Results and Recommendations from the First NATO International Training Exercise on Laboratory Identification of Biological Agents

Abstract : In March 1999, the NATO Subgroup on Sampling and Identification of Biological and Chemical Agents (SIBCA) conducted the first international training exercise on the identification of biological agents. Eleven laboratories representing 10 nations: Canada, France, Germany (two laboratories), Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, United Kingdom, and the United States participated in the international training exercise. Each participating laboratory was sent five 'unknown' samples, four of which contained Co-60 (Cobalt-60)-inactivated biological material and one blank containing phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The United States, as the host nation, distributed PBS, Bacillus anthracis, Coxiella burnetii, Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) virus, and Yersinia pestis as the samples for the training exercise. Canada correctly identified Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis and correctly indicated that the remaining samples did not contain Vibrio cholerae, Francisella tularensis, Brucella melitensis, Burkholderia mallei or Vaccinia virus. As no assays were available at DRES for Yellow Fever virus, VEE or Coxiella burnetii, the presence of these agents could not be determined in the remaining samples. This report summarizes the results obtained by Canada and compares the performance of DRES to the other participating international laboratories. Areas requiring improvement at DRES for the in-house identification of biological agents are discussed.