WSU’s Participation in the Global Poliovirus Eradication Initiative

The U.S. National Authority for Containment of Poliovirus (NAC) is responsible for implementing the World Health Organization’s Global Polio Eradication Initiative within the US. Facilities that knowingly or unknowingly collect, use, or store poliovirus and/or poliovirus potentially infectious materials pose a risk for re-introduction of poliovirus into communities after eradication.

Poliovirus materials includes poliovirus potentially infectious materials (PIM). These materials may unknowingly contain poliovirus due to the time and location of sample collection.

WSU is committed to minimizing the risk of polioviruses being released from our research laboratories. 

Therefore, all WSU principal investigators must immediately report the discovery of any relevant materials to the Office of Environmental Health and Safety. If you’re unsure that your samples are relevant, you can refer to the CDC website (Infectious and Potentially Infectious Materials | CDC) that specifically lists definitions and examples of PIM. 

If you find that you have relevant samples, you must consult the WHO Country-Case Table to determine if the samples were collected at a time and place where poliovirus or vaccine derived poliovirus was in circulation, or oral polio vaccine was in use. Alternatively, you can utilize the World Health Organizations PIM identification tool.

For additional information on the NAC and US efforts to contain Polio, please visit the NAC poliovirus containment website.

Questions: Please contact the Wayne State University Biosafety Officer.