Biosafety in the Field: An Account of a Kyrgyz Antiplague Expedition

Abstract

The Soviet Union had a unique system to control plague (causative agent, Yersinia pestis) and other “especially dangerous diseases.” This system continues to exist in many of the countries of the former Soviet Union, although with more limited funding. One of the key activities of the antiplague system is to look for the causative agent of plague in its natural reservoirs in the environment. This article is an account of an antiplague expedition that took place in the mountains of eastern Kyrgyzstan near the Chinese border. It describes the work conducted and the biosafety and biosecurity practices employed. During the 40-day expedition: A field laboratory was established; known Y. pestis reservoirs such as gray marmots were trapped and analyzed for plague using serological, bacteriological, and biological methods; information on the populations of rodents and their ectoparasites was gathered; and gray marmot burrows were treated with insecticide intended to kill the fleas and so control plague. An area of 800 km2 was investigated, and a total of 321 rodents analyzed. Y. pestis was found in the region for the first time since 1983. The laboratory and biosafety practices employed were determined by Kyrgyz government regulations, which are largely based on Soviet regulations and practices. Some of these practices might be considered dated in the West. However, the apparent lack of infections acquired as a result of this work, over a period of many years, would suggest that the safety procedures are effective.