Packaging and Shipping
Proper packaging and shipping of your samples ensures safety for all who handle the packages during transport, as well as staff at the WSLH who receive and open the packages. It also ensures the specimen(s) will be acceptable for testing and will not be rejected due to problems that can arise when specimens are improperly packaged. Infectious substances must be shipped according to either Category B or Category A requirements depending on the contents.
Category A: An infectious substance transported in a form that, when exposure occurs, is capable of causing permanent disability, life threatening or fatal disease in otherwise healthy humans. Assignment to Category A should be based on the known medical history and symptoms of the patient, endemic local conditions, or professional judgment concerning individual circumstances of the source. If there is any doubt as to whether or not a pathogen falls within this category it must be transported as a Category A Infectious Substance. These substances are assigned to UN 2814 or 2900.
Category B: An infectious substance that does not meet the criteria for Category A that are being transported for the purpose of diagnosis or investigation. They include human or animal specimens, like isolates, blood, tissue, or fluids, that may contain infectious material but are not expected to cause permanent disability or death in healthy individuals. These substances are assigned to UN 3373.
Category B Training
Do you ship Category B infectious substances to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) for testing? If so, this course is for you!
This course will cover who, what, why and how to correctly package and ship Category B infectious substances to the WSLH for testing. It will also cover how to correctly label specimens and complete WSLH requisition forms.
Recorded Training
Link to live recording- https://youtu.be/YzqKfLUTjhw
Slide deck- https://www.slh.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WI-SLH-Specimen-Shipping-Workshop-2.pdf
Resources
WSLH Category B Packaging and Shipping Handout
U.S. DOT- Transporting Infectious Substances Safely