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Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
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F

Australia Group

Chaired by Australia, the “Australia Group” (AG) is an informal forum of states whose goal is to discourage and impede chemical weapons (CW) proliferation by harmonizing national export controls on CW precursor chemicals, sharing information on target countries, and seeking other ways to curb the use of CW.

The Group was formed in 1984 as a result of CW use in the Iran-Iraq war. Members meet annually in Paris, where the 1925 Geneva Protocol is deposited. The Group's actions are viewed as complementary measures in support of the 1925 Geneva Protocol, the 1972 Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention.

There are presently 30 members of the Group, including: EC-12, Australia, Argentina, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, South Korea, and the United States. Requests by other states to join the Group are considered on a case-by-case basis.

The Group has no charter or constitution. It operates by consensus. On December 10, 1992, the AG issued its first joint background paper on the Group's activities.

The Group has established common export controls for chemical and biological weapons nonproliferation purposes. For CW, members of the AG control a list of 54 chemical precursors and a list of CW-related production equipment as well. For BW, members have established export controls on certain microorganisms, toxins, and equipment that could be used in a BW program.

In tandem with export controls, the AG has periodically used warning mechanisms to sensitize its public to CBW proliferation. The Group has issued an informal “warning list” of dual-use CW precursors and bulk chemicals, and on CW-related equipment. Members develop and share the warning lists with their chemical industries and ask industry to report on any suspicious transactions. The AG has also used an approach to warn industry, the scientific community, and other relevant groups of the risk of inadvertently aiding BW proliferation.

The Group's meetings focus on sharing information about national export controls, considering proposals for “harmonization”—the adoption of common controls by all members on chemical precursors, equipment, biological weapons related materials, and considering other measures to address CBW proliferation and use.

LIST OF DUAL-USE BIOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT FOR EXPORT CONTROL

  1. Complete containment facilities at P3, P4 containment level

    Complete containment facilities that meet the criteria for P3 or P4 (BL3, BL4, L3, L4) containment as specified in the WHO Laboratory Biosafety manual (Geneva, 1983) are subject to export control.

Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×
  1. Fermenters *

    Fermenters capable of cultivation of pathogenic micro-organisms, or viruses or of toxin production, without the propagation of aerosols, and having all the following characteristics:

    1. Capacity equal to or greater than 100 litres.

* Sub-groups of fermenters include bioreactors, chemostats and continuous-flow systems.

  1. Centrifugal Separators *

    Centrifugal separators capable of the continuous separation of pathogenic microorganisms, without the propagation of aerosols, and having all the following characteristics:

    1. Flow rate greater than 100 litres per hour;

    2. Components of polished stainless steel or titanium;

    3. Double or multiple sealing joints within the steam containment area; and

    4. Capable of in-situ steam sterilization in a closed state.

* Centrifugal separators include decanters.

  1. Cross-flow filtration equipment

    Cross-flow filtration equipment capable of continuous separation of pathogenic microorganisms, viruses, toxins, and cell cultures without the propagation of aerosols, having all the following characteristics:

    1. Capable of in situ sterilization.

  2. Freeze-drying equipment

    Steam sterilizable freeze-drying equipment with a condensor capacity greater than 50 kg of ice in 24 hours and less than 1000 kg of ice in 24 hours.

  3. Equipment that incorporates or is contained in P3 or P4 (BL3, BL4, L3, L4) containment housing, as follows:

    1. Independently ventilated protective full or half suits; and

    2. Class III biological safety cabinets or isolators with similar performance standards.

  4. Aerosol inhalation chambers

    Chambers designed for aerosol challenge testing with microorganisms, viruses, or toxins and having a capacity of 1 cubic metre or greater.

The experts propose that the following items be included in awareness-raising guidelines to industry:

Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×
  1. Equipment for the microencapsulation of live microorganisms and toxins in the range of 1-10 µm particle size, specifically:

    1. Interfacial polycondensors; and

    2. Phase separators.

  2. Fermenters of less than 100 litre capacity with special emphasis on aggregate orders or designs for use in combined systems.

  3. Conventional or turbulent air-flow clean-air rooms and self-contained fan-HEPA filter units that may be used for P3 or P4 (BL3, BL4, L3, L4) containment facilities.

LIST OF BIOLOGICAL AGENTS FOR EXPORT CONTROL CORE LIST1

Viruses

V1. Chikungunya virus

V2. Congo-Crimean haemorrhagic fever virus

V3. Dengue fever virus

V4. Eastern equine encephalitis virus

V5. Ebola virus

V6. Hantaan virus

V7. Junin virus

V8. Lassa fever virus

V9. Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus

V10. Machupo virus

V11. Marburg virus

V12. Monkeypox virus

V13. Rift Valley fever virus

V14. Tick-borne encephalitis virus (Russian spring-summer encephalitis virus)

V15. Variola virus

V16. Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus

V17. Western equine encephalitis virus

V18. White pox

V19. Yellow fever virus

V20. Japanese encephalitis virus

Rickettsiae

R1. Coxiella burnetii

R2. Bartonella quintana (Rochalimea quintana, Rickettsia quintana)

R3. Rickettsia prowasecki

R4. Rickettsia rickettsii

Bacteria

B1. Bacillus anthracis

B2. Brucella abortus

Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×

B3. Brucella melitensis

B4. Brucella suis

B5. Chlamydia psittaci

B6. Clostridium botulinum

B7. Francisella tularensis

B8. Burkholderia mallei (Pseudomonas mallei)

B9. Burkholderia pseudomallei (Pseudomonas pseudomallei)

B10. Salmonella typhi

B11. Shigella dysenteriae

B12. Vibrio cholerae

B13. Yersinia pestis

Genetically modified microorganisms

G1. Genetically modified microorganisms or genetic elements that contain nucleic acid sequences associated with pathogenicity and are derived from organisms in the core list.

G2. Genetically modified microorganisms or genetic elements that contain nucleic acid sequences coding for any of the toxins in the core list or their subunits.

Toxins as follows and subunits thereof:2

T1. Botulinum toxins

T2. Clostridium perfringens toxins

T3. Conotoxin

T4. Ricin

T5. Saxitoxin

T6. Shiga toxin

T7. Staphylococcus aureus toxins

T8. Tetrodotoxin

T9. Verotoxin

T10. Microcystin (Cyanginosin)

T11. Aflatoxins

1. Except where the agent is in the form of a vaccine.

2. Excluding immunotoxins.

WARNING LIST1

Viruses

WV1. Kyasanur Forest virus

WV2. Louping ill virus

WV3. Murray Valley encephalitis virus

WV4. Omsk haemorrhagic fever virus

WV5. Oropouche virus

WV6. Powassan virus

WV7. Rocio virus

Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×

WV8. St. Louis encephalitis virus

Bacteria

WB1. Clostridium perfringens *

WB2. Clostridium tetani *

WB3. Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli, serotype 0157, and other verotoxin-producing serotypes

WB4. Legionella pneumophila

WB5. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Genetically modified microorganisms

WG1. Genetically modified microorganisms or genetic elements that contain nucleic acid sequences associated with pathogenicity and are derived from organisms in the warning list.

WG2. Genetically modified microorganisms or genetic elements that contain nucleic acid sequences coding for any of the toxins in the warning list or their subunits.

Toxins as follows and subunits thereof:2

WT1. Abrin

WT2. Cholera toxin

WT3. Tetanus toxin

WT4. Trichothecene mycotoxins

WT5. Modeccin

WT6. Volkensin

WT7. Viscum album lectin 1 (Viscumin)

* The Australia Group recognizes that these organisms are ubiquitous, but, as they have been acquired in the past as part of biological weapons programs, they are worthy of special caution.

1. Except where the agent is in the form of a vaccine.

2. Excluding immunotoxins.

LIST OF ANIMAL PATHOGENS FOR EXPORT CONTROL1

Viruses

AV1. African swine fever virus

AV2. Avian influenza virus2

AV3. Bluetongue virus

AV4. Foot and mouth disease virus

AV5. Goatpox virus

AV6. Herpesvirus (Aujeszky's disease)

AV7. Hog cholera virus (synonym: swine fever virus)

AV8. Lyssa virus

AV9. Newcastle disease virus

Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×

AV10. Peste des petits ruminants virus

AV11. Porcine enterovirus type 9 (synonym: swine vesicular disease virus)

AV12. Rinderpest virus

AV13. Sheeppox virus

AV14. Teschen disease virus

AV15. Vesicular stomatitis virus

1. Except where the agent is in the form of a vaccine.

2. This includes only those avian influenza viruses of high pathogenicity as defined in EC Directive 92/401EC: “Type A viruses with an IVPI (intravenous pathogenicity index) in 6 week old chickens of greater than 1.2, or Type A viruses HS or H7 subtype for which nucleotide sequencing has demonstrated multiple basic amino acids at the cleavage site of haemagglutinin.”

Bacteria

AB3. Mycoplasma mycoides

Genetically-modified microorganisms

AG1. Genetically modified microorganisms or genetic elements that contain nucleic acid sequences associated with pathogenicity and are derived from organisms in the list.

CONTROL LIST OF PLANT PATHOGENS FOR EXPORT CONTROL

CORE LIST

Bacteria

PB1. Xanthomonas albilineans

PB2. Xanthomonas campestris pv. citri

Fungi

PF1. Colletotrichum coffeanum var. virulans (Colletotrichum kanawae)

PF2. Cochliobolus miyabeanus (Helminthosporium oryzae)

PF3. Microcyclus ulei (synonym Dothidella ulei)

PF4. Puccinia graminis (synonym Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici)

PF5. Puccinia striiformis (synonym Pucciniaglumarum)

PF6. Pyricularia grisea/Pyricularia oryzae

Genetically modified Microorganisms

PG1. Genetically modified microorganisms or genetic elements that contain nucleic acid sequences associated with pathogenicity derived from the plant pathogens identified on the export control list.

Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×

ITEMS FOR INCLUSION IN AWARENESS-RAISING GUIDELINES

Bacteria

PWB1. Xanthomonas campestris pv. oryzae

PWB2. Xylella fastidiosa

Fungi

PWF1. Deuterophoma tracheiphila (synonym Phoma tracheiphila)

PWF2. Monilia rorei (synonym Moniliophthora rorei)

Viruses

PWV1. Banana bunchy top virus

Genetically modified microorganisms

PWG1. Genetically modified microorganisms or genetic elements that contain nucleic acid sequences associated with pathogenicity derived from the plant pathogens identified on the awareness-raising list.

Source: U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×
Page 63
Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×
Page 64
Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×
Page 65
Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×
Page 66
Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×
Page 67
Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×
Page 68
Suggested Citation:"F Australia Group." National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council. 1997. Controlling Dangerous Pathogens: A Blueprint for U.S.-Russian Cooperation: A Report to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the U.S. Department of Defense. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9471.
×
Page 69
Next: G Conclusions of Roundtable on Bilateral Cooperation to Address the Public Health Aspects of Dangerous Pathogens »
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