Identifying Laboratory Samples at Risk of Containing Poliovirus

Tufts University follows the CDC and WHO guidance to identify and report all laboratory samples at risk for containing poliovirus (PV). All Tufts University Principal Investigators are required to report the discovery, acquisition, disposal or transfer of any poliovirus or poliovirus potentially infectious materials (PPIM) to the Biosafety Office biosafety@tufts.edu. This information will be collected and reported as required by the U.S. National Authority for Containment of Poliovirus (NAC) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

  1. Clinical and environmental samples present a risk of PV transmission if samples were collected in a place and time where wild-type or vaccine-derived PV was circulating, or oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) was in use. Of note, 19% of stool samples and 1% of respiratory samples from asymptomatic people were positive for PV in areas of known PV transmission or where OPV was in use.
     
  2. Poliovirus Potentially Infectious Materials (PPIM) include the following:
    • Environmental (sewage, wastewater, untreated surface water
    • Respiratory secretions
    • Stool specimens
    • Uncharacterized Enterovirus samples
    • Extracted nucleic acids (from any of the above)
       
  3. Regions and times where wild-type or vaccine-derived PV was circulating, or oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) was in use include the following*:
    1. Middle East (any dates)
    2. Africa (any dates)
    3. Asia (prior to 2018)
    4. Europe, North America, South America (prior to 2016)
    5. USA prior to 2000
    6. Australia (prior to 2006)
    7. *See Country and time-specific poliovirus data for more detailed information about geographical areas and times of concern.
       
  4. Additional training will be provided by the Biosafety Office to laboratories that possess PPIM.
     
  5. To determine whether you possess materials that could contain poliovirus, please see the CDC website for definitions and examples or PIM identification tool or Country and time-specific poliovirus data.
     
  6. To learn more about the World Health Organization’s Global Action Plan for Poliovirus Containment (GAPIII) please visit Polio Global Eradication Initiative: Containment Guidance and Tools or CDC U.S. National Authority for Containment of Poliovirus Areas with Ongoing Poliovirus Circulation.
  7. Other resources: PIM guidance, Containment SOP for identification and destruction, Facility reporting, U.S. Poliovirus Containment Survey.