Recommendations for Proper Packaging and Shipping by Land, of Samples Potentially Infectious with Ebola Virus

The recommendations for the proper packaging and shipment of samples potentially infectious with the Ebola virus standardize the step-by-step procedure for logistical preparation, triple-packaging, and the documentation required for the safe transport of specimens from the health facility to the National Reference Laboratory. The operational workflow ranges from shipment planning—including advance notification to the receiving laboratory and coordination with the shipping company—through the assembly of triple packaging with primary, secondary, and tertiary containers, absorbent material, and a cooling system, to the final marking, labeling, and sealing of the package with the infectious substance identification UN2814.

The protocol establishes differentiated criteria for ground and air shipments, incorporating for the latter the additional requirements mandated by IATA regulations for Category A infectious substances, such as the Declaration of Dangerous Goods and the Air Waybill, and specifying that the person responsible for the international shipment must hold a valid certification as a shipper recognized by IATA and WHO. It also includes, as annexes, useful examples of reference forms for sending samples to the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center, in accordance with the current guidelines for the transport of infectious substances 2025–2026.