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Biosafety in the Laboratory Prudent Practices for Handling and Disposal of Infectious Materials (1989) / Chapter Skim
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2 Descriptive Epidemiology of Occupational Infections of Laboratory Workers
Pages 8-12

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From page 8...
... The surveys cited above do not include all segments of the general population of laboratory workers at potential risk of occupational exposure to infectious agents or their toxic or sensitizing metabolic products. Among the segments inadvertently ex cluded are a substantial but unknown number of persons whose duties may involve either regular or occasional handling of infectious materials: e.g., those persons working in animal and avian disease diagnostic or research laboratories, environmental labo ratories, industrial and biologics production laboratories, forensic laboratories, and in laboratory animal production and care facilities.
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From page 9...
... that describes features of a laboratory facility recommended for work with infectious agents, but there is no national authority that regulates laboratory operations conducted solely on an intrastate basis.
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From page 10...
... In 1983, for the first time, the number of HBV cases exceeded those caused by HAV. While laboratory hazards of HAV infection are restricted primarily to persons working with experimentally or naturally infected chimpanzees, HBV poses a persistent and continuing hazard to all categories of laboratory workers handling clinical specimens of human origin.
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From page 11...
... This conclusion is based upon the comparatively high frequency of asymptomatic carriers, the high titers of virus in blood and other body fluids, the stability of the virus on work surfaces and other items in the laboratory, the low infectious dose, the multiple routes of infection, and the demonstrated occupational incidence of infection. An essential consideration in the occupational risk assessment of HBV and other infectious agents for which only Biosafety Level 2 (see Appendix A)
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From page 12...
... The other worker had no recognized accidental occupa BIOSAFETY IN THE LABORATORY tional exposure or any risk behavior linked to HIV infection. Despite the low incidence of transmission in the laboratory, the potentially life-threatening consequences of HIV infection mandates that all laboratory workers who handle blood, body fluids, tissues, or cultures utilize those laboratory practices and personal protective measures identified as 'universal Precautions" by the CDC, which are recommended for the prevention of transmission of HIV and other blood-borne diseases [341.
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Key Terms

  • laboratory workers
  • occupational infections
  • occupational infection
  • infectious agent
  • occupational exposure

  • body fluids
  • clinical laboratories
  • hiv infection
  • clinical laboratory
  • occupational setting

  • hbv infection
  • health laboratory
  • care workers
  • occupational risk
  • low risk

  • reported occupationally
  • viral hepatitis
  • frequently recorded
  • clostridium tetani
  • frequently reported

  • infectious materials
  • rank order
  • infectious dose
  • occupationally acquired
  • five agents

  • low incidence
  • accidental parenteral
  • laboratory personnel
  • reported occupational
  • infection rates


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