The possibility of travellers arriving in Australia infected
with a potentially fatal exotic disease has existed for many decades.
However, the speed and accessibility of modern air travel, coupled
with global environmental and demographic changes, has substantially
increased this risk.
The National High Security Quarantine Laboratory (NHSQL) is a
physical containment level 4 (PC4) facility designed for microorganisms
that require the maximum level of containment.
It provides laboratory space, testing methods and personnel capable
of safely handling viruses causing viral haemorrhagic fever (the
Ebola, Lassa, Marburg, Crimean-Congo and Rift Valley fever viruses),
variola virus and other infections associated with significant
morbidity and mortality.
