Transport of samples: Cold chain preparation

5 Cold chain preparation

The insulated boxes available in the catalogue will keep the temperature between +2 °C and +8 °C for 2 days at an ambient temperature of 28 °C. It has not been tested at higher ambient temperatures.

5.1 Shipping at +2 °C to +8 °C with 0.6-litre ice packs

The procedure for samples that have to be sent at +2 °C to +8 °C using ice packs is as follows:

  • Prepare an insulated triple-packaging box.
  • Prepare the four ice packs:
    • Remove them from the freezer and leave them in a +20°C location, protected from the sun.
    • After 15 minutes, check the amount of liquid in the ice packs. To ensure that the ice packs are at the right temperature, they should have 5 cm of water visible in the bottom when held vertically. When the ice packs are shaken, the sound of water can be heard.
      ! If there is less than 5 cm of water or no water at all, the packs are too cold, and the samples might freeze early in transport !
      ! If there is more than 5 cm of water, the packs are too warm, and the temperature might get too high during transport !
  • If the ice packs are not at the correct temperature after 15 minutes, leave them for another 15 minutes, protected from sunlight, and then check again.
  • Once all four ice packs are at the correct temperature, place them in the insulated box.
  • Put the samples, in their packaging, into the box.
  • Close the insulated box.

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6. Documentation

6.1 IATA : Category A - UN2814

Indicative examples of infectious substances included in Category A in any form unless otherwiseindicated

UN Number and Proper Shipping NameMicro-organismForm
UN2814
Infectious substance affecting humans
Bacillus anthracisCultures only
Brucella abortusCultures only
Brucella melitensisCultures only
Brucella suisCultures only
Burkholderia mallei – Pseudomonas mallei – GlandersCultures only
Burkholderia pseudomallei – Pseudomonas pseudomalleiCultures only
Chlamydia psittaci – avian strainsCultures only
Clostridium botulinumCultures only
Coccidioides immitisCultures only
Coxiella burnetiiCultures only
Escherichia coli, verotoxigenicCultures only
Francisella tularensisCultures only
Hantavirus causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome
Mycobacterium tuberculosisCultures only
PoliovirusCultures only
Rickettsia prowazekiiCultures only
Rickettsia rickettsiiCultures only
Shigella dysenteriae type 1Cultures only
Dengue virusCultures only
Rift Valley fever virusCultures only
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus
Omsk haemorragic fever virus
Yellow fever virusCultures only
Kyasanur Forest disease virus
Variola virus
Tick-borne encephalitis virusCultures only
Eastern equine encephalitis virusCultures only
Cultures onlyVenezuelan equine encephalitis virusCultures only
Japanese Encephalitis virusCultures only
Russian spring-summer encephalitis virusCultures only
Hepatitis B virusCultures only
Human immunodeficiency virusCultures only
Highly pathogenic avian influenza virusCultures only
Marburg virus
West Nile virusCultures only
Ebola virus
Flexal virus
Guanarito virus
Hantaan virus
Hendra virus
Herpes B virusCultures only
Junin virus
Lassa virus
Machupo virus
Monkeypox virus
Nipah virus
Rabies virusCultures only
Sabia virus
Yersinia pestisCultures only

Adapted from Guidance on regulations for the transport of infectious substances 2021-2022. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021. Licence: CCBY-NC-SA3.0IG

6.2 Sample dangerous goods declaration (DGD)

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6.3 Sample donation certificate

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6.4 Sample Air Waybill (AWB)

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6.5 Institut Pasteur shipping label

Available at the following address:

https://www.pasteur.fr/fr/file/3157/download?token=Evu6jsP5

Regardless of the mode of transport, fill out and affix a label as above to the outer packaging of all shipments destined for the Institut Pasteur's National Reference Centers.

Sender:

  • Name
  • Hospital/Laboratory/Unit
  • Address
  • Postal code
  • City
  • Country
  • Phone number
  • Fax number

Storage conditions: choose one

  • Ambient temperature
  • + 4 °C
  • -20 °C

Recipient:

  • Institut Pasteur
  • National reference laboratory of _______________________________
  • For the attention of _________________________________________
  • Address: already added

References

1. Guidance on regulation for the transport of infectious substances 2021-2022/WHO
https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/339825

2. Exempt Human/Animal specimens shipping guidelines. Retrieved from :
https://www.cancertrials.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/DHL_Exempt-Human-Animal-Specimen-Customer-2015.pdf

3. IATA document. Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR). 62nd Edition. 2021. Retrieved from