The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases have officially announced they will import live pathogens, including the highly lethal Ebola hemorrhagic fever, for the first time.
If a patient is identified in Japan, the biosafety level 4 facility (BSL4, see below) at the Murayama branch of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Musashimurayama, Tokyo, will be used in testing. With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics set for next year, the number of visitors to Japan is expected to increase, so it is imperative to take precautionary measures against infectious diseases that have never been prevelant in Japan.
Understanding needed
"The importation of pathogens is necessary for accurate, prompt testing and treatment."
On Thursday the NIID held a meeting with local residents at the Murayama branch to explain the need to treat Ebola and other pathogens at the facility. Some residents have voiced their understanding of the plan, but concerns remain. Therefore, health minister Takumi Nemoto will visit Musashimurayama Mayor Masaru Fujino soon as part of efforts to obtain residents' understanding for the plan.
The five pathogens to be imported are Ebola hemorrhagic fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, South American hemorrhagic fever, Marburg disease and Lassa fever. All of them have high fatality rates and are designated as Category I infectious diseases with the highest risk under the Infectious Disease Law.
NIID will obtain import permission under the law and coordinate with overseas research institutions to obtain the pathogens. It will not announce the date and route of the shipment in advance, to prevent bioterrorism and other risks.
Preventing removal
Pathogens are cryopreserved at the BSL4 facility, kept in sealed boxes called "glove boxes" to prevent them from leaking out. Also, pressure inside the facility is kept lower than outside as another measure to prevent leakage.
To prevent terrorists from entering the facility, NIID will strictly confirm the identity of researchers. Security cameras will also be used to monitor the illegal removal of pathogens.
According to the ministry, no cases have been identified of pathogens being taken out of BSL-4 facilities overseas. A ministry official said, "We have taken all possible safety measures."
More accurate tests
Highly dangerous infectious diseases could spread in Japan at any time.
When the Ebola virus spread in west Africa countries in 2014, a number of people in Japan were suspected of being infected with the virus because of their travel history and fever, and they were transferred to designated medical facilities.
Blood samples were sent to the Murayama branch and tested by methods without using live pathogens, but no infections were confirmed.
However, living pathogens are essential for more accurate tests. To determine whether a recovered patient is no longer at risk of infecting others, the patient's blood must be made to react to live pathogens. This will lead to an appropriate decision on whether to discharge the patient.
"More accurate tests and more rapid diagnosis can help determine who a patient has been in contact with and prevent the spread of infection," said Masayuki Saijo, chief of Department of Virology I, NIID.
At Nagasaki University, the construction of a BSL4 facility has started with the aim of completing it in fiscal 2021. The university is working to develop vaccines and drugs to treat Ebola and other diseases for which there is no effective treatment. Hokkaido University and the University of Tokyo also plan to use the facility.
"We will strive to produce world-class research results and develop human resources," said Hiroshi Kida, head of the National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases at Nagasaki University.
Biosafety level 4 facility
A facility that can safely handle the most dangerous pathogens among the four classes at the international standard Biosafety Level. There are about 60 of these facilities in more than 20 countries, including the United States and nations in Europe.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
