ARCTIKO – To Preserve and Protect

Across the world ARCTIKO is devoted to providing reliable cold storage to preserve and protect vital biomedical research. In 2020 we had the opportunity to partner with Tecno Diagnostica to provide an ultralow freezer to SENASA (Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal, or National Service of Animal Health) in Costa Rica, where Dra. Gabriela Hernández and her team collect unique samples from animals such as dolphins, whales, and other cetaceans that are less common to find and study zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted to humans and domestic animals, such as pets and livestock, in the interest of protecting national health.

In 2022 they were able to discover a new species of Brucella, a bacteria that causes brucellosis in humans, in bats that they examine. Through the observation of isolated bacterial strains and bacteriological analysis they are able to better understand new routes of transmission and detect new presences of disease in reservoirs.

This can be used to identify paths of infection from wildlife animals to domestic animals to humans. By understanding these paths, doctors can develop practices to inhibit future transmissions and prepare medical centers, both human and veterinary, to treat potential breakthrough infections.

Many of the samples are unique in the world and as such are irreplaceable. Therefore, reliable cold storage is essential for both current and future investigations. The ideal temperature to preserve the quality of samples and prevent the breakdown of the DNA strains that contain the bacteria for decades is -80°C, so that scientists can continue to study and learn more about our world. Since 2020 the ARCTIKO ULUF P390 has been a valuable partner in the Laboratorio de Bacteriología. Together with ARCTIKO, Dra. Hernández sees many future projects in labs in National Parks and Rescue Centers. We are proud to be an integral part of the work to preserve and protect Costa Rica.