[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 13 (Monday, January 22, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2698-2699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-794]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Review of Diagnostic Tests Available for the Detection of 
Tuberculosis in Imported Nonhuman Primates Undergoing Federal 
Quarantine

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of 
Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting on the subject of 
tuberculosis detection in imported nonhuman primates. The purpose of 
the meeting is to review current Institute of Laboratory Animal 
Research recommendations and compare newer diagnostic tests available 
for tuberculosis testing in nonhuman primates.

DATES: The public meeting will be held February 16, 2007, from 12:30 
p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Atlanta, Georgia. Registration will begin at 11 
a.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the following location: 
Centers

[[Page 2699]]

for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 
30333, Building 19 Auditorium A.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Zoonoses Team, telephone 404-639-
3441; [email protected]; fax 404-639-4441; Division of Global Migration and 
Quarantine, CDC.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Participation at the Public Meeting

    Pre-registration is recommended. Because the meeting will be held 
at CDC's secure facility, non-U.S. citizens will be required to undergo 
a background check in order to attend. For individuals who are not U.S. 
citizens, the following information must be provided to the Zoonosis 
Team at least 15 days in advance:

Individual's Full Name (official):
Gender:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth (city, province, state, country):
Country of Citizenship:
Passport Type and Number:
Date of Passport Issue:
Date of Passport Expiration:
Type of Visa and Expiration Date:
    --If the visitor is a Permanent Resident of the U.S., provide 
Permanent Resident 
Visitor's Organization:
Visitor's Position/Title within the Organization:
Visitor's Organization Address:
Visitor's Organization Telephone Number:

Background

    The presence of tuberculosis in nonhuman primates may pose a 
substantial health risk to caretakers and interfere with or interrupt 
research. Tuberculosis infections in nonhuman primates may have few 
outward symptoms, and testing of animals is usually needed to determine 
infection. Because of the public health risks associated with 
tuberculosis, nonhuman primates imported into the United States must be 
quarantined for a minimum of 31 days and have 3 negative tuberculosis 
skin tests performed at 2-week intervals in accordance with the 
Institute of Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR; formerly the Institute 
of Laboratory Animal Resources) guidelines that were published in 1980. 
The current accepted test for tuberculosis in nonhuman primates is the 
tuberculin skin test (TST) using Mammalian Old Tuberculin. The 
sensitivity and specificity of this test are not ideal. Since 1999, 1 
to 54 cases of tuberculosis have been reported in imported nonhuman 
primates each year. In some cases, animals had multiple negative TSTs 
before a positive TST was noted. A few of the cases had negative TST 
results through the 31-day quarantine period and then had a positive 
TST after release from quarantine, thus jeopardizing research or 
colonies into which the animals were introduced.
    Since the publication of the 1980 ILAR guidelines, several 
alternative diagnostic tests have been developed. The purpose of this 
meeting is to discuss available alternatives to the TST; compare test 
results with alternative tuberculosis detection methods; and generate 
interest in a formal review of new diagnostics for tuberculosis testing 
of nonhuman primates.

Public Meeting Procedures

    The following procedures will be in place for this meeting:
    1. Admission and participation in the public meeting are free. The 
meeting will be open to all persons.
    2. Representatives from the CDC will conduct the public meeting. 
Experts on nonhuman primate importation, tuberculosis diagnostic 
testing in nonhuman primates, and ILAR guidelines will give 
presentations.
    3. The public meeting is intended as a forum to share information 
and answer questions concerning tuberculosis testing in nonhuman 
primates.
    4. All interested parties will have the opportunity to ask 
questions or make short comments regarding diagnostic tests for 
tuberculosis in nonhuman primates.
    5. Statements made by CDC personnel and other federal personnel are 
intended to facilitate discussion of the issues or to clarify issues. 
Such statements should not be interpreted as providing legal, 
professional, or other advice.
    6. The meeting is designed to share information and solicit 
individual views from the public. The meeting will not operate in 
consensus fashion. The meeting will be conducted in an informal and 
non-adversarial manner.

    Dated: January 16, 2007.
James D. Seligman,
Chief Information Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 [FR Doc. E7-794 Filed 1-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P