Employee out of isolation, no spread of polio virus. Investigation ongoing.

This message is an update after the polio virus infection of an employee at Bilthoven Biologicals.
After an employee of Bilthoven Biologicals became infected with the polio virus, he was placed in isolation. On January 11, 2023, the employee was able to get out of isolation again. The employee no longer carries the virus and can therefore no longer infect others. The virus was also not found in the contacts of the employee that was examined.

Immediately after the discovery of an infection, the activities in which we work with active polio were temporarily halted. The activities that do not work with live poliovirus will continue. Thanks to our stocks, short-term deliveries are not at risk and we can continue to supply our customers with polio vaccines.

Employee no longer in isolation

The employee is now out of isolation. The employee no longer carries the virus and can therefore no longer infect others. The virus was also not found in the contacts of the employee that was examined. Most people in the Netherlands have been vaccinated against polio, including this employee. As a result, he himself could not become ill from the polio virus. However, this employee did carry the virus with him and excreted it in his faeces, so that the virus could be found in a sewage sample.

The employee has been living in a special isolation home for the past few weeks. The GGD (Municipal Health Service) examined him and also provided samples from his contacts that were tested for the presence of polio virus by the National Polio Laboratory. It concerned dozens of people who all tested negative.

Work on active polio material temporarily halted

At BBio, the activities in which we work with active polio have been temporarily stopped in a controlled manner. This happened in response to the contamination of an employee. The activities that do not work with live poliovirus will continue. Thanks to our stocks, short-term deliveries are not at risk and we can continue to supply our customers with polio vaccines.

Research at BBio

BBio has launched a technical investigation. The task of an internal team of experts is to systematically critically test our analytical methods, but also procedures, the equipment and the working environment in which active material is used. This should ensure that activities with active polio material can be restarted in the safest way.

When the internal investigation is closed, BBio will consult an external party to also review our methods and procedures. Also based on their insights and advice, we will resume our work with an active virus.

Implementing improvements

Finally, all our optimized methods are tested. In addition, in terms of training, BBio will pay constant attention to awareness of safe working and will pay extra attention to the training of personnel with specific tasks.

Priority

At BBio, the priority for now remains to do everything possible to carry out the investigation completely and accurately and to implement improvements. In the interest of the safety and health of all employees and our society. Only then can we once again contribute to the polio eradication program and the global prevention and treatment of life-threatening diseases by providing affordable, high-quality products.