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66-820: NML is located in several sites across the country including the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health (CSCHAH) in Winnipeg, Manitoba . NML has a second site in Winnipeg, the JC Wilt Infectious Disease Research Centre on Logan Avenue which serves as a hub for HIV research and diagnostics in Canada. The three other primary sites include locations in Guelph , St. Hyacinthe and Lethbridge . The CSCHAH

132-496: A basis for and to maintain an atmosphere of public trust and confidence between the centre and the community. The committee consists of volunteer members representing a wide range of organizations including community residents, scientists, health care professionals, and agricultural professionals. The committee meets at least four times per year, holds regular public information sessions and issues reports on their activities. Other laboratories have been modelled on this approach. At

198-686: A cohort of Nairobi sex workers had a natural immunity to HIV/AIDS . This latter discovery suggested the possibility that a vaccine could eventually be developed. Dr. Plummer stepped down as the NML's Scientific Director General to take the position as senior adviser to the Agency's Chief Public Health Officer in 2014. He remained as a distinguished professor at the University of Manitoba prior to his death in February 2020. In 2015, Dr. Matthew Gilmour became

264-560: A eukaryotic kingdom of microbes that are usually saprophytes , but can cause diseases in humans. Life-threatening fungal infections in humans most often occur in immunocompromised patients or vulnerable people with a weakened immune system, although fungi are common problems in the immunocompetent population as the causative agents of skin, nail, or yeast infections. Most antibiotics that function on bacterial pathogens cannot be used to treat fungal infections because fungi and their hosts both have eukaryotic cells. Most clinical fungicides belong to

330-445: A lab-trailer, and a "lab in a suitcase". The lab-truck is generally used for in-country deployments at high-profile events such as the 2010 Olympics , the lab-trailer is used for international large-scale events where there may be a threat of bioterrorism or other deliberate acts involving infectious agents, and the lab in a suitcase is frequently used in remote areas of the world with little available infrastructure. An example would be

396-576: A number of changes to public health in Canada. Among those were the creation of the Public Health Agency of Canada , and the construction of a high-tech operations centre at CSCHAH. This operations centre is the hub of the National Microbiology Laboratory when there is an outbreak or a deployment of personnel off-site. It is equipped with three separate phone systems, can videoconference with 38 participants at

462-684: A number of scientific awards including Canadian Society of Microbiologists' Canadian Graduate Student Microbiologist of the Year Award; the Public Health Agency of Canada's Most Promising Researcher Merit Award and Dr. Andrés Petrasovits Public Health Merit Award; and Health Canada's Excellence Award in Collaborative Leadership and Award for Excellence in Science. Dr. Gilmour continues to be an Assistant Professor at

528-440: A pathogen to cause damage to a host's fitness) evolves when that pathogen can spread from a diseased host, despite that host being very debilitated. An example is the malaria parasite, which can spread from a person near death, by hitching a ride to a healthy person on a mosquito that has bitten the diseased person. This is called horizontal transmission in contrast to vertical transmission , which tends to evolve symbiosis (after

594-489: A period of high morbidity and mortality in the population) by linking the pathogen's evolutionary success to the evolutionary success of the host organism. Evolutionary medicine has found that under horizontal transmission, the host population might never develop tolerance to the pathogen . Transmission of pathogens occurs through many different routes, including airborne, direct or indirect contact, sexual contact, through blood, breast milk, or other body fluids, and through

660-514: A piece of equipment that sterilizes materials with steam and pressure. Any liquids leaving the high-containment space go through a biowaste system that operates like a large autoclave to sterilize it. The high-containment labs are built as a box-in-a-box; they do not border exterior walls and there are mechanical spaces above and below them. CSCHAH is a high-security facility. Security staff work closely with local police, RCMP and CSIS to ensure an appropriate level of security at all times. Only

726-739: A range of viral diseases, including hepatitis and other blood-borne pathogens, respiratory viruses and viral exanthemata, such as measles . Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens - dealing with viral, bacterial and rickettsial zoonoses (diseases transmitted to humans from other species), such as West Nile Virus and Lyme disease , along with risk group 4 agents such as Ebola, Marburg and Lassa fever viruses. HIV and Retrovirology - providing laboratory services and scientific expertise relating to HIV and emerging retroviruses . The Science Technology Core and Services Division works with these divisions to provide technological approaches, including genomics , proteomics and bioinformatics . There

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792-532: A scientific review paper stated that the CSCHAH "has become the prototype for modern BSL4 laboratories". In 2009, Mexico sought help from NML in identifying the unknown respiratory pathogen which was to become known as the pandemic H1N1 influenza. NML's involvement in the response to the West African Ebola outbreak . For a period of about 18 months, teams from NML travelled to West Africa to aid in

858-547: A time, and can connect via satellite to remote locations around the world. Virtually all staff at NML are trained in the Incident Command System and are able to jump into action at a moment's notice if there is a public health event of some type. A three-story expansion to the building was completed in 2011. The expanded and renovated areas include specimen receiving, shipping and receiving, bio-repository, media preparation, office, and meeting space. CSCHAH

924-548: Is a biosafety level 4 infectious disease laboratory facility, the only one of its kind in Canada. With maximum containment, scientists are able to work with pathogens including Ebola , Marburg and Lassa fever . The NML's CSCHAH is also home to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency 's National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease , and thus the scientists at the NML share their premises with animal virologists . The National Microbiology Laboratory

990-606: Is a pathogen ( microbe or microorganism such as a virus , bacterium , prion , or fungus ) that causes disease in humans . The human physiological defense against common pathogens (such as Pneumocystis ) is mainly the responsibility of the immune system with help by some of the body's normal microbiota . However, if the immune system or "good" microbiota are damaged in any way (such as by chemotherapy , human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or antibiotics being taken to kill other pathogens), pathogenic bacteria that were being held at bay can proliferate and cause harm to

1056-534: Is also the Public Health Risk Sciences Division , which is a specialized resource that provides scientific knowledge and solutions to better assess public health risks and enable decisions, with specific attention to infectious disease threats transmitted from food, the animals, or the physical environment. These science-based divisions are complemented and supported by numerous other units that ensure their ongoing operations such as

1122-404: Is devoted to Containment Level 4 (CL4) at NML. These agents have the potential for aerosol transmission, often have a low infectious dose and produce very serious and often fatal disease; there is no licensed treatment or vaccine available. This level of containment represents an isolated unit independent of other areas. CL4 emphasizes maximum containment of the infectious agent by completely sealing

1188-437: Is held in high regard within the international containment laboratory community. CSCHAH is a state-of-the-art, 332,766 square foot complex. Built to exceed national and international standards, CSCHAH maintains its high level of excellence through ongoing maintenance and regular upgrades. The complex is built as a series of program-specific blocks interconnected by an area dedicated to common elements for both departments such as

1254-460: Is not cellular, and is instead composed of either RNA ( Ribonucleic acid ) or DNA ( Deoxyribonucleic acid ) within a protein shell - the capsid . Pathogenic viruses infiltrate host cells and manipulate the organelles within the cell such as the Ribosomes , Golgi Apparatus , and Endoplasmic Reticulum in order to multiply which commonly results in the death of the host cell via cellular decay. All

1320-480: Is the same type of laboratory found in doctors' offices, hospitals and universities. In a Level 2 lab, work with infectious materials is done inside a biosafety cabinet (BSC) and appropriate personal protective gear is worn relative to activities (gloves, eye protection, lab coats, gowns, etc.). Risk Group 2 pathogens worked with in Level 2 can cause disease but are not a serious hazard and they are often circulating in

1386-640: The Canadian Institute of Health Research , and other organizations). By 2018 the NML was beginning to use genomics and advanced computing to study microbes at the genetic level in so-called "dry lab" facilities, as opposed to "wet labs" with Petri dishes and cell cultures . The NML (PHAC) fired Chinese nationals Xiangguo Qiu and her husband Keding Cheng from their jobs as BSL4 infectious disease researchers in January 2021; previously in July 2019

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1452-544: The People's Liberation Army from at least 2016 to 2020. NML is renowned for its work on a broad spectrum of infectious diseases from seasonal influenza to Ebola and its accomplishments are too many to detail. Some recent examples of the work done by NML include their involvement in the response to the West African Ebola outbreak. For a period of about 18 months, teams from NML travelled to West Africa to aid in

1518-743: The azole group . The typical fungal spore size is 1-40 micrometers in length. Protozoans are single-celled eukaryotes that feed on microorganisms and organic tissues. Considered as "one-celled animal" as they have animal like behaviors such as motility, predation, and a lack of a cell wall. Many protozoan pathogens are considered human parasites as they cause a variety of diseases such as: malaria , amoebiasis , babesiosis , giardiasis , toxoplasmosis , cryptosporidiosis , trichomoniasis , Chagas disease , leishmaniasis , African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), Acanthamoeba keratitis , and primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (naegleriasis). Parasitic worms (Helminths) are macroparasites that can be seen by

1584-854: The influenza virus. Today, while many medical advances have been made to safeguard against infection by pathogens, through the use of vaccination , antibiotics , and fungicide , pathogens continue to threaten human life. Social advances such as food safety , hygiene , and water treatment have reduced the threat from some pathogens. Pathogenic viruses are mainly those of the families of: Adenoviridae , Picornaviridae , Herpesviridae , Hepadnaviridae , Coronaviridae , Flaviviridae , Retroviridae , Orthomyxoviridae , Paramyxoviridae , Papovaviridae , Polyomavirus , Poxviridae , Rhabdoviridae , and Togaviridae . Some notable pathogenic viruses cause smallpox , influenza , mumps , measles , chickenpox , ebola , and rubella. Viruses typically range between 20 and 300 nanometers in length. This type of pathogen

1650-923: The white blood cell are responsible for destroying the virus and recycling its components for the body to use. Although the vast majority of bacteria are harmless or beneficial to one's body, a few pathogenic bacteria can cause infectious diseases . The most common bacterial disease is tuberculosis , caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis , which affects about 2 million people mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. Pathogenic bacteria contribute to other globally important diseases, such as pneumonia , which can be caused by bacteria such as Streptococcus and Pseudomonas , and foodborne illnesses , which can be caused by bacteria such as Shigella , Campylobacter , and Salmonella . Pathogenic bacteria also cause infections such as tetanus , typhoid fever , diphtheria , syphilis , and Hansen's disease . They typically range between 1 and 5 micrometers in length. Fungi are

1716-527: The Government of Canada. This modern facility is home to two laboratories: the Public Health Agency of Canada 's National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency 's National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD). It was the workplace of approximately 550 federal employees prior to the Covid-19 outbreak; since then it has been home to over 800 staff. While most of

1782-607: The J.C. Wilt Infectious Diseases Research Centre on Logan Avenue. The other facilities are located in Guelph, ON; St. Hyacinthe, QC and Lethbridge, AB. NML is divided into five main laboratory divisions which are supported by scientific and administrative services. The primary NML divisions are: Bacterial Pathogens - focussing on bacterial diseases such as tuberculosis and antibiotic resistant organisms. Enteric Diseases - focussing on food and water-borne pathogens including E.coli and Salmonella . Viral Diseases - addressing

1848-1077: The Office of Science Planning, Program Support and Services, Scientific Informatic Services, Science Support and Client Services, Surveillance and References Services, the Facility and Property Management Division, and the Biorisk and Occupational Safety Services Division. NML also funds the National Reference Centre for Parasitology in Montreal and has a Laboratory Liaison Technical Officer in most provincial labs. NML employs scientists (MD, PhD, and DVM), biologists, and laboratory technologists, but it also includes informatics specialists, biosafety experts, specialized operations and maintenance staff, and administrative staff, among others. In total, there are approximately 600 staff members as of 2016. The laboratory has collaborated with scientists from

1914-664: The Scientific Director General of the National Microbiology Laboratory and the Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses. Dr. Gilmour spearheaded the partnership that brought these two laboratories together under the National Microbiology Laboratory umbrella. He was previously the Chief, Enteric Diseases and subsequently the Program Director, Bacteriology and Enteric Diseases at the NML. Dr. Gilmour has won

1980-603: The University of Manitoba in 1976. Between 1984 and 2001, Dr. Plummer lived in Nairobi, Kenya where he spearheaded the development of the world renowned "Kenya AIDS Control Program," established by the Universities of Manitoba and Nairobi . This HIV epidemiological work was central to global understanding of the risk factors for HIV transmission and how to prevent its spread. Dr. Plummer was the first to reveal that heterosexual women could also be infected with HIV/AIDS and that

2046-581: The University of Manitoba's Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases as well as the Secretary Treasurer of the Canadian Association for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (CACMID). Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health The Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health ( CSCHAH ) is an infectious disease laboratory complex in Winnipeg , Manitoba , owned and operated by

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2112-516: The Winnipeg-based Smith Carter Architects and Engineers Inc., visited laboratories around the world to seek best practices in containment and design. Construction finished toward the end of 1997, with the first programs beginning in the spring of 1998 following an extensive commissioning process. The rest of the laboratories then became operational one by one. The official opening took place in 1999. Since then,

2178-514: The brain. They do not contain any DNA or RNA and cannot replicate other than to convert already existing normal proteins to the misfolded state. These abnormally folded proteins are found characteristically in many neurodegenerative diseases as they aggregate the central nervous system and create plaques that damages the tissue structure. This essentially creates "holes" in the tissue. It has been found that prions transmit three ways: obtained, familial, and sporadic. It has also been found that plants play

2244-416: The committee's request, CSCHAH developed reporting guidelines to determine the extent of communication around any incidents that may take place at the centre. This ensures that the committee and others are apprised of incidents of any significance in a timely manner plus they have access to information on each and every incident no matter how minor, at their meetings. Human pathogen A human pathogen

2310-535: The community. Environmental contamination must be minimized by the use of hand washing sinks and decontamination facilities such as autoclaves . Examples include E-coli ; whooping cough ; and seasonal influenza . NML also has Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratories (8.6% of lab space). Risk Group 3 pathogens may be transmitted by the airborne route, often need only a low infectious dose to produce effects, and can cause serious or life-threatening disease. CL3 emphasizes additional primary and secondary barriers to minimize

2376-493: The country. These programs protect human health, animal health, and international trade. In the 1980s, both Agriculture Canada (prior to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency being formed) and Health Canada identified the need to replace existing laboratory space that was reaching the end of its lifespan as well as the need for Containment Level 4 space in the country. Numerous benefits were identified for housing both laboratories in one building, including cost savings. Winnipeg

2442-412: The design and construction of the facility, the engineering controls, and the training and techniques of staff are all focused on protecting lab workers, containing the pathogens, and preventing contamination of materials to ensure accurate diagnosis and research. All of these factors vary depending on the level of containment. The vast majority (87.7%) of NML's lab space is Containment Level 2 (CL2). This

2508-436: The diagnostic capabilities of all participants and contribute to disease surveillance around the world. The Canadian Network for Public Health Intelligence (CNPHI) is an innovation developed by NML staff. It is a secure web-based system that compiles information from various surveillance systems and issues alerts to users. More than 4,000 public health officials across Canada now subscribe to it. CNPHI tools assist in determining

2574-414: The diagnostics during the outbreak. Their ongoing work on developing both a vaccine and treatment was fast-tracked into clinical trials during this period to help stop the outbreak. The primary reason for housing the two laboratories in the same complex was economic. It saves the citizens of Canada money by only having one facility to operate with a number of shared services also keeping costs down. However,

2640-528: The diagnostics during the outbreak. They worked closely with the World Health Organization and Médecins sans frontières to ensure people were properly diagnosed so that they could be properly cared for and isolated from others to stop the spread. Also during this outbreak, a promising vaccine and treatment for Ebola that were developed at NML, in conjunction with collaborators, were fast tracked into clinical trials so that they could get to

2706-455: The existence or extent of an outbreak through the recognition of related cases across jurisdictions. From 2000 to 2014, Dr. Frank Plummer was the Scientific Director General of the National Microbiology Laboratory. Under Dr. Plummer's guidance, the NML developed into one of the world's premier institutions in the research, detection, and response to global infectious disease and bio-security threats. Dr. Plummer received his medical degree from

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2772-595: The facility perimeter with confirmation by negative pressure testing, isolation of the researcher from the pathogen by an enclosed positive pressure suit, and decontamination of air and all other materials. Examples include Ebola, Nipah , Marburg , and 1918 pandemic influenza . NML programs are housed in several facilities across the country. Two of these facilities are in proximity to each other in Winnipeg: The Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health on Arlington Street and

2838-531: The facility that came to be named the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health (often referred to locally as "the Virology Lab") began with an official ground-breaking in December 1992. The joint venture design team of Toronto-based Dunlop Architects and Winnipeg-based Smith Carter Architects and Engineers visited 30 laboratories to seek best practices in containment and design. Construction

2904-433: The host's blood vessels. Parasitic worms living in the host can cause weakness and even lead to many diseases. Parasitic worms can cause many diseases to both humans and animals. Helminthiasis (worm infection), Ascariasis , and enterobiasis (pinworm infection) are few that are caused by various parasitic worms. Prions are misfolded proteins that are transmissible and can influence abnormal folding of normal proteins in

2970-551: The host. Such cases are called opportunistic infections . Some pathogens (such as the bacterium Yersinia pestis , which may have caused the Black Plague , the Variola virus, and the malaria protozoa) have been responsible for massive numbers of casualties and have had numerous effects on affected groups. Of particular note in modern times is HIV, which is known to have infected several million humans globally, along with

3036-468: The laboratories in the facility have been instrumental in responding to a number of significant infectious disease outbreaks: The 2003 SARS outbreak when NML led the laboratory response; the 2003 BSE case when NCFAD provided the diagnosis of the initial case and then undertook testing as part of a vast investigation; the 2004 avian influenza outbreak in BC for which NCFAD led the laboratory investigation. In 2007

3102-409: The laboratory space is dedicated to Containment Level 2 (also known as Biosafety Level 2) and Containment Level 3 laboratories, CSCHAH is the only facility in Canada operating Containment Level 4 (CL4) laboratories and is the first facility in the world to have both human and animal Level 4 laboratories under one roof. Both NML and NCFAD operate critical diagnostic testing programs relied on across

3168-403: The lead laboratory in Canada, NML rapidly developed diagnostic tests and equipped provincial labs to be able to test for the new virus. NML also assisted Mexico by providing additional testing and sent staff to their national laboratory to enable to help them set up their own testing protocols. In the international laboratory sector, NML has developed different types of mobile labs : a lab-truck,

3234-415: The library, cafeteria, and theatre. CSCHAH houses laboratories to manage any type of infectious organism from the most common to the most exotic. Containment Level 2 (CL2) laboratories are the same as what can be found at a hospital or doctor's office; 60.8% of CSCHAH lab space is dedicated to level 2. Containment Level 3 involves specific engineering controls and protocols to ensure the safety of lab staff,

3300-494: The likelihood that the human pathogen will actually cause disease in a human, and whether treatment and preventative measures are available. It can depend on the type of work being done as to which level of containment is needed for pathogens from specific risk groups; as an example, culturing (or growing) a virus or bacterium requires higher containment than some diagnostic tests. NML operates Containment Level 2, 3 and 4 laboratories. In human health infectious disease laboratories,

3366-486: The lobby area is open to the public; all guests must be escorted within the secure area at all times. All staff working in the facility have Secret Level II security clearance. The Community Liaison Committee to the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health was struck by the ministers of Health and Agriculture in 1999. The committee's first meeting took place in January 2000. It was to create

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3432-797: The multiple deployments over the years to combat outbreaks of Ebola in Africa. This model was adopted by many other countries during the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. NML houses the secretariats for both the Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network (CPHLN) and the Global Health Security Action Group – Laboratory Network (GHSAG-LN). The role of CPHLN is to provide a forum for public health laboratory leaders to share knowledge. The GHSAG-LN network's goals are to coordinate

3498-425: The naked eye. Worms live and feed in their living host, receiving nourishment and shelter while affecting the host's way of digesting nutrients. They also manipulate the host's immune system by secreting immunomodulatory products which allows them to live in their host for years. Many parasitic worms are more commonly intestinal that are soil-transmitted and infect the digestive tract; other parasitic worms are found in

3564-661: The need for new laboratory space including high-containment. Numerous benefits were identified for housing both laboratories in one building and Winnipeg was chosen as the site; an announcement to that effect was made in October 1987. After some debate, the spot chosen for the site was a city works yard near to the Health Sciences Centre (a major teaching hospital), the University of Manitoba 's medical school, and other life science organizations. Construction of

3630-462: The pair had been dismissed from their positions as unpaid members of the University of Winnipeg for their agency in a mysterious trans-Pacific shipment of BSL4-grade virus materials back to their homeland when the RCMP was called in. Human pathogens are classified into risk groups. The criteria to determine the group includes the level of risk to the health of a person or to public health, as well as

3696-475: The partnership between these two world leading labs also allows for collaboration and cooperation on established, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Many of the viruses, bacteria and prions studied at CSCHAH are zoonotic , meaning that they can transfer from animals to humans. Co-location of these labs allows scientists to work together on these shared challenges and to take advantage of each other's complementary expertise and unique resources. This model

3762-515: The people that needed it as soon as possible. Another accomplishment was the response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. In April 2009, the Mexican national lab approached NML for assistance with identifying a respiratory virus that was causing outbreaks in Mexico . NML was able to quickly identify the new virus and recognize that it matched the virus that was beginning to circulate in the U.S. As

3828-501: The public and the environment; 35.5% of CSCHAH lab space is CL3 space, the majority of which is dedicated to animal pathogens. Although the facility is thought of as a "Level 4 facility," only 3.7% of lab space is used for CL4. Level 4, with its special construction and biosafety suits, is necessary to work with the most serious of pathogens including Ebola, Nipah, and Marburg. Following the SARS outbreak in 2003, lessons learned resulted in

3894-406: The release of infectious organisms into the immediate laboratory and the environment. Additional features to prevent transmission of CL3 organisms are appropriate respiratory protection, HEPA filtration of exhausted laboratory air, and strictly controlled laboratory access. Examples include tuberculosis ; West Nile virus ; and pandemic H1N1 influenza . A small percentage of laboratory space (3.6%)

3960-500: The role of vector for prions. There are eight different diseases that affect mammals that are caused by prions such as scrapie , bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) and Feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE) . There are also ten diseases that affect humans such as, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD). and Fatal familial insomnia (FFI). Animal pathogens are disease-causing agents of wild and domestic animal species, at times including humans. Virulence (the tendency of

4026-407: The viruses that were contained within the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane are then released into the intercellular matrix to infect neighboring cells to continue the viral life cycle . White blood cells surround and consume the virus using a mechanism known as phagocytosis (a type of endocytosis ) within the extracellular matrix to reduce and fight the infection. The components within

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4092-430: The year and provides 24/7 response to biological or chemical issues. Any material exiting the level 3 or 4 laboratories must be sterilized or decontaminated in some manner. Air is drawn into the laboratories through the use of negative air pressure before being filtered out through High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters. Laboratory waste such as gloves, test tubes, and pipette tips are removed via an autoclave ,

4158-547: Was chosen as the site and an announcement was made in October 1987. After some debate, the spot chosen for the site was a city works yard near to the Health Sciences Centre (a major teaching hospital) and the University of Manitoba's medical school. The City of Winnipeg transferred the title for $ 1. Construction of the facility that came to be named the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health (often referred to locally as "the Virology Lab") began with an official groundbreaking in December 1992. The design team, headed by

4224-578: Was designed for safety; it was built to meet or exceed all national and international standards. The construction, engineering controls and sterilization systems are geared toward the highest level of safety. Safety is of paramount importance to everyone working in the facility. Extensive Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are in place and everyone is well-trained for the specific area they work in. A safety and environmental services (SES) team provides numerous "hands-on" demonstrations and presentations on biosafety and occupational health and safety throughout

4290-551: Was largely complete by the end of 1997 with the first programs beginning in the spring of 1998 and all laboratories coming on line after that. The official opening took place in June 1999. Following the SARS outbreak in 2003, the Public Health Agency of Canada was formed in 2004 to provide a stronger focus on public health and emergency preparedness in the country. It is a member of the federal Health Portfolio (along with Health Canada,

4356-630: Was preceded by the Bureau of Microbiology which was originally part of the Laboratory Centre for Disease Control of Health Canada in Ottawa . In the 1980s, Health Canada identified both the need to replace existing laboratory space that was reaching the end of its lifespan and the need for Containment Level 4 space in the country. Around the same time, Agriculture Canada (prior to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency being formed) also identified

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