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Biological Hazards in Medical and Research Laboratories: October, 2010
Biological Hazards in Medical and Research Laboratories: October, 2010
Biological Hazards in Medical and Research Laboratories: October, 2010
October, 2010
What You Will Learn
- Prior vaccination with BCG not considered when interpreting PPD skin test.
It is impossible to differentiate between BCG mediated response and latent
infection.
– 90% of all persons infected with TB will never develop active TB
Source: CDC
Bacteria Exposure - Anthrax
From April 5, 2002 MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from CDC)
Pertussis (whooping cough):
– Hazard is aerosol generation during
culture manipulation
Source: CDC
Brucellosis
– One of the most commonly Source: CDC
reported lab-associated
bacterial infection
• #1: 3 days before symptoms, the patient had prepared a gram stain
from the blood culture of a patient who was subsequently shown to
have meningococcal disease. The microbiologist had also handled
and sub-cultured agar plates w/ CSF. At this lab, aspiration from
blood culture bottles was performed at an open lab bench.
• Rickettsial Agents:
– Coxiella burnetti – Q fever
o High risk of lab infection
o Aerosol and parenteral exposures
– Rickettsia species
o Typhus, reported in 57 lab-associated cases
o Rocky mountain spotted fever, in 1976, 63 lab
cases were reported, 11 were fatal
o Aerosols and parenteral inoculation
• Blood includes:
– Human blood
– Human blood components, such as
packed cells and plasma
– Products made from human blood, such
as:
Clotting agents for hemophilia
Immune globulins including Rh factor immune
globulins
Virus Exposure – Blood/Body Fluids
• Hepatitis A and E:
– Fecally transmitted Hepatitis A virus
• Hepatitis B, C, and D
Parenteral
– Needlestick
– Scalpel/glass cut
• Mucous membrane
– Mouth pipetting
– Eating, drinking in lab area
– Not wearing appropriate PPE
– Non-intact skin
o Unguarded splash
o Contact with contaminated surfaces
o Not covering skin breaks
HIV Virus Exposure
– Safety Equipment
– Laboratory Facilities