Classification of biosafety levels
What is the criteria in classifying biosafety levels?
There are four biosafety levels. Each level has specific controls for containment of microbes and biological agents. The primary risks that determine levels of containment are infectivity, severity of disease, transmissibility, and the nature of the work conducted.
What is a biosafety level 3?
Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3)​
BSL-3 laboratories are used to study infectious agents or toxins that may be transmitted through the air and cause potentially lethal infections. Researchers perform all experiments in a biosafety cabinet. BSL-3 laboratories are designed to be easily decontaminated.
What is a level 4 disease?
Diseases that have high fatality rates and have no known treatments are considered level 4 diseases. An example of a level 4 disease is Ebola virus, a disease that causes headache, muscle pain, fever, impaired liver and kidney function, and in some cases, death.
What are BSL-4 organisms list?
Biohazard Level 4 usually includes dangerous viruses like Ebola, Marburg virus, Lassa fever, Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, and many other hemorrhagic viruses found in the tropics.
Is E. coli BSL-2?
Examples of BSL-1 organisms are: Agrobacterium radiobacter, Aspergillus niger, Bacillus thuringiensis, Escherichia coli strain K12, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Micrococcus leuteus, Neurospora crassa, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Serratia marcescens.
What is a biosafety level 1?
Biosafety Levels
Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1) BSL-1 labs are used to study infectious agents or toxins not known to consistently cause disease in healthy adults. They follow basic safety procedures, called Standard Microbiological Practices and require no special equipment or design features.
What is a biosafety level 2 laboratory?
BSL–2. This biosafety level covers laboratories that work with agents associated with human diseases (i.e. pathogenic or infections organisms) that pose a moderate health hazard.
Are prions BSL-4?
Human prions are manipulated at Biosafety Level (BSL) 2 or 3, depending on the activity, with most human prions treated as BSL-3 under most experimental conditions.In many instances, BSE prions can also be manipulated at BSL-2, however due to the high probability that BSE prions have been transmitted to humans, certain …
What is a level 4 agent?
Level 4. Agents requiring BSL 4 facilities and practices are extremely dangerous and pose a high risk of life-threatening disease. Examples are the Ebola virus, the Lassa virus, and any agent with unknown risks of pathogenicity and transmission. These facilities provide the maximum protection and containment.
Where are BSL-4 labs located?
List of BSL-4 facilities
| Country | Location | Name |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Bethesda, Maryland | National Institutes of Health (NIH) |
| Fort Detrick, Maryland | Integrated Research Facility | |
| National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center | ||
| US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) |
What is a Category 3 pathogen?
WHO Risk Group 3 (high individual risk, low community risk) – A pathogen that usually causes serious human or animal disease but does not ordinarily spread from one infected individual to another. Effective treatment and preventive measures are available.
How many BSL-4 labs are there?
There are currently 13 operational or planned BSL-4 facilities within the United States of America.
What biosafety level is salmonella?
Biosafety Level 2
A comprehensive set of biosafety guidelines for work with Salmonella and other similar human pathogens can be found in the Biosafety Level 2 section of the CDC/NIH Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories manual, the Guidelines for Safe Work Practices in Human and Animal Medical Diagnostic Laboratories …
What is a Category 2 laboratory?
Containment level 2 (CL 2) is used for work with medium risk biological agents and hazards, genetically modified organisms, animals and plants.
Does BSL-1 need biosafety cabinet?
Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1)
Lab personnel are handling specimens with little risk of infecting healthy human beings. One example of a microbe with a level 1 rating (BSL-1) is E. coli. While handling BSL-1 specimens, the lab doesn’t need any advanced containment equipment.
How do you dispose of BSL-1 bacteria?
Transport to biohazard collection area in a closed rigid container for final disposal by EH&S. Surface Decontamination: Use 10% household bleach solution or other appropriate surface disinfectant. Allow 5 minutes of contact time before wiping area.
What precautions are necessary for working in biosafety level 1?
BSL-1 labs maintain a strict ban on food and drinks within the lab. Employees can only use sharp tools, or “sharps,” when they can’t use any alternative. Basically, this is to limit the chance of infection. Also, workers must dispose of all sharps carefully and within the proper receptacle.