Sample Shipment

Instructions & Regulations

Medical specimens must be packed, labelled and shipped following legal provisions and requirements of the carrier. The primary vessel (mostly blood containers) and the secondary packaging must be liquid-tight, and the space between primary vessel and secondary packaging must contain sufficient absorption material. 

Category A specimens

Category A classifies specimens suspected to contain life-threatening pathogens (Biological Risk Group 4, e.g. Haemorrhagic Fever Viruses). They are assigned UN Code 2814 „Contagious Substance, Hazardous to Humans“. They must be packaged according to Packaging Form P 620 and shipped under defined safety precautions.

Important Notes

• Order Forms for these specimens are marked with an asterisk (*).
• Courier delivery must be adressed to:
  Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine
  Laboratory Diagnostics
  Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74
  D-20359 Hamburg
• These specimens must be announced to the BNITM virologist on duty beforehand via phone (Tel. +49 171 2127900).

Category B specimens

Category B classifies specimens suspected to contain less dangerous pathogens (Biological Risk Groups 2 and 3). They are assigned UN Code 3373 „Biological Substance, Category B“ and must be packaged according to Packaging Form P 650 (Figure).

Exempted are medical specimens for which there is a minimal risk of containing pathogens. Labelled accordingly, they may be shipped in a three-layer package resembling that of Packaging Form P 650. According to medical histories, clinical syndromes and any other data available there must be no evidence for a contamination with pathogens (e.g., specimens for population-based or follow-up serological studies).