Packaging and Shipping Instructions of Salivary Samples

Volume not exceeding 50 ml:

(a) The material to be shipped shall be placed in a securely closed, watertight tube, vial, ampule or the like that is referred to as primary container.

(b) The primary container is then placed in a durable watertight container referred to as the secondary container.

(c) Several primary containers can be placed in a single secondary container, so long as total contents of the primary containers does not exceed 50 ml.

(d) Absorbent material must be placed in the space at top, bottom, and sides between the primary and secondary containers. There must be enough absorbent material to absorb the entire contents of the primary container(s) in case of breakage or leakage and should not be nonparticulate, i.e., not sawdust, vermiculite, etc.

(e) Each set of primary and secondary containers is then placed in an outer shipping container constructed of corrugated fiberboard, cardboard, wood, or other material of equivalent strength. This means that most, if not all, bags, envelopes, and the like are not acceptable outer shipping containers.

2. Volume greater than 50 ml.:

Packaging of these larger volumes of material must comply with all of the foregoing requirements, but in addition:

(a) Shock absorbent material, in volume at least equal to that of the absorbent material between the primary and secondary containers, shall be placed at the top, bottom, and sides between the secondary container and outer shipping container.

(b) Single primary containers shall not contain more than 1,000 ml of material, however two or more primary containers, whose volumes do not exceed 1,000 ml, bay be placed in a single secondary container.

(c) The maximum amount of etiological agent that may be enclosed within a single outer shipping container may not exceed 4,000 ml.

B. If dry ice is used, it must be placed between the secondary container(s) and the outer shipping container and the shock absorbent material placed so that the secondary container(s) do not become loose within the outer shipping container as the dry ice sublimates.

C. A special label, illustrated in the attached, must be placed on the outer shipping container. The label identifies the package as containing etiologic agents and directs anyone observing damage to the package of leakage of contents to call CDC.

Return to BEL table of contents.