Applied biosafety : journal of the American Biological Safety Association最新文献

{"title":"The COVID-19 Pandemic Response: Biosafety Perspectives from a Large Research and Teaching Institution.","authors":"David R Gillum,&nbsp;Amanda D Rice,&nbsp;Irene A Mendoza","doi":"10.1089/apb.2022.0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/apb.2022.0001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Although the COVID-19 pandemic began over 2 years ago, responses from institutions have not been thoroughly documented. Because of constantly evolving guidance from regulatory and public health agencies, the traditional evidence-based risk assessment process was disrupted. It took time to obtain enough actionable information about the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus and its transmission to be able to inform decision making and consistently make accurate recommendations.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The primary objective of this article is to detail the actions in chronological order taken by the biosafety team at Arizona State University in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This article includes a chronicling of actual experiences and observations with a retrospective review and analysis of the actions taken to document and share lessons learned to guard against future pandemics. Specific infection control practices, such as measuring saliva droplets from dropped test tubes, are described and different COVID-19 testing and vaccination site designs are evaluated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The biosafety team helped collect more than 304,000 saliva samples, deliver 15,528 vaccinations, safely manage more than 170,000 gallons of biohazardous waste, and oversee the pandemic response inventory. The team also conducted inspections, developed safety procedures, and reviewed research protocols.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic required safety professionals to re-envision how they perform their work, not only at their place of employment, but also within their communities and at their homes. This presented a challenge to balance inquiry and the scientific process against the urgent need for understanding changing pandemic dynamics and information and developing new best practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":520561,"journal":{"name":"Applied biosafety : journal of the American Biological Safety Association","volume":" ","pages":"64-78"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/ad/dd/apb.2022.0001.PMC9150129.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33444800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Impact of Air Inflow and Interfering Factors on the Performance of Microbiological Safety Cabinets.","authors":"Simon Parks, Helen Hookway, Kazunobu Kojima, Allan Bennett","doi":"10.1089/apb.2021.0010","DOIUrl":"10.1089/apb.2021.0010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The operator protection factor (OPF) of four biological safety cabinets (BSCs) has been measured under standard and suboptimal conditions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The OPF for one BSC1, two BSC2, and an acid-fast bacilli staining station (AFBSS) was measured using the potassium iodide method for in situ testing of BSCs (CEN12469) over a range of inflow velocities under standard conditions and with common interfering factors (fans, opening doors, and walk pasts).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The BSC1 and the AFBSS gave a high level of protection under standard test conditions at all airflows (down to 0.3 and 0.38 m/s, respectively). During interfering processes, the BSC1 and AFBSS gave a high level of protection (OPF >10⁵) at the specified inward airflow. At lower airflows, there was a predictable deterioration in performance. There was a significant difference in performance between the two BSC2s tested, with one model passing all tests under all interfering conditions at all airflows. The second BSC2 failed the standard test at the lowest airflow and provided poor levels of protection (OPF <10⁵) in all tests carried out with interfering processes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although BSC2s are capable of giving a high level of performance, this is design dependent and the BSC1 and AFBSS give a more predictable level of performance due to their simpler design. In environments where BSC certification is not possible, they may provide more robust and sustainable primary containment.</p>","PeriodicalId":520561,"journal":{"name":"Applied biosafety : journal of the American Biological Safety Association","volume":" ","pages":"23-32"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9402246/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33442124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Safety in Chemical and Biomedical Laboratories: Guidelines for the Use of Head Covers by Female Muslim Scientists.","authors":"Margaret Juergensmeyer,&nbsp;Shakirat A Adetunji","doi":"10.1089/apb.2021.0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/apb.2021.0015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Personal protective equipment (PPE) complements the safety measures required for working in various laboratories. The main purpose of PPE is to limit the exposure of laboratory personnel and the environment to hazardous chemicals and biological materials. Despite the wide acceptance of PPE, limited accommodation exists for customization of these items based on personal or cultural preferences.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This article describes the basic recommendations and specifications for Muslim women's head covers as a part of PPE requirements in chemical and biological laboratories.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These guidelines will significantly help safety professionals, laboratorians, and teachers to plan accordingly and customize PPE that will not only be safe but also fit the needs of scientists of varying cultural backgrounds.</p>","PeriodicalId":520561,"journal":{"name":"Applied biosafety : journal of the American Biological Safety Association","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9402249/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33442181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biosafety in the Time of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Pandemic: The Philippine Experience.","authors":"Michael O Baclig","doi":"10.1089/apb.20.0069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/apb.20.0069","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that begun in December 2019 has spread worldwide and is caused by a novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). In the Philippines, the first case of COVID-19 was reported on January 20, 2020. Early in the SARS-CoV2 outbreak, clinical samples from suspected COVID-19 patients had to be sent to a reference laboratory in Australia for confirmation. However, as of November 11, 2020, there are now 164 Department of Health (DOH) licensed COVID-19 testing laboratories in the country. The Department of Health-Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (DOH-RITM) is the National Reference Laboratory for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. The RITM follows the guidelines set forth by the World Health Organization (WHO) when responding to outbreaks. One of its functions is to conduct risk assessment and proficiency testing to ensure and maintain the safety and high-quality performance of independent laboratories. The majority of the COVID-19 testing centers use a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction platform. As of November 14, 2020, there are >404,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines of which 83% are mild cases. It is worthwhile to mention that before full-scale implementation and issuance of a license to operate a COVID-19 testing regimen, both hospital and nonhospital-based diagnostic laboratories undergo a multistage process for COVID-19 laboratory assessment. The requirements prescribed in the DOH assessment tool for licensing a COVID-19 testing laboratory include but are not limited to the availability of safety equipment and trained laboratory personnel, the facility must be a BSL-2 laboratory, and must have an updated protocol including a biosafety manual. In this article, the biosafety concerns associated with establishing a COVID-19 testing laboratory and running COVID-19 clinical samples will be highlighted. In addition, mitigation control measures that can be put into place for aerosol-generating procedures and key performance indicators will also be identified.</p>","PeriodicalId":520561,"journal":{"name":"Applied biosafety : journal of the American Biological Safety Association","volume":" ","pages":"S10-S15"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9135155/pdf/apb.20.0069.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33442618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biosafety Risk Assessment of a Routine Diagnostic Laboratory During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.","authors":"Orçun Zorbozan,&nbsp;Nergiz Zorbozan,&nbsp;Nevin Turgay","doi":"10.1089/apb.20.0064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/apb.20.0064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> In this study, we aimed to perform a biosafety risk assessment to determine measures to be taken against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the routine diagnostic parasitology laboratory of a tertiary health care center. <b>Methods:</b> The risk assessment template included in the supplement of the interim guidance of \"WHO Laboratory Biosafety Guidance Related to COVID-19\" was used for the risk assessment. Risk assessments were carried out for the \"diagnosis of protozoan diseases in respiratory tract samples\" and \"diagnosis of intestinal parasitic diseases\" processes. Initial risk of the laboratory activities was determined before additional risk control measures and overall initial risk was estimated for each process. Overall residual risk of the laboratory activities after risk control measures was estimated for each process. <b>Results:</b> Overall initial risk for both processes was \"very high.\" Fresh microscopic examination steps in both processes and concentration steps for \"diagnosis of intestinal parasite diseases\" were discontinued. All aerosol-generating steps were moved into a class-IIA biological safety cabinet. Overall residual risk was \"medium\" for both processes. <b>Conclusion:</b> This study serves as an example for clinical laboratories regarding how the risk assessment approach in guidelines can be transferred to daily practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":520561,"journal":{"name":"Applied biosafety : journal of the American Biological Safety Association","volume":" ","pages":"S2-S9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9135154/pdf/apb.20.0064.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33442616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Section on Service Animals in the Microbiology Teaching Laboratory Has Been Included in the 2019 Update to the Guidelines for Biosafety in Teaching Laboratories.","authors":"Esmeralda Meyer,&nbsp;Kalpana Rengarajan,&nbsp;Paul Meechan,&nbsp;Paul Fowler","doi":"10.1089/apb.21.933717","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/apb.21.933717","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The accommodation of service animals in microbiology teaching labs has been included in the 2019 update to the American Society of Microbiology (ASM) Guidelines for Safety in Microbiology Laboratories. This commentary includes a legal framework related to service animals, the elements included in the 2019 ASM update, and additional risk-assessment considerations for the biosafety professional.</p>","PeriodicalId":520561,"journal":{"name":"Applied biosafety : journal of the American Biological Safety Association","volume":" ","pages":"175-178"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9134338/pdf/apb.21.933717.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33444589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Safety in Medical Laboratories: Perception and Practice of University Students and Laboratory Workers.","authors":"Ahmed Abu-Siniyeh,&nbsp;Saad S Al-Shehri","doi":"10.1089/apb.20.0050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/apb.20.0050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Several safety-related accidents occur in the laboratories because of insufficient regulations, inappropriate implementation of safety measures, or unawareness attitude and practices toward safety precautions. Thus, establishment of efficient regulations and safe habits toward workplace safety is crucial to prevent or minimize such accidents. Here we investigate the levels of laboratory safety awareness among undergraduate medical science students and laboratory workers at major hospitals in Taif, Saudi Arabia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted on a random sample of 185 students and workers. The survey was categorized into five sections: (1) variable demographic items, (2) orientation around the warning signage of medical laboratory picograms, (3) assess participants' attitudes toward laboratory safety, (4) assess participants' safety awareness and practices in medical laboratories, and (5) assess participants' knowledge in dealing with emergency equipment and related procedures.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Data analyses indicate that workers are generally more aware of the key aspects of laboratory safety. Although students demonstrated moderate to good knowledge of major laboratory signage, there are some areas of deficiency, particularly regarding the use of fire extinguishers. Of interest is that female students are more familiar with laboratory signage than male students, although general laboratory safety awareness among students is poor. Students also showed poor awareness of certain critical aspects of safety practices and emergency procedures.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study data reveal inadequate awareness and knowledge of certain laboratory safety aspects among undergraduate students. Therefore, academic institutions should introduce effective safety regulations, education, and training to improve student safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":520561,"journal":{"name":"Applied biosafety : journal of the American Biological Safety Association","volume":" ","pages":"S34-S42"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1089/apb.20.0050","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33442620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Educational Intervention on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Laboratory Technicians regarding Universal Work Precautions at a Tertiary Health Care Center in Central India.","authors":"Abhishek Mehta,&nbsp;Manish Kr Diwakar","doi":"10.1089/apb.21.902607","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/apb.21.902607","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction:</b> Laboratory technicians are routinely exposed to occupational health hazards that can be a serious threat to their health. To safeguard themselves against laboratory-acquired infections, they must be aware of universal work precautions. A targeted educational intervention to increase awareness about universal precautions was designed to result in behavioral changes in attitudes and practices to help reduce the incidence of laboratory-acquired infections. This study was planned to assess the preexisting levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of laboratory technicians regarding universal work precautions at a tertiary care hospital in central India and to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions on the same. <b>Method:</b> The 40 lab technicians participating in the study were subjected to educational interventions in the form of training on universal precautions. Pretest and posttest evaluations using questionnaires were conducted to evaluate the learning gain. Pretest and posttest responses to each question were compared using the Pearson chi-square test. The subjects' mean pretest and posttest scores were compared using paired <i>t</i> tests, and the significance level was set at .05. <b>Results:</b> There was remarkably significant improvement in knowledge, attitudes, and practices of laboratory technicians regarding universal work precautions after the educational intervention/training sessions. <b>Conclusion:</b> On the basis of the findings, it was suggested that such training sessions should be conducted regularly for laboratory technicians to help in better retention of knowledge and to instill a positive attitude toward universal precautions.</p>","PeriodicalId":520561,"journal":{"name":"Applied biosafety : journal of the American Biological Safety Association","volume":" ","pages":"S27-S33"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9135158/pdf/apb.21.902607.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33442617","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy Testing of Personal Protective Filters on Biosafety Level 4 Positive Pressure Suits.","authors":"Greg Fey,&nbsp;Anders Leung,&nbsp;Laura Landry,&nbsp;Gabriel Lightly,&nbsp;Samantha Kasloff,&nbsp;Todd Cutts,&nbsp;Jay Krishnan","doi":"10.1089/apb.20.0073","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/apb.20.0073","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction:</b> Positive pressure breathing air-fed protective suits from three vendors are commonly used in biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) laboratories: they are Dover Chemturion suits (ILC Dover, DE), Delta suits (Honeywell Safety, NC), and HVO suits (HVO-ISSI-Deutschland GmbH, Germany). To address the potential risk of infectious agents being introduced through the supplied breathing air stream, some suit manufacturers incorporate protective filters on the suits themselves. However, these integrated filters are not amenable to in situ testing for efficacy verification. We have been using external filters from Matheson USA on the positive pressure suits since our BSL-4 laboratories were commissioned two decades ago. As part of our BSL-4 protective suit management program, we test these filters before them being put into use, and annually thereafter. In the past few years, we have observed these filters failing at a higher rate, as high as two out of three of the new filters tested at one point. <b>Objective:</b> The purpose of this study was to procure personal protective filters from other sources and validate their efficacy long-term. <b>Methods:</b> Filters from Respirex, HVO, and Honeywell were validated for filter integrity and filter loading. <b>Results:</b> Respirex filters performed well during the initial testing and periodic testing thereafter. Regular testing of the Respirex filters has now been ongoing for 30 months with continued successful performance. <b>Conclusion:</b> Filters from Respirex are a suitable option to protect personnel wearing positive pressure suits in BSL-4 laboratories.</p>","PeriodicalId":520561,"journal":{"name":"Applied biosafety : journal of the American Biological Safety Association","volume":" ","pages":"66-70"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9134328/pdf/apb.20.0073.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33443770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and Validation of Waste Decontamination Cycle in a Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory.","authors":"Ernesto Cascardo,&nbsp;Silvina Goenaga,&nbsp;Sebastián Fossa,&nbsp;Alejandro Bottale,&nbsp;Silvana Levis,&nbsp;Laura Riera","doi":"10.1177/1535676020933714","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1535676020933714","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Steam sterilization has been used for decades to effectively kill microbial contaminants in a variety of medical and commercial settings. One of the most critical aspects of safe operations in biosafety level 3 biocontainment laboratories (BSL-3) is the effective inactivation of biological select agents in the waste generated in these environments. The Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas \"Dr. Julio I. Maiztegui\" (INEVH, Pergamino, Argentina) is an institute that offers epidemiological surveillance, production of biological reagents, and production of biologicals for human use and studies of reservoirs and vectors. Some of the activities need to be done in a BSL-3 that provides biocontainment, ensuring that the materials are decontaminated before they leave the facility. The objective of this study was to design and validate a decontamination procedure for biological waste from the BSL-3 facility that guarantees steam sterilization processes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The amount and the distribution of biological waste into the autoclave and other physical parameters were defined and evaluated by calculating lethalities.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We evaluated autoclave basic factory programmed cycles, and it was concluded that the sterilization autoclave cycle was not efficient for decontamination of waste. A new simulated load distribution had to be defined.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The results demonstrated that autoclave factory default settings can be inadequate for sterilizing highly infectious waste, depending of types of waste, such as animal carcass and animal bed waste.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These results of the validation process can set the standard to the design of waste management protocols to ensure effective treatment of highly infectious biological waste.</p>","PeriodicalId":520561,"journal":{"name":"Applied biosafety : journal of the American Biological Safety Association","volume":" ","pages":"225-231"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2020-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/1535676020933714","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33442133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}