World Health

ABSA in the News: Coronavirus Travel Advice: How to Minimize Exposure While Traveling, Including at Airports, on Planes and Cruises

ABSA in the News: Coronavirus Travel Advice: How to Minimize Exposure While Traveling, Including at Airports, on Planes and Cruises The executive director of ABSA International (The Association for Biosafety and Biosecurity), Ed Stygar, also told Newsweek: "When traveling, you are always going to be at risk for exposure to a variety of infectious agents, including COVID-19 and seasonal influenza. There is no avoiding the presence of pathogens from fellow travelers, but you can protect yourself by following the CDC recommendations for reducing everyday risks to respiratory viruses, including good handwashing practices, avoiding visibly ill people, avoid touching your face, [...]

ABSA International2020-05-22T13:35:22-05:00February 20th, 2020|

COVID-19 Information

ABSA International COVID-19 Information Page What is the 2019 novel coronavirus? The 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, is a new respiratory virus that was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, in China. The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 is called coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, which presents as a pneumonic syndrome. Many of the earlier patients in China had links to a seafood and animal market, suggesting the virus was spreading from animal-to-people. However, a growing number of patients have reported no exposure to animal markets which indicates that the virus is spreading person-to-person. It is unclear how the virus [...]

ABSA International2020-05-22T13:35:08-05:00February 16th, 2020|

National Inventory for Poliovirus Containment (NIPC) survey

The US National Authority for Containment of Poliovirus (NAC) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Preparedness and Response has recently launched the National Inventory for Poliovirus Containment: Minimizing Risk of Poliovirus Release from Laboratories in the United States, as part of the WHO Global Action Plan (GAP III). In compliance with GAP III, the US is required to complete a national inventory of poliovirus-containing materials by surveying laboratories and other facilities. An initial survey was released in 2015 in order to identify facilities with infectious poliovirus materials and potentially infectious stool specimens. The survey responses were [...]

ABSA International2020-05-22T13:33:55-05:00April 29th, 2019|

Zika virus; What is the Risk Assesment

Zika virus is a new and emerging pathogen that is impacting many people across the Americas. With the increased drive for an effective treatment, Zika virus research will be increasing in many laboratories. The biosafety risk assessment will be important to guide safe work practices when tackling this new agent.

ABSA International2020-08-03T09:58:19-05:00January 29th, 2016|

Ebola, one year later

One year ago the largest Ebola outbreak began in March of 2014 the public Health authorities of Guinea reported an outbreak of Ebola. Now, in April 2015, more than 25,000 suspected cases of Ebola have occurred. This outbreak, while centered in Western Africa, has touched the lives of many around the world. Unfortunately, case counts are still rising and people are still dying from the disease.

ABSA International2017-04-14T16:25:01-05:00April 6th, 2015|

MERS Not New to Camels

MERS virus continues to be a puzzle that scientists are racing to put together. The latest piece of the MERS puzzle is camels and it dates back for 20 years. MERS virus has now been confirmed in 189 people, 82 of which died from the disease.

ABSA International2017-04-14T16:22:23-05:00April 6th, 2015|