Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 18.2
Category A, B, and C Agents
Category A
Category B
Category C
Arenaviruses (e.g. Lassa,
Machupo)
Brucella spp.
Hantavirus
Bacillus anthracis
Burkholderia mallei
Nipah virus
Clostridium botulinum toxin
Burkholderia pseudomallei
Other emerging infectious
diseases
Filoviruses (e.g. Ebola,
Marburg)
Chlamydophila psittaci
Francisella tularensis
Clostridium perfringens
epsilon toxin
Variola major (smallpox)
Coxiella burnetii
Yersinia pestis
Cryptosporidium parvum
Escherichia coli O157:H7
Ricinus communis ricin
toxin
Rickettsia prowazekii
Salmonella spp.
Shigella spp.
Staphylococcus aureus
enterotoxin B
Vibrio cholerae
Other food safety threats
Other water safety threats
the facility meets BSL-4 or BSL-3Ag requirements as
described in the 5th edition of the BMBL. An occupational
exposure occurs if personnel have skin, eye, mucous
membrane, or parenteral contact with potentially infectious
materials, such as through a needlestick or eye splash.
Locking refrigerators/freezers should be available for
secured storage of animal carcasses prior to their necropsy
and final disposal. If a theft, loss, or release of a select agent
or toxin occurs, the registered individual or entity must
notify the lead agency (CDC or APHIS) immediately upon
discovery. Information pertaining to the event should be
submitted within 24 hours, and a complete APHIS/CDC
Form 3 (Report of Theft, Loss or Release) must be tendered
within 7 days. Federal, state, or local law enforcement
(theft or loss) or health (release) agencies must also be
notified within a timely manner.
Specialized chambers intended to deliver materials
(infectious agents, toxins, drugs) to monkeys via aerosol
are currently in use at many facilities. These chambers are
designed to minimize or eliminate potential personnel
occupational exposure and must be thoroughly disinfected
between uses with differing agents to prevent cross-
contamination of experimental subjects. Select agent
registered institutions must have security, biosafety, and
incidence response plans in place and must provide training
on these plans as well as agent-specific training to
personnel working with select agents.
DISEASE PREVENTION
The ultimate goal of a biosafety program is to prevent,
rather than to treat, exposures, infections, and other
complications. Disease prevention is optimal control. To
achieve this level of control, a basic understanding of the
infectious process, risk assessment, animal biosafety levels,
and universal and enteric precautions is essential.
The Infectious Process
For infections to occur as a result of working with
nonhuman primates, three essential elements must be
present: (1) an infectious agent or animal that is infected
with the agent; (2) a susceptible host or worker who has
contact with the animal or agent; and (3) a favorable
environment for transmission from nonhuman primates to
humans. In infectious disease studies, a known pathogen is
always present. In other research, the presence of infectious
agents is dependent on the disease status of the experi-
mental animals, which may harbor known or unsuspected
infectious agents.
