Detection and Analysis of Ebola Virus in Sierra Leone-China Friendship Biosafety Laboratory from March 11 to April 20, 2015

Ebola virus disease reemerged in Western Africa in 2014.Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention dispatched the first Ebola virus（EBOV）detection team to run newly established Sierra Leone-China Friendship Biological Safety Laboratory.The aims of study were to understand epidemiology,clinical manifestations and survival time of EBOV in patient＇s blood.A total of 913specimens were tested between March 11 and April20, 2015. EBOV positivity occurred in 7.37% of the blood and 0.53% in throat swabs.

Biosafety laboratory risk assessment

Biosafety laboratory risk assessment is a dynamic and systematic work.The scope of the assessment involves evaluation of pathogenic microbial hazards,experimental activities,facilities and equipment,personnel,experimental methods,etc.The four-level evaluation method for pathogenic microorganisms is used for hazard assessment.The aerosol exposure risk is the most common in experimental activities.Facilities and equipment are the basis for the safe operation of biosafety laboratories.Laboratory biosafety risk assessments should be conducted regularly to ensure the safe operation of the laboratory.

Networking for training Level 3/4 biosafety laboratory staff

Worldwide,public health systems are continually challenged by emerging and re-emerging viruses.It is therefore important that high-containment labs coordinate and communicate globally to share their experiences and lessons to improve their capacity to respond to threats.The National Biosafety(Level 4)Laboratory in Wuhan,CAS,which is the first Level 4 biosafety laboratory(BSL-4)in China,has been certified recently and it is expected to play an important role in the prevention and control of highly infectious agents in future.Trained and experienced staff in such organizations is the most important factor contributing to safety and security.Therefore,it is imperative to develop a standard training program.Accordingly,in the present study,we developed an improved training program and assessment system based on policies and practices developed by BSL-3/4s in other countries.It included the following three components:(1)A flexible modularized theoretical training:This training comprised 14 modularized theoretical topics such that staffs with different backgrounds could take this theoretical training with different topic combinations according to their knowledge and skill levels;(2)A standardized practical training assessment:This comprehensive assessment,which could be used with biosafety laboratory staff before,during,and after training,included standard operation procedures to meet the special requirements of trainees with different scores;and(3)An applicable documentation system:A certification system was established to evaluate the ability of all staff working inside or outside the laboratory,implemented by a special committee.This certification was approved and authorized by the director of the laboratory and was classified into three grades with corresponding minimal requirements.Further,the present study examined the importance of and need for networking for training BSL-3/4 staff.The establishment of rigorous standards for training BSL-3/4 staff will instill confidence in the public,policy makers,and security officials.Additionally,the expanded international network of BSL-3/4s will continue to be operated safely and will pose no risk to scientific staff,local communities,surrounding environment,and host nations.The clarification and coordination of training standards will help develop a highly-qualified biocontainment workforce and will result in a series of programs that will enable scientists to develop measures to deal with existing threat agents and new diseases that emerge.

Enhancing the capabilities of biosafety laboratories through the established accreditation system:Development of the biosafety laboratory accreditation system in China

Accreditation is now widely used to attest for laboratory competence.Although accreditation was originally used to assess products in testing laboratories and still plays an increasingly important role in international trade,it has been expanded to include laboratories in many social fields,including forensic science,medicine,and animal quarantine reference.The accreditation process provides basic requirements for achieving global recognition for laboratory reports.This paper introduces the concept of accreditation and discusses the origins and development of the accreditation system in Chinese biosafety laboratories.This study also reveals the important role of this system in national biosafety management through an examination of the 14-year development of the Chinese biosafety laboratory accreditation system.

Laboratory biosafety in China: past, present, and future

The launch of the new journal,Biosafety and Health,presents me with a unique opportunity to recount the progress of laboratory biosafety(LB)in China and my contribution to this area over the past 30 years.Since the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic in 2003,China has constructed a primary network of high-level biosafety laboratories at different levels and established an expert team on LB.Furthermore,a series of LB management documents,including laws,regulations,standards,and guidelines,have been developed and published.This gradually maturing LB system has played a pivotal role in emerging infectious disease control and prevention,as well as in research,which in turn contributes to public health.In recent years,international collaboration between China and other countries has also been accelerated.Despite these achievements,we are still facing many challenges and opportunities in the field of LB.Sustainable LB development requires the joint efforts of the entire society and continuous international cooperation to safeguard global public health.

Laboratory biosafety emergency management for SARS-CoV-2

A biosafety laboratory is a prerequisite for studying emerging infectious diseases.Safe and effective operation in laboratories and the handling of pathogens determine the safety of the personnel,pathogens,and the environment in the laboratory,which are among the key factors for successful experimentation.In this article,we aimed to provide ideas for the emergency management of biosafety laboratories,including a discussion on the urgency of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)related experimental activities,tracking clinical information,taking emergency measures,revision of the risk assessment process,and standardization of personal protective equipment and personnel behavior standards.

Assessment of biosafety and biorisk management practices among medical laboratory students in two institutions in Uganda

Medical laboratory workers handle clinical specimens,which are a threat of exposure to infectious agents.Notably,medical laboratory science students report for internships with only theoretical knowledge of biosafety and biorisk management practices,predisposing them to a higher risk of laboratory hazards.In this study,we assessed the influence of entry-level students'adherence to practices and attitudes towards biosafety and biorisk management during the Internship.An online survey tool was used to explore the practices and attitudes towards laboratory biosafety and risk management.Of the 96 students,60(62.5%)anonymous responses were received,and of these,60.3%were direct entrants,and 32.8%were diploma entrants.Most(91.7%)of the students attended hospital internships,with 60.2%in Biosafety Level(BSL)-2 laboratories and 70.2%rotating in all the core areas of laboratory medicine.The 8.3%who did not attend any internship were under the direct entry category.Exposure to biohazards was not significantly associated with laboratory safety level and student entry category(P>0.05).Recommended laboratory biosafety practices were not significantly associated with the safety level of the laboratory and student entry category(P>0.05).Poor attitudes towards certain laboratory biosafety practices were not significantly associated with the biosafety level of the training laboratory(P>0.05),whereas training(P=0.021)and clean-up procedures(P=0.048)were associated with laboratory safety levels,respectively.The direct entrants had no access to BSL-3 laboratories,and this category of students had a negative attitude towards internship attendance.Therefore,there is a need to create a multi-channel full range laboratory biosafety and biorisk management teaching reforms based on practical application,real case studies,and laboratory simulation to be incorporated into the curriculum to benefit the direct entrant.

Laboratory biosafety and biosecurity related education in Pakistan:Engaging students through the Socratic method of learning

Background:Laboratory biosafety is currently a major global issue in clinical research and academic laboratories.To alleviate these concerns,subject-specific education of standardized laboratory practices is essential and should be delivered in a comprehensible,interactive,and appealing manner.The objective of the present study was to engage university-level students in laboratory biosafety and biosecurity related education through the Socratic method of learning.A pre/post-test model was implemented to assess the knowledge improvement after the workshop.Methods:Two workshops were conducted individually at a public and private educational institute in October 2019 and December 2019,respectively.Important concepts were delivered in an interactive engagement format to ensure substantive understanding.Pre-and post-training scores were computed,and a paired t-test was used to assess knowledge gain.Results:Out of the 357 students from both institutes,320(90%)provided consent and completed the preand post-test questionnaires.The participants lacked a baseline knowledge of laboratory biosafety.A statistically significant increase(14%to 84%)in knowledge was reported among students,with a p-value of<0.001.Scores improved in the post-test assessment,where 87%were high performers,and only 1%were low-performing students.The difference between the pre-and post-test mean scores was indicative of a substantial 70%improvement in education.Students exhibited high levels of satisfaction with the Socratic method of teaching style.Conclusion:The study highlighted the significance of the Socratic style of learning for engaging students and improving their knowledge and awareness of laboratory biosafety in academic settings in Pakistan.

Basic requirements of dunk tank settings and verification of the disinfection effect in high-level biosafety laboratories

This study presents the structure and application of dunk tanks in high-level biosafety laboratories.The test methods and sterilization effects of dunk tanks were evaluated by using Bacillus subtilis as indicator.Results showed that sterilization effects of dunk tanks could be achieved by immersing the goods in 0.5%sodium hypochlorite disinfectant solution for 30 min at room temperature.Neutralizer sodium thiosulfate had no effect on the growth of Bacillus subtilis,and thus would not affect the disinfection results of sodium hypochlorite.Furthermore,suggestions for safe operation of dunk tanks are also provided in this study.

Studies on developing a safe-management standard system for Chinese biosafety laboratories

Standardization management is one of the key prerequisites to guarantee the effective and safe functioning of high-level biosafety laboratories.Since the outbreak of SARS,increasing numbers of biosafety laboratory levels have been established in China.Therefore,creating a specialized and standardized management system for biosafety laboratories has become necessary and is a core concern.This paper describes the current status of Chinese standards for biosafety management and analyzes its relation to other laboratory biosafety standard systems in developed countries.Based on the analysis on developing a biosafety laboratory,a laboratory biosafety standard system framework was developed,and a policy environment for building the system was suggested with the aim of promoting the promulgation of specific biosafety standards and securing the effective functioning of high-level biosafety laboratories.

Research and development of airtight biosafety containment facility for stainless steel structures

Objective:Airtightness of containment structures of a high-level biosafety laboratory is a critical parameter for preventing leakage of harmful bioaerosols.The aim of this study is to investigate the sealing technology of stainless steel structural airtight biosafety containment facilities.Methods:An experimental study was conducted on a domestic high-level pathogenic microorganism model laboratory,considering the sealing process of the containment structure,including airtight doors,pass boxes,dunk tanks,through-wall pipeline sealing devices,and sealed floor drains.Results:The results indicate that the airtightness of the model laboratory containment structure meets the tightness requirements of a biosafety level-4(BSL-4)laboratory.They also indicate that the construction technology of stainless steel enclosure structures used by the laboratory and the tightness performance and installation process of the developed airtight protective equipment meet the technical requirements of a BSL-4 laboratory.Conclusions:This successful model laboratory indicates that China has the research and development capacity for stainless steel airtight containment structure manufacturing processes,airtight protective equipment,and technical capacity for independent construction of the highest-level pathogenic microorganism laboratories.

Education

For more than 20 years, since it was first published in 1983, the Laboratory biosafety manual has provided practical guidance on biosafety techniques for use in laboratories at all levels. Good microbiological technique and appropriate use of biosafety equipment by well trained staff remain the fundamental elements of laboratory biosafety. However, globalization, significant advances in technology, the emergence of new diseases and serious threats arising from the deliberate misuse and release of microbiological agents and toxins have necessitated a review of current procedures. For this new edition, therefore, the manual has been extensively revised and expanded.