NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Division on Earth and Life Studies; Board on Life Sciences; Policy and Global Affairs; Lowenthal MD, Sharples FE, editors. Developing Norms for the Provision of Biological Laboratories in Low-Resource Contexts: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2019 May 1.
| Country | # of BSL-2/3/4a | Type of Labb | Funderc | Statusd | Capability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | BSL-2, no known BSAT | CPHL | Unknown | PCR, ELISA, microbiology | |
| Armenia | BSL-2?, no known BSAT | MDC (Govt/Military?, Academic) | INTAS (India 2006), ISTC (2014) CRDF (2011) | Operational | General and applied research, maintains strain collection |
| Bangladesh | (2) BSL-2, Modular Work with Nipah for US CDC; works with B. anthracis human outbreaks | One locally built) (Min Health) IEDCR (one modular from TechComp—China | US CDC | Locally built is operational Modular likely in use but BAS-HVAC malfunctions | Microbiology, serology, ELISA |
| BSL-2 No known BSAT | icddr,b (nonprofit, Health) | Gates Foundation, DFID (UK), DFATD (CA), Sida (SWE), USAID, others | BSL-2 operational, BSL-3 decommissioned 2016; new BSL-3 in construction | Microbiology, serology, ELISA; PCR, sequencing (Nipah, CCHF) TB, influenza, NIPAH for US CDC, V. cholera | |
| BSL-2 possible BSAT | BLRI, Min Ag (veterinary reference lab) | OIE | Operational | ELISA, PCR, DNA sequencing, vaccine development, basic research | |
| BSL-2 Isolates BSAT- B. abortus, Brucella ssp | CDIL Min Ag (veterinary reference lab) | USAID, OIE | Operational | PCR, serology, histopathology ELISA, HPAI preparedness | |
| Burkina Faso | BSL-3 Container Lab | Centre Muraz | Several sources | Operational | Arbovirus (yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya, zika) and VHF (RVF, CCHF) research and diagnostics; serology/PCR; limited sequencing capacity |
| Cambodia | BSL-3 Work with BSAT, XDR TB, emerging influenza | IP, C Min Health | Funds: INSERM, ANRS, IRD, Fondation Mérieux and Institut Pasteur WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Center | Operational | Research and diagnostics: virology, bacteriology, FACS, gene sequencer, multiplex assays |
| BSL-2 BSAT unknown | NaVRI Veterinary Reference Lab | OIE | Operational | Diagnostics, HPAI, unknown capability | |
| Cameroon | BSL-3 No known BSAT | PC, C Min Health, | Institut Pasteur (?), WHO National Reference Center for Avian Flu | Operational | Diagnostics, epidemiology, research on local disease |
| Congo (Dem. Rep) | BSL-3 BSAT include Ebola, Marburg | INRB Min Health, (WHO Natl Ref Lab for measles and other disease) | Presidents Malaria Initiative (USA) 2016 Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) 2017 | Operational | Human diagnostics, ELISA, research |
| Cote d'Ivoire | BSL-3 BSAT (Lassa Fever Virus) | IP, Cd'I Commercial | Unknown | Operational | Regional AI reference lab, human diagnostic tests |
| Djibouti | BSL-3 No known BSAT | Natl TB Lab Min Health, | AFD (Agence Française de Développement) 2010 | Operational | Located at Hôpital Paul Faure—human TB diagnosis |
| Egypt | BSL? 2 BSAT | MIRCEN Cairo, Academic | UNESCO; Ain Shams University | Operational | Collecting, identifying and preserving microbial strains located at Ain |
| BSL-3 No known BSAT | U.S. Navy Medical Research Unit-3; Govt/MIL | Department of Defense Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System, 2006 | Operational (no longer operational?) | Shams University. Surveillance sample testing mainly on RT-PCR methodology | |
| Ethiopia | BSL-3 Possesses agricultural BSAT | National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center; Min Health | ? | Operational | National reference laboratory, coordinates national surveillance programs for transborder animal diseases |
| BSL-3 (mobile?) Crossover and animal BSAT | Pan African Veterinary Vaccine Centre of the African Union; Academic | ? | Operational | Produce and distribute animal vaccines | |
| BSL-3 No BSAT | Armauer Hansen Research Institute; Min Health | Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (current); Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (current); Ethiopian Government (current) | Operational | Biomedical research, basic (immunology and molecular biology), epidemiological, and translational research | |
| BSL-3 No BSAT | Ethiopian Public Health Institute; Min Health | World Bank, 2015 ($49M) | Operational | Many US, NGO, and other country collaborations | |
| BSL-3 No BSAT | TB Reference Laboratory | PEPFAR, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, USAID Tuberculosis Control Assistance Program (?) | Operational | At St. Peter's Hospital-advanced diagnostics for TB and MTB | |
| Georgia | BSL-3 BSAT-ASF virus and CCHF virus 8 BSL-3—no info | Central Public Health Reference Laboratory; Min Health, Min Ag | USG—$100M in 2011 | Operational | Human and animal disease surveillance and research |
| Ghana | BSL-3 BSAT- Nipah virus | Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Academic | Unknown | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection, research on tropical diseases |
| BSL-3 No BSAT | Department of Virology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Academic | 25+ funding sources listed with no date or confirming info | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection, antiviral research, molecular epidemiology of polioviruses, enteroviruses, HIV, and others | |
| 3 other BSL-3, 2 with BSAT, B. anthracis | Located in Accra, Takoradi, and Tamale | Global Affairs Canada GPP program | Operational | Government veterinary services labs, human and animal disease surveillance (B. anthracis and avian influenza) | |
| Guatemala | BSL-3 1 BSAT- B. abortus | National Health Laboratory; Min Health | ? | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection |
| Guinea | BSL-3 2BSAT- EBOV, Lassa | Virology Lab, Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases; Academic | Howard Hughes Medical Institute, (?); European Union (?) | Operational | At Donka Hospital; viral hemorrhagic fever research, many outside collaborators listed (no date) |
| BSL-3 | Institute of Microbiology, University of Conakry; Academic | Several EU and corporate funders listed (no date/$) | Operational | Best-equipped lab for VHF and YF diagnostics in this part of West Africa | |
| Haiti | BSL-3 3 BSAT: Y. pestis, C. botulinum, B. anthracis | Tuberculosis Laboratory, University of Florida Public Health Research Center; Haiti; Academic | Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (US); NIH (US) | Operational | TB, cholera, and viral disease epidemiology and diagnostics |
| BSL-3 No BSAT | GHESKIO; Min Health (2 campuses with another? BSL-3 complete 2010) | 4 funders listed (no data), includes USAID and UNITAID | Operational | HIV, STD, and TB diagnostics, treatment, and research | |
| BSL-3 No BSAT | National Public Health Laboratory; Min Health | Numerous engagers; Funders: US CDC Foundation; GE Foundation (US); Kaiser Permanente; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Operational | Virology, bacteriology, immunology, epidemiology, has US CDC onsite | |
| India | 44 BSL-3 collected—Many with BSAT | Mix of private vaccine/drug manufacturers, MIL, academic, hospital labs, human and animal | In general, no data on funders | Operational | Virology, bacteriology, diagnostics, vaccine production, epidemiology, etc. |
| BSL-4 | National Institute of Virology; Pune (Min Health, possible MIL) | WHO Arbovirus Collaborating Center | Operational | ‘Biodefense lab', virus epidemiology (Influenza, Nipah, CCHF, KFD, SARS, etc. | |
| Indonesia | 22 listed as BSL-3 (3 seen—confirm) 7 w/ BSAT, another 10 unknown, 8 RVDLs not listed (BSL-2); 2 RVDL have BSL-3 donated by Japan | MIL, academic, hospital labs, Min Health, Min Ag | Funded by Indonesia Govt; Vet labs have received significant contributions of equipment, reagents, PPE and i.e. BSC certification—repair from OIE, FAO, JICA for HPAI and some USAID training | 22 operational 10 unknown 8 vet labs operational at BSL-2; 2 Japanese donated BSL-3 container labs at RVDL are not functional (no funding for power; airflow not working) | Diagnose human and animal virus, bacteria, parasite infection (rabies is a big problem), epidemiology, HIV research, etc. |
| Kenya | 9 BSL-3 7 listed as possessing BSAT | Min Health, Min Ag, MIL | Generally no discussion but mention of Wellcome Trust, U.S. Army Medical Research Unit-Kenya | 9 operational, 3 in construction or planning | Diagnosis and research on human and animal virus, bacteria, infection; collection and repository; vaccine–drug production |
| Kyrgyz Republic | BSL-3 (modular-German built) No BSAT | National Reference Laboratory; Min Health | German Development Bank (2013); Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria (2003-2009) | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection; TB treatment, diagnostics, prevention |
| Lao, PDR | BSL-3 1 BSAT- B. pseudomallei | National Tuberculosis Reference Center; Min Health, MIL | Wellcome Trust, WHO | Operational | At Central Mahosot Hospital; Reference Lab/Culture Collection and research on epidemiology, treatment of malaria, typhoid, typhus, and other community acquired pathogens. |
| BSL-2 BSAT- Unknown | National Animal Health Center; Min Ag | Staff are affiliated with Oxford Univ & Wellcome Trust | Operational- upgrade status unknown | Diagnosis of animal disease | |
| Liberia | BSL-2 BSAT – EBOV strains | Liberian Institute for Biomedical Research; Min Health, MIL | During EBOV outbreak 2014 received staffing, reagents, equipment from US CDC, USMRIID, USAID, US NIH | Operational | National lab for diagnosis of hep B, malaria, cholera, and in 2014 ebola; limited Lassa fever PCR capacity |
| Madagascar | BSL-3 2 BSAT- RVF virus and Y. Pestis | Institut Pasteur in Madagascar, Min Health, commercial | Institut Pastuer (Paris)—2017 providing staff and RT-PCR equipment – reagents. 14 funders (most NGOs some commercial) listed with no $ or year WHO Collaborating Center for Plague; WHO Reference Laboratory for Polio, Measles and Influenza | Operational | national reference lab; studies malaria entomology, plague, mycobacteria, experimental bacteriology, immunology |
| Malawi | BSL-3 No BSAT | Tuberculosis Central Reference Laboratory, USAID?, MIL/Govt | USAID | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection, TB, MDR-TB epidemiology and diagnosis |
| Mali | BSL-3 No BSAT | FMPOS; Min Health | NIAID, 2002 and 2010 (infrastructure for BSL-3) | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection |
| Moldova | BSL-3 No BSAT | National Center for Public Health, Min Health | ??? | Operational | Develops legislative, regulatory public health, health promotion, and noncommunicable disease surveillance |
| Morocco | 6 BSL-3 listed with BSAT (RVFV, AHS virus); 3 BSL-3 planned. | Human and animal health; Min Health, Min Ag | Institut Pasteur in Morocco Casablanca is established, no recent funding | 6 operational | Collection, research, disease diagnosis, veterinary vaccine production |
| Mozambique | BSL-3 2 BSAT- B. anthracis, Newcastle virus | Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique, Min Ag | None listed | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection |
| Myanmar | BSL-3 No BSAT | National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory; Min Health, UNITAID | UNITAID $87.6M but no date | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection; TB MDR TB diagnosis |
| BSL-3 No BSAT | No. 2 Defence Service General Hospital; Govt/MIL? | No info | Operational | Hospital/clinic with full diagnostic capability | |
| BSL-3 No BSAT | NTRL Regional Laboratory, Min Health, UNITAID, FIND | Lists several NGOs but no date/amount | Operational | TB Reference Lab/Culture Collection | |
| BSL-2 BSAT unknown | YNRL, Min Ag | BSCs donated 2008 and 2011 OIE and JICA | Operational | Animal health diagnostic lab | |
| BSL-2 BSAT unknown | MVDL, Min Ag | BSCs donated 2011 OIE and JICA | Operational | Animal health diagnostic lab, bird flu, rabies, etc. | |
| Nepal | BSL-2 BSAT likely | Central Veterinary Laboratory, Min Ag | OIE donated HPAI reagents and equipment (BSC, PCR, RT PCR), PPE and lab equipment (approx. 2010). | Operational Located in Kathmandu | Lab tests for HPAI, rabies, Newcastle, peste des petites ruminants, Infectious bursar disease, bacteria, etc. |
| Nicaragua | BSL-3 No BSAT | Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Min Ag | Sources from US, EU, El Salvador but no date/amount | Operational | Analysis and diagnosis of veterinary and food products |
| Nigeria | 10 BSL-3 with numerous endemic BSAT (e.g., Ebola, Lassa) | Institutes are academic, Min Ag, Lagos State Min Health, Mainland Hospital | Global Affairs Canada GPP program and numerous other engagements and possible funders | Operational, one just completed | WHO National Influenza Center, WHO reference center for arboviruses; human and animal virus epidemiology, surveillance, isolation, diagnostics, characterization, and research. Capacity to handle unknown pathogens; PCR, sequencing; reference lab/culture collection (TB/HIV), biobank |
| BSL-2 | Min Ag, Lagos State Min Health | Global Affairs Canada GPP program | Just completed | Human and animal disease surveillance and diagnostics | |
| Pakistan | 5 BSL-3, 2 with BSAT (B. anthracis); 6 BSL-3 unknown | Academic, commercial, medical, Min Ag, Min Health, MIL? | WHO Collaborative Centre for Research and Training in Viral Diagnostics; No info on funding or engagements | 5 operational 6 unknown, or in planning/construction | Research on antimicrobial resistance and emerging viral and bacterial infections; culture collection; human and animal clinical diagnosis; TB Reference Laboratory |
| Philippines | 3 BSL-3, 1 w/BSAT (B. melitensis) 6 unknown | Academic, Govt/MIL, Min Health | Funding info is largely blank; Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Japan, 2011) | 3 operational 6 unknown BSL, in construction or not collected | Reference Lab/Culture Collection, human disease diagnosis. |
| BSL-2 | Philippines Animal Health Center, Min Ag | UNDP/FAO equipment provided 2007-2009 | Operational | Veterinary Reference Lab Quezon City | |
| Senegal | BSL-3 BSAT Unknown | Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Min Health | WHO Collaborating Centre for arboviruses and VHFs; WHO National Lab for flu, measles and polio. Funding from French Govt and EU ERDF program; Unknown funding from Pasteur Inst, WHO | Operational (2016) | Diagnosis, treatment, and vaccination of arboviruses, VHF, and enteroviruses; Reference Lab/Culture Collection |
| Sierra Leone | BSL-3 2 BSAT (EBOV spp, Lassa) | Kenema Government Hospital, Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Laboratory | Significant collaboration with US CDC, USAMRIID, universitites and companies; UK foundations. Recent funding unknown | Operational | Diagnosis and treatment of Lassa fever and other diseases |
| BSL-3 No BSAT | Central Public Health Reference Laboratory | Amount/year of funding unknown | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection for HIV and other | |
| BSL-3 BSAT unknown | Chinese Mobile Container BSL-3 Lab (3 containers) | ??? | Operational | VHF diagnosis | |
| Sri Lanka | BSL-3 1 BSAT (Y. pestis) 3 other entries w/no data | Medical Research Institute, Colombo, Min Health | None listed | Unclear website states both not operational and operating | Unknown |
| Syria | BSL-3 1 BSAT (B. abortus) | Atomic Energy Commission of Syria; Govt/MIL | Amount/year of funding unknown | Operational in Damascus | Work on Brucella bacteria |
| Tajikistan | BSL-3 No BSAT | National Public Health Reference Laboratory; Min Health | Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria (2013) | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection Molecular and culture testing for viral and bacterial diseases |
| BSL-3 No BSAT | National TB Reference Laboratory; Min Health | No funding described | Operational | At Machiton Hospital; Reference Lab/Culture Collection diagnostics of TB, HIV, malaria, etc. | |
| Tanzania | 8 BSL-3 2 w/BSAT (RVF virus, Y. pestis, B. anthracis, Rinderpest) | Min Health, Min Ag, Hospital, Commercial, | Amount/year of funding unknown | 7 operational 1 planned (has BSAT) | Reference Lab/Culture Collection; Surveillance of Rift Valley fever, H1N1, and dengue, diagnosis of human and animal diseases |
| Uganda | BSL-2 | Makerere University Infectious Disease Institute, Academic | Amount/year of funding unknown | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection, HIV/TB diagnosis |
| BSL-3 No BSAT | UVRI; Med Research Council | Amount/year of funding unknown; CDC | Operational | Hospital; HIV/AIDS; VHF program (serology, PCR, limited sequencing) | |
| 6 BSL-3 No BSAT | Min Ag, Min Health | Some funders listed: USAID, Global Fund, UK Medical Research Council, Gates Foundation | Unknown, construction, not collected | Reference lab, hospital, culture collection | |
| Ukraine | 4 BSL-3 4 w/ BSAT (B. anthracis, Y. pestis, F. tularensis, B. abortus, Guanarito virus) | (Some part of FSU weapons program). Min Health | No funding described | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection, bacteriologic and arbovirus research, surveillance of ‘plague' diseases |
| Vietnam | BSL-3 No BSAT | National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology Min Health | JICA (2008), WHO, The Global Fund | Operational | Reference Lab/Culture Collection, human disease prevention and control |
| BSL-3 and SAPO 4 Likely BSAT | Virology Reference Laboratory, Min Health | Wellcome Trust, Canada PHAC & US HHS provide staff | Operational | At Oxford University Clinical Research Unit; diagnosis/research planned on TB, influenza, rabies, FMD, TBE virus, CHIKV, bat corona viruses | |
| 3 others (1 BSL-3 w/ BSAT- Y. pestis) | Min Health, Academia, unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
| BSL-2 BSAT unknown | Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Min Ag | OIE | Operational | At Hanoi Agriculture University; reference and diagnostic lab for animal health | |
| West Bank aka Palestine | BSL-3 No BSAT | PCPHL; Min Health (may have MIL ties, work on Rad Protection) | Agence Francaise de Developpement (2011) | Operational | Human diagnostics of highly pathogenic organisms (i.e., TB) |
| Zambia | 6 BSL-3 1 with BSAT (B. anthracis, Y. pestis, C. burnetii, Ebola Zaire) | Institutes are academic, veterinary school, and hospital/clinic | Container labs ‘managed' by The Zambia AIDS Related Tuberculosis Project, affiliated with University of Zambia's School of Medicine and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine; no mention of funding | Operational 4 of 6 are modular 40 ft container labs (ZamLab) | Surveillance and diagnosis of hemorrhagic fever viruses, TB, plague bacillus, trypanosome; Reference Lab/Culture Collection |
| Zimbabwe | 1 BSL-3 No known BSAT 3 possible BSL-3 (no details) | National TB Reference Laboratory, Min Health | No funding described | Operational | National Reference Lab/Culture Collection, works with MDR/XDR TB, HIV |
- a
BSL indicates BSL-2 is included if there is no known BSL-3.
- b
Names of lab(s) and affiliation (academic, commercial, agriculture, military, hospital)
- c
Donor paying for lab/operations, last date of funds; specialties (WHO center TB, Polio, flu, etc.)
- d
Status: operational, not operational, unknown.
NOTES: Although information is available on laboratory programs in several other countries that are not listed as low-income or lower- to middle-income countries by the World Bank, such as Jordan and Trinidad and Tobago, it was decided to limit the scope of this illustrative list.
Abbreviations:
- BLRI,
Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute
- BSAT,
Biological Select Agents and Toxins
- CDIL,
Central Disease Investigation Laboratory, Dhaka Bangladesh
- CPHL,
Central Public Health Laboratories
- FMPOS,
Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Odonto-Stomatology
- GHESKIO,
Institute of Infectious Diseases and Reproductive Health, Haitian Group for the Study of Kaposi's Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections
- icddr,b,
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh
- IEDCR,
Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control & Research, Bangladesh
- INRB,
National Institute of Biomedical Research
- IP, C,
Institut Pasteur in Cambodia
- IP, Cd'I,
Institut Pasteur in Côte d'Ivoire
- MDC,
Microbial Depository Center
- MIRCEN,
Egypt Microbial Culture Collection, Cairo Microbiological Resources Centre
- MVDL,
Mandalay Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
- NaVRI,
National Veterinary Research Institute
- PC,C,
Pasteur Center, Cameroon
- PCPHL,
Palestinian Central Public Health Laboratory
- UVRI,
Uganda Virus Research Institute
- YNRL,
Yangon National Reference Laboratory.