List of Infectious Substances: Category-A
How do I know if this medical sample is classified as an infectious substance and needs to be shipped as a dangerous good/hazardous material?
The first question to ask is whether or not the suspected disease of the patient is on the list of infectious substances (see IATA Table 3.6.D below).
If it is not on the list then it is probably not even regulated as a dangerous good/hazardous material. For example, if the suspected disease was some form of cancer, it would not be regulated as a dangerous goods item when shipped.
Moreover, even if it is on the list, if the substance says “cultures only,” this means it would have to be in a form where they are intentionally trying to propagate it. Imagine a culture for strep throat where it is in a vial trying to be reproduced.
The bottom line is this:
- If it is on the list, and it does NOT say “cultures only,” then it is regulated as Infectious Substance, UN 2814, Division 6.2, Category-A.
- If it is on the list, and DOES SAY “cultures only,” and it is not in the form of a culture (such as blood, tissue or urine), then it is NOT UN 2814, but would probably be a Category-B, Biological Substance, UN 3373, which has far less requirements than Category-A material.
- If it is NOT on the list, then it is not regulated at all.
Indicative Examples of Infectious Substances Included in Category A in Any Form Unless Otherwise Indicated (3.6.2.2.2.1)
IATA TABLE 3.6.D
| UN Number and Proper Shipping Name | Micro-organisms: |
|---|---|
| UN 2814, Infectious Substance Affecting Humans | |
| Bacillus anthracis (cultures only) | |
| Brucella abortus (cultures only) | |
| Brucella melitensis (cultures only) | |
| Brucella suis (cultures only) | |
| Burkholderia mallei–Pseudomonas mallei–Glanders (cultures only) | |
| Burkholderia pseudomallei–Pseudomonas pseudomallei (cultures only) | |
| Chlamydia psittaci–avian strains (cultures only) | |
| Clostridium botulinum (cultures only) | |
| Coccidioides immitis (cultures only) | |
| Coxiella burnetii (cultures only) | |
| Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus | |
| Dengue virus (cultures only) | |
| Eastern equine encephalitis virus (cultures only) | |
| Escherichia coli, verotoxigenic (cultures only) | |
| Ebola virus | |
| Flexal virus | |
| Francisella tularensis (cultures only) | |
| Guanarito virus | |
| Hantaan virus | |
| Hantavirus causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome | |
| Hendra virus | |
| Hepatitis B virus (cultures only) | |
| Herpes B virus (cultures only) | |
| Human immunodeficiency virus (cultures only) | |
| Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (cultures only) | |
| Japanese Encephalitis virus (cultures only) | |
| Junin virus | |
| Kyasanur Forest disease virus | |
| Lassa virus | |
| Machupo virus | |
| Marburg virus | |
| Monkeypox virus | |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis (cultures only) | |
| Nipah virus | |
| Omsk haemorrhagic fever virus | |
| Poliovirus (cultures only) | |
| Rabies virus (cultures only) | |
| Rickettsia prowazekii (cultures only) | |
| Rickettsia rickettsii (cultures only) | |
| Rift Valley fever virus (cultures only) | |
| Russian spring-summer encephalitis virus (cultures only) | |
| Sabia virus | |
| Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (cultures only) | |
| Tick-borne encephalitis virus (cultures only) | |
| Variola virus | |
| Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (cultures only) | |
| West Nile virus (cultures only) | |
| Yellow fever virus (cultures only) | |
| Yersinia pestis (cultures only) | |
| UN 2900, Infectious Substance Affecting Animals | |
| African swine fever virus (cultures only) | |
| Avian paramyxovirus Type 1–Velogenic Newcastle disease virus (cultures only) | |
| Classical swine fever virus (cultures only) | |
| Foot and mouth disease virus (cultures only) | |
| Goatpox virus (cultures only) | |
| Lumpy skin disease virus (cultures only) | |
| Mycoplasma mycoides–Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (cultures only) | |
| Peste des petits ruminants virus (cultures only) | |
| Rinderpest virus (cultures only) | |
| Sheep-pox virus (cultures only) | |
| Swine vesicular disease virus (cultures only) | |
| Vesicular stomatitis virus (cultures only) |
3.6.2.2.2.2 Category B:
An infectious substance which does not meet the criteria for inclusion in Category A. Infectious substances in Category B must be assigned to UN 3373.