BL-4 labs

[bhjelle at unm.edu]

In article <3b8nq8$rsd at umbc8.umbc.edu>, chatski carl <chatski at umbc.edu> wrote:
>In article <3anuek$1auq at hermes.acs.ryerson.ca> you write:
>>I recently heard that the virology research lab that opened in Metro 
>>Toronto is one of three "supercontainment" facilities in North America. 
>>
>>How far has technology advanced since the lab was completed, and how many 
>>similar facilities are there in the world?
>
>I am very glad you have posted this information and asked this
>question, I hope people in various countries will share with us
>knowledge of these facilities.  In the US there are 4 that I know
>about
>
>1. Army Biological warfare labs at Fort Dietrich Maryland. I think
>this facility is shared by the FCRF.  It was opened around 1977.
>
>2. CDC in Atlanta Georgia
>
>3. NIH in Bethesda Maryland.
>
>4. USDA Animal Disease Center Plum Island New York.  Was offensive
>   biological warfare center until 1970.
>
On a visit to CDC last year I was informed that
there were only 2, USAMRIID and CDC (in the US,
that is). They specifically said that they did
not consider Plum Island to be a true BL4.

This has a lot of implications. Recently Time
Magazine recommended (to paraphrase) that
any new virus with uncertain pathologic potential
be considered BL4 until proven otherwise.
You don't have to have much imagination to
see that confining myriad new viruses to
investigation by 2 labs would basically cripple
our response to new epidemics. If nothing else,
it would shut down all university-based
research on viruses of uncertain pathogenicity
for man.

Brian
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