APHL 2019 POSTER ABSTRACTS
in devices such as needles, blood tubes, urine cups, and cryovials
that are used for the collection, analysis, and storage of clinical
specimens. Lot screening as the first step in the analytical process
can potentially identify specific manufacturing lots of materials
that have metal concentrations above targeted thresholds.
Identifying unsuitable manufactured lots eliminates the likelihood
of obtaining falsely elevated results due to the use of contaminated
materials. Although the use of lot screening for analytical
methods used for biomonitoring of metals in clinical specimens
is highly recommended, numerous factors need to be considered
upon implementation of a lot screening program to ensure that
contamination is not introduced in the screening process by the
screening laboratory. Those factors will be presented as well as a
summary of the lot screening procedure used by our laboratory.
Presenter: Cynthia Ward, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Atlanta, GA, [email protected]
Innovation in Pathogen Testing: Molecular Approaches to
Traditional Screening Methods that Have Arisen with the
Rapidly Growing Cannabis Industry
J. Bramante, H. King and M. Ward, Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment
As the nascent cannabis industry grows, there is a burgeoning
demand for novel approaches to pathogen detection in a variety of
cannabis matrices. Notably, a need for fungal testing in cannabis
products has been indicated. While fungal analysis has historically
been conducted utilizing cultural methodology, there has been
a recent focus on alternative, molecular-based assays for fungal
identification in cannabis. In response to innovation in the industry
and a desire for more rapid, highly specific approaches to testing,
the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Laboratory Services Division Marijuana Laboratory Sciences
Program has evaluated molecular-based testing platforms for the
isolation and identification of Aspergillus spp. in cannabis and
cannabis products. These molecular-based testing platforms serve
as potential alternatives to cultural identification techniques, while
also providing insight into data-supported regulation.
Presenter: Julia Bramante, Colorado Department of Public Health
and Environment, Denver, CO, [email protected]
From Meeting to Action – Leveraging Indiana’s
Environmental Health System Meeting
M. Hagerman, Indiana State Public Health Laboratory
APHL partnered with the US Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) National Center for Environmental Health
42
LAB MATTERS Summer 2019
After the meeting, Indiana leveraged this event into action items
designed to reach mothers with information on well water testing.
ISDH asked that well water testing be included on immunization
schedules for young children and on obstetricians’ checklist for
safe pregnancy. The ISDH laboratory also worked with the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
(WIC) and the Indiana section of the American Congress of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) to alert these groups to the
possible hazards of well water with a special emphasis on Arsenic,
which is a naturally occurring contaminant in approximately 11% of
Indiana’s well water.
The ISDH laboratory is now working with the Indiana Health
Commissioner to explore how the state can enlist pediatricians to
promote well water testing for mothers and young children, thereby
becoming a model for other states. ISDH has updated Indiana’s
pregnancy mobile phone app to allow users to find recommended
well water tests and testing schedules, certified laboratories and
information on treatment of unsafe well water. ISDH also has
implemented a regular meeting of state environmental health
representatives with private well water issues on the agenda.
Presenter: Mary Hagerman, Indiana State Public Health Laboratory,
Indianapolis, IN, [email protected]
Science and Policy of Emerging Contaminants in Minnesota
P. Moyer, S. Saravia, C. Dahle, W. Backe, J. Kelly, K. Nyquist, A.
Suchomel, J. Jacobus and J. Shmool, Minnesota Department of
Health
Minnesota (MN) has a history of supporting environmental health
(EH) activities through governmental programs, academic research,
public policy, and legislation. One challenge in these broad EH
efforts is ensuring that communication across sectors is adequately
coordinated. This coordination is crucial to maximize existing
resources and optimize requests to establish new projects. In
particular, efforts in the area of contaminants of emerging concern
(CEC) can be difficult to manage. Because CECs represent a broad
class of contaminants, we needed to bring together representatives
from the EH community in MN to help identify and prioritize this
work. Within the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), multiple
programs work to address issues related to CECs including the
Public Health Laboratory (PHL)1, Environmental Surveillance
and Assessment (ESA)2, Chronic Disease and Environmental
Epidemiology (CDEE)3, and Drinking Water Protection (DWP). The
ability to coordinate this type of work both internally as well as with
external partners in the CEC fields remains a challenge.
In order to improve collaboration, MDH hosted a one-day meeting
made possible through an Association of Public Health Laboratories
grant. MDH PHL, in collaboration with ESA and CDEE, planned the
full day workshop on CECs under the guidance of a professional
facilitator from the Minnesota Management and Budget agency.
The purpose of this meeting was to inform the attending EH
professionals about the current work being done in Minnesota
as well as solicit input from stakeholders to inform programs
about priorities or other CEC considerations. In order for this to
PublicHealthLabs
@APHL
APHL.org
With advances in analytical technology and changes in population
exposure levels (trending downward), finding suitable materials
for trace metal analysis has become increasingly difficult. Our
laboratory recently compiled over 16-years of lot screening data for
the purpose of evaluating trends in manufacturing lot failures. A
number of analytes evaluated had an increasing percentage of lots
failing over time. We focused on zinc, barium, manganese, lead,
beryllium, and tungsten because they had the most lot screening
failures. For each element, there was a general increase in the
number of lots screened per analyte for each method. A summary of
this data will be provided.
Environmental Hazards and Health Effects Division to provide
funding for laboratories to develop and host a meeting of their
environmental health system partners. Indiana was a funding
recipient and hosted its meeting in October 2018 on Safe Well
Water and Maternal/Child Health.