Laboratory-acquired infections and pathogen escapes worldwide between 2000 and 2021: a scoping review
Year: 2023
Type: review
Abstract: Laboratory-acquired infections (LAIs) and accidental pathogen escape from laboratory settings (APELS) are major concerns for the community. A risk-based approach for pathogen research management within a standard biosafety management framework is recommended but is challenging due to reasons such as inconsistency in risk tolerance and perception. Here, we performed a scoping review using publicly available, peer-reviewed journal and media reports of LAIs and instances of APELS between 2000 and 2021. We identified LAIs in 309 individuals in 94 reports for 51 pathogens. Eight fatalities (2·6% of all LAIs) were caused by infection with Neisseria meningitidis (n=3, 37·5%), Yersinia pestis (n=2, 25%), Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium (S Typhimurium; n=1, 12·5%), or Ebola virus (n=1, 12·5%) or were due to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (n=1, 12·5%). The top five LAI pathogens were S Typhimurium (n=154, 49·8%), Salmonella enteritidis (n=21, 6·8%), vaccinia virus (n=13, 4·2%), Brucella spp (n=12, 3·9%), and Brucella melitensis (n=11, 3·6%). 16 APELS were reported, including those for Bacillus anthracis, SARS-CoV, and poliovirus (n=3 each, 18·8%); Brucella spp and foot and mouth disease virus (n=2 each, 12·5%); and variola virus, Burkholderia pseudomallei, and influenza virus H5N1 (n=1 each, 6·3%). Continual improvement in LAI and APELS management via their root cause analysis and thorough investigation of such incidents is essential to prevent future occurrences. The results are biased due to the reliance on publicly available information, which emphasises the need for formalised global LAIs and APELS reporting to better understand the frequency of and circumstances surrounding these incidents.
Source: The Lancet Microbe
Institutions: Mahidol University, University of Oxford, Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, University of Bern, Ministry for Primary Industries, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, National Research and Innovation Agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, National Health Laboratory Service, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, UK Health Security Agency, World Health Organization, Chatham House, Organisation Mondiale de la Santé Animale
Language: English
Subfield: Chemical Health and Safety
Field: Chemical Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,300
OpenAlex ID: W4389606405