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CAP Bioterrorism survey
CAP Bioterrorism survey
We are beginning to have quite a discussion about the CAP's
bioterrorism survey that was recently completed. One of the organisms
was an attenuated strain of Brucella abortus. Now anyone well trained
in microbiology should remember that B. abortus is one of the few
organisms that can infect not only through mucus membranes, but through
intact skin as well. It seems that the instructions for handling these
unknown cultures call for biosafety level 2 containment with BSL 3
protective gear. I guess some techs are complaining that they were
exposed to the bugs and now there is a controversy brewing that is
calling for stopping the survey unless you are a full BSL3 lab.
My question is that these organisms do occur in patients not related to
any bioterrorism threat and microbiologists and micro techs must be
properly trained to handle these organisms. I don't see any need to try
to stop this and it might be the only time a tech will see these bugs.
The Veterans Affairs central office for laboratory services is
recommending that we stop doing these unless we are a level 3 lab. Is
anyone else getting this survey? Are you being asked to drop it?
--
John Gentile MS, M(ASCP)
Laboratory Information Mgr.
VA Medical Center
Providence, RI
yjgent@cox . net
We are beginning to have quite a discussion about the CAP's
bioterrorism survey that was recently completed. One of the organisms
was an attenuated strain of Brucella abortus. Now anyone well trained
in microbiology should remember that B. abortus is one of the few
organisms that can infect not only through mucus membranes, but through
intact skin as well. It seems that the instructions for handling these
unknown cultures call for biosafety level 2 containment with BSL 3
protective gear. I guess some techs are complaining that they were
exposed to the bugs and now there is a controversy brewing that is
calling for stopping the survey unless you are a full BSL3 lab.
My question is that these organisms do occur in patients not related to
any bioterrorism threat and microbiologists and micro techs must be
properly trained to handle these organisms. I don't see any need to try
to stop this and it might be the only time a tech will see these bugs.
The Veterans Affairs central office for laboratory services is
recommending that we stop doing these unless we are a level 3 lab. Is
anyone else getting this survey? Are you being asked to drop it?
--
John Gentile MS, M(ASCP)
Laboratory Information Mgr.
VA Medical Center
Providence, RI
yjgent@cox . net
Re: CAP Bioterrorism survey
The fact that the recommendations come from CAP and not some other
agency may be motivation for hospital management to upgrade equipment to
meet the new protection criteria, but where is the funding for the
training and equipment gonna come from?
John Gentile wrote:
> We are beginning to have quite a discussion about the CAP's bioterrorism
> survey that was recently completed. One of the organisms was an
> attenuated strain of Brucella abortus. Now anyone well trained in
> microbiology should remember that B. abortus is one of the few organisms
> that can infect not only through mucus membranes, but through intact
> skin as well. It seems that the instructions for handling these unknown
> cultures call for biosafety level 2 containment with BSL 3 protective
> gear. I guess some techs are complaining that they were exposed to the
> bugs and now there is a controversy brewing that is calling for stopping
> the survey unless you are a full BSL3 lab.
>
> My question is that these organisms do occur in patients not related to
> any bioterrorism threat and microbiologists and micro techs must be
> properly trained to handle these organisms. I don't see any need to try
> to stop this and it might be the only time a tech will see these bugs.
>
> The Veterans Affairs central office for laboratory services is
> recommending that we stop doing these unless we are a level 3 lab. Is
> anyone else getting this survey? Are you being asked to drop it?
>
The fact that the recommendations come from CAP and not some other
agency may be motivation for hospital management to upgrade equipment to
meet the new protection criteria, but where is the funding for the
training and equipment gonna come from?
John Gentile wrote:
> We are beginning to have quite a discussion about the CAP's bioterrorism
> survey that was recently completed. One of the organisms was an
> attenuated strain of Brucella abortus. Now anyone well trained in
> microbiology should remember that B. abortus is one of the few organisms
> that can infect not only through mucus membranes, but through intact
> skin as well. It seems that the instructions for handling these unknown
> cultures call for biosafety level 2 containment with BSL 3 protective
> gear. I guess some techs are complaining that they were exposed to the
> bugs and now there is a controversy brewing that is calling for stopping
> the survey unless you are a full BSL3 lab.
>
> My question is that these organisms do occur in patients not related to
> any bioterrorism threat and microbiologists and micro techs must be
> properly trained to handle these organisms. I don't see any need to try
> to stop this and it might be the only time a tech will see these bugs.
>
> The Veterans Affairs central office for laboratory services is
> recommending that we stop doing these unless we are a level 3 lab. Is
> anyone else getting this survey? Are you being asked to drop it?
>
