos ha trabajado en la elaboración estas guías para proporcionar pautas de diseño y funcionamiento a los planificadores, ingenieros y arquitectos de hospitales y al personal encargado del control de las infecciones nosocomiales. Las recomendaciones de esta guía de la OMS se basan en una revisión sistemática de la bibliografía consagrada a la relación entre la ventilación y la transmisión de enfermedades, así como a las soluciones de ventilación natural eficaces en el control de las infecciones. Esta guía de la OMS debe usarse junto con otras recomendaciones de interés en el control de las infecciones. 

• Guía Ventilación natural para el control de las infecciones (Español)

This guideline is primarily developed for engineers and architects who design or operate health-care facilities. The guideline is also useful for health-care workers, particularly infection-control professionals who work in health-care facilities. The guideline recognizes that the hospital designers, operators and health-care workers need to work together for effective infection control. This guideline applies to diseases that can be transmitted through fine droplets or through droplet nuclei. The guideline describes how an airborne precaution room and its adjacent areas can be designed to provide natural ventilation control of infections. However, this guideline does not include thorough descriptions for other infection-prevention and control measures.

• Natural Ventilation for Infection Control in Health-Care Settings (English)

VIDEO: Aseptic laboratory techniques: plating methods.

Abstract: 
Microorganisms are present on all inanimate surfaces creating ubiquitous sources of possible contamination in the laboratory. Experimental success relies on the ability of a scientist to sterilize work surfaces and equipment as well as prevent contact of sterile instruments and solutions with non-sterile surfaces. Here we present the steps for several plating methods routinely used in the laboratory to isolate, propagate, or enumerate microorganisms such as bacteria and phage. All five methods incorporate aseptic technique, or procedures that maintain the sterility of experimental materials. Procedures described include (1) streak-plating bacterial cultures to isolate single colonies, (2) pour-plating and (3) spread-plating to enumerate viable bacterial colonies, (4) soft agar overlays to isolate phage and enumerate plaques, and (5) replica-plating to transfer cells from one plate to another in an identical spatial pattern. These procedures can be performed at the laboratory bench, provided they involve non-pathogenic strains of microorganisms (Biosafety Level 1, BSL-1). If working with BSL-2 organisms, then these manipulations must take place in a biosafety cabinet. Consult the most current edition of the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) as well as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for Infectious Substances to determine the biohazard classification as well as the safety precautions and containment facilities required for the microorganism in question. Bacterial strains and phage stocks can be obtained from research investigators, companies, and collections maintained by particular organizations such as the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). It is recommended that non-pathogenic strains be used when learning the various plating methods. By following the procedures described in this protocol, students should be able to: Perform plating procedures without contaminating media. Isolate single bacterial colonies by the streak-plating method. Use pour-plating and spread-plating methods to determine the concentration of bacteria. Perform soft agar overlays when working with phage. Transfer bacterial cells from one plate to another using the replica-plating procedure. Given an experimental task, select the appropriate plating method.
Reference: 
Sanders ER. Aseptic laboratory techniques: plating methods. J Vis Exp. 2012 May 11;(63). pii: 3064.

Screening category A and B priority #pathogens

Abstract. One of the objectives of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Biodefense Program is to identify or develop broad-spectrum antimicrobials for use against bioterrorism pathogens and emerging infectious agents. As a part of that program, our institution has screened the 10 000-compound MyriaScreen Diversity Collection of high-purity druglike compounds against three NIAID category A and one category B priority pathogens in an effort to identify potential compound classes for further drug development. The effective use of a Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institutebased high-throughput screening (HTS) 96-wellbased format allowed for the identification of 49 compounds that had in vitro activity against all four pathogens with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 16 g/mL. Adaptation of the HTS process was necessary to conduct the work in higher-level containment, in this case, biosafety level 3. Examination of chemical scaffolds shared by some of the 49 compounds and assessment of available chemical databases indicates that several may represent broad-spectrum antimicrobials whose activity is based on novel mechanisms of action. 


References
Barrow EW, et.al. High-Throughput Screening of a Diversity Collection Using Biodefense Category A and B Priority Pathogens. J Biomol Screen. 2012 May 31. 

NIAID Category A, B, and C Priority Pathogens. NIAID’s pathogen priority list is periodically reviewed and is subject to revision in conjunction with our federal partners, including the Department of Homeland Security, which determines threat assessments, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is responsible for responding to emerging pathogen threats in the United States. 

#AMEXBIO: Revista Liderazgo y Experiencia Médica

Vean la nueva versión de la revista Liderazgo y Experiencia Médica, todo un número sobre la Asociación Mexicana de Bioseguridad y sus actividades, así como importantes artículos de profesionales de la Seguridad Biológica.