1988 Agent Summary Statement for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Report on Laboratory-Acquired Infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus [MMWR, Vol 37 No.S-4]

Vol. 37 / No. S-4

MMWR

13

4. It is recommended, but not required, that the direction of airflow in the
animal facility is inward and that exhaust air is discharged to the outside
without being recirculated to other rooms.
5. An autoclave that can be used for decontaminating infectious laboratory
waste is available in the same building that contains the animal facility.
Animal Biosafety Level 3
A. Standard practices
1. Doors to animal rooms open inward, are self-closing, and are kept closed
when work with infected animals is in progress.
2. Work surfaces are decontaminated after use or after spills of viable
materials.
3. Eating, drinking, smoking, and storing of food for human use are not
permitted in the animal room.
4. Personnel wash their hands after handling cultures or animals and before
leaving the laboratory.
5. All procedures are carefully performed to minimize the creation of aerosols.
6. An insect and rodent control program is in effect.
B. Special practices
1. Cages are autoclaved before bedding is removed and before they are
cleaned and washed.
2. Surgical-type masks or other respiratory protection devices (e.g., respirators) are worn by personnel entering rooms that house animals infected
with agents assigned to Biosafety Level 3.
3. Wrap-around or solid-front gowns or uniforms are worn by personnel
entering the animal room. Front-button laboratory coats are unsuitable.
Protective gowns must remain in the animal room and must be decontaminated before being laundered.
4. The laboratory director or other responsible person limits access to the
animal room only to personnel who have been advised of the potential
hazard and who need to enter the room for program or service purposes
when infected animals are present. In general, persons who may be at
increased risk of acquiring infection or for whom infection might be
unusually hazardous are not allowed in the animal room.
5. The laboratory director or other responsible person establishes policies and
procedures whereby only persons who have been advised of the potential
hazard and meet any specific requirements (e.g., vaccination) may enter the
animal room.
6. Hazard warning signs (incorporating the universal biohazard warning
symbol) are posted on access doors to animal rooms containing animals
infected with agents assigned to Biosafety Level 3 are present. The hazard
warning sign should identify the agent(s) in use, list the name and
telephone number of the animal room supervisor or other responsible
person(s), and indicate any special conditions of entry into the animal room
(e.g., the need for vaccinations or respirators).
7. Personnel wear gloves when handling infected animals. Gloves are removed aseptically and autoclaved with other animal room waste before
being disposed of or reused.