Lab Matters Fall 2024 | Page 51

APHL 2024 POSTER ABSTRACTS

The Role of the Public Health Laboratories in the US to Meet Biosecurity Preparedness and Other Public Health Needs

T . Sambol , P . Iwen , Nebraska Public Health Laboratory

Background / Introduction : Public health laboratories in the United States play a crucial role in the diagnostic testing of and surveillance for diseases of all varieties . Building on the 1999 formation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s ( CDC ) Laboratory Response Network ( LRN ), in 2001 the Association of Public Health Laboratories ( APHL ) initiated the “ State Laboratories Demonstration Project ” in which four states — WA , MN , MI and NE — were chosen . The purpose of this project was to examine new ways of strengthening existing laboratory systems within each state so that best practices learned could then be shared with other states in an effort to build a strong but flexible national laboratory system ( NLS ).

Objective / Purpose : This presentation describes the interaction amongst APHL , the LRN , with the US Public Health Laboratories ( PHLs ), including the US Territories , and how this relationship has helped to strengthened PHL response to emerging and re-emerging disease threats .

Method : Beginning in 2001 , examples of public health interactions amongst PHLs laboratories and private , hospital and larger commercial laboratories were identified and documented by each of the four PHLs enrolled in the Laboratory Demonstration Project . Data was then analyzed to determine the “ best practices ” between these laboratories with their closest PHL in the areas of communication methods , data transfer , training in biosafety and biosecurity and testing methodologies .

Key Findings : Guidance and mentoring were built through strong relations with APHL and CDC . The PHLs in the US have been critical to this network which has collaborated with thousands of hospital and private laboratories throughout the US . Diseases of public health significance that the laboratories in the NLS have responded successfully includes SARS-CoV-1 disease ( 2003 ), West Nile virus disease ( 2003 ), pandemic influenza ( 2004 ), middle eastern respiratory syndrome ( 2012 ), Ebola virus disease ( 2014 ), Zika virus disease ( 2015 ), COVID-19 ( 2019 ) and Mpox ( 2022 ). The role of the PHL in these situations was to provide not only laboratory support , but also training as needed to various private and commercial laboratories .

Conclusions : CDC and APHL interaction in the US showed that a strong laboratory system integrated at the private , local , regional and national levels has been key to provide a seamless response to many pandemic disease outbreaks . The NLS is , and will continue to be , flexible to be able to adopt to changes required for those reemerging or emerging pathogens . Additionally , as global warming continues to change the global disease landscape , public health laboratories need to be vigilant in testing for and reporting new or re-emerging infectious diseases e . g ., Malaria , Zika , Dengue and Yellow Fever .

Presenter : Tony Sambol , asambol @ unmc . edu

Two is Better than One : Advancing Biosafety and Biosecurity Through Twinning Activities

A . Liddicoat 1 , S . Chester 2 , M . Marsico 2 , North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health 1 , Association of Public Health

Laboratories 2

Established in 2016 , the Biosafety Peer Network — also known as the Visiting Biosafety Official Program — aims to strengthen biosafety and biosecurity by connecting state , local and territorial public health laboratories ( PHL ) and laboratories in the US-affiliated Pacific Islands to facilitate mentoring and information sharing among biosafety official and officers ( BSOs ). The exchange is expected to advance and harmonize biosafety and biosecurity in laboratories , while fostering a collaborative community — and ultimately improving PHL biosafety and biosecurity nationwide .

This poster will highlight the lessons learned and bonds formed during the program .

Presenter : Anna Liddicoat , anna . liddicoat @ dhhs . nc . gov

Using ISO 35001 as a Tool to Help Improve a Laboratory ’ s Local Community Relations

S . Altmann , A . Patel , J . Alam , MRIGlobal

Introduction : As the number of high containment laboratories being built increases , these laboratories face more scrutiny from the communities they serve regarding the adequacy of their biorisk management practices . Creating awareness , communication and education are key to “ proving ” that they are effective and responsible stewards of their biomaterials , staff and community .

Context and Aim : Most existing biorisk management guidelines outline best practices for mitigating biorisks but provide less detail on the processes needed to support and sustain their implementation . ISO 35001 biorisk management for laboratories and other related organizations takes a process-based approach to risk mitigation that requires laboratories to identify and address those needs .

Method : The authors performed a comparison of two internationally recognized biorisk management guidelines and ISO 35001 to determine which processes guideline-compliant laboratories already have in place and which are likely to be poorly-defined or absent .

Findings : The analysis indicated that implementation of ISO 35001 would substantially improve the planning , documentation , resilience , transparency and accountability of laboratories that otherwise use those guidelines as their primary authorities .

Innovative contribution : Implementation of ISO 35001 can provide laboratories with the tools to build trust and instill public confidence in the laboratories ’ ability to serve as responsible managers of biorisks .

Presenter : Sharon Altmann , saltmann @ mriglobal . org