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Marianne Heisz

Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada

Rita Flores-León

InDRE, Secretaría de Salud, México

A Trilateral Collaboration for Enhancing Biosafety in Mexico

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Approach• Develop a biosafety and biosecurity

curriculum based on the needs of InDRE and its National Network of Public Health Laboratories – Enhance the core knowledge and hands-on

experience of lab personnel for working in containment

• Hold course for key personnel within InDRE and its network, with in-lab exercises

• Once core capacity established, hand course over to InDRE

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Development of Program• Determine core needs for agenda

development• Establish time available• Scope resources and timeframe

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Background• Mexico has 31 States and one Federal

District (Mexico City)– only 1 BSL3 lab up and running

– State Public Health Laboratory in Veracruz, MX

• InDRE (Mexico City) will open its renovated BSL3 late October

• BSL3 labs will be built as part of a new InDRE facility in Mexico City

• Two BSL3 labs will be built in the National University, and in the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases in Mexico, City

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Background

• Canada, USA and Mexico collaborated to develop a Mexico-focused biosafety and biosecurity training program/workshop

• 1st workshop held April 2008– 6 States from US-Mexico border (Baja California,

Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas) were represented

• Additional representation from Veracruz with personnel from State Lab and Mexico City (InDRE)

– Total: 7 States and 1 Federal District

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Background• 2nd workshop held July 2009

– 12 States represented (Chiapas, Guerrero, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Zacatecas, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Veracruz).

• Additionally representation from the Federal District: InDRE, National University (UNAM), National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), and BIRMEX (vaccine production).

– 2nd workshop closed with address from Veracruz Governor

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Agenda-Topics

• Basic Laboratory Safety• Laboratory Biosafety Levels• Risk Assessments

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Agenda-Topics

• Lab Design and Function• Biosafety and Biosecurity Program

Management• Laboratory Acquired Infections• Facility Operation and Maintenance• Commissioning• Ventilation systems

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Agenda-Topics

• Personal protective equipment• Biological Safety Cabinets• Sterilization, Disinfection &

Decontamination• Emergency Spill Response• Lab Accident/Incident Response• Medical Surveillance

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Agenda-Topics

• Standard Operating Procedures• Biosecurity Program• Biosecurity Risk Assessment• Transportation of Dangerous Goods

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Special Agenda Topics

• US Lab Response Network• H1N1 Lessons Learned• Mexican Biosafety Association

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Hands-on Exercises

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• BSL3 Familiarization (mechanicals tour)

• Transportation of Dangerous Goods

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Hands-on Exercises

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Case Studies

• Standard Operating Procedures• Biosecurity Risk Assessment• Transportation of Dangerous Goods

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Closing 2nd Workshop

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News

• http://www.imagendelgolfo.com.mx/resumen.php?id=119425

• http://noticomentariosvmx.blogspot.com/2009/07/reconoce-ante-el-gobernador-la.html

• http://noticomentariosvmx.blogspot.com/2009/07/inicia-segundo-taller-de-bioseguridad-y.html

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Acknowledgments• Shanna Nesby-O’Dell, Cristina Vargas, Dave

Bressler, Dwayne Lasky (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Jairo Betancourt (University of Miami)

• Celia Alpuche Aranda (InDRE), Aurora Parissi Crivelli (LESP Veracruz), Rita Flores León (InDRE), Ethel Palacios Zavala (DGAE)

• Ken Ugwu, Stacey Mantha (Public Health Agency of Canada)

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