ABSTRACT
BackgroundIn 1988, the Forty-first World Health Assembly adopted a resolution for the Global Polio Eradication.Since the initiative was launched, number of polio cases has fallen by over 99%. Today, only threecountries in the world, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria - remain polio-endemic. The Polio Eradicationand Endgame Strategic Plan of 2013-2018 calls for the gradual eradication of wild virus strain and thevaccine virus strain at the same time. In order to prevent the border transmission of wild type poliovirus,virus leakage from laboratories, it is required to conduct inventory of laboratories handling poliovirus andpotential infectious materials every 2 year.GoalTo identify laboratories handling poliovirus and potential infectious materialsMethodsSurvey of laboratories handling poliovirus and potential infectious materials was conducted amongstate, private, clinical, biomedical and environmental testing in total of 127 laboratories operating in21 provinces and 9 districts of Ulaanbaatar city by questionnaire. Survey questionnaire consists of 6sections (general, sample storage, laboratory biosafety, staff knowledge, information source, trainingand etc.). Study results were processed using SPSS-19 statistical programme.Results34.7% of 96 biomedical laboratories were analyzed stool samples. These laboratories were analyzedrotavirus (17.0%), intestinal bacteria (67.0%), Helicobacter (14.3%), parasite and other indicators (1.7%)in stool samples. 43.8% of laboratories were stored stool samples for one day and 3.1% up to oneyear. From 31 environmental testing laboratories 73.3% were bacterialdetection test on environmentalsamples. 60% of wastewater samples were collected from rivers, 16% on entrance to wastewatertreatment plant and after biological treatment combined, and 24% from other sources. Soil sampleswere collected near waste disposal and other sources (46.4%), and from unknown sources (53.6%).24.1% of all laboratories were stored environmental samples for 3 days, 3.4% for 45 days. Accordingto results, surveyed laboratories did not store samples for more than 1 year. Also, none of surveyedlaboratories (100%) were not stored poliovirus and potential infectious materials.Conclusion· The investigated laboratories were not stored poliovirus and potential infectious materials.· The biosafety and biosecurity status of laboratories should be improved in near future throughenhancing knowledge of laboratory workers and organizing training related to biosafetyandbiosecurity.