Working Safely with African Swine Fever Virus. 2022

Sarah Gold, and Anna Lawton, and Graeme Harkess
The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, Woking, UK.

Risk assessment is the cornerstone of working safely with biological agents. The World Health Organization (WHO) Laboratory Biosafety Manual Fourth Edition Monograph on Risk Assessment provides stepwise guidance for carrying out a risk assessment, from gathering information and identifying hazards to evaluating the risks and developing and implementing controls and review.To support the development of a mature safety culture within laboratories, it is important that all staff who handle biological agents understand the process of risk assessment and receive training in identifying hazards and mitigating risk. All personnel can partake in risk assessments, and the guidance is written in such a way that it is applicable to all-not just to biosafety professionals, laboratory scientists, or facility managers.Here we take the guidance from WHO and apply the principles of risk assessment to working with ASFV, illustrating the process using an example activity-the passage of low titer ASFV in cell culture. We discuss other techniques and protocols that you may need to consider when working with ASFV.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007753 Laboratories Facilities equipped to carry out investigative procedures. Laboratory
D003264 Containment of Biohazards Physical and biological barriers to the spread of potentially hazardous biologically active agents such as bacteria, viruses, recombinant nucleotides, or contaminated bio-specimens. Biohazards Containment,Biohazard Containment,Biological Containment,Biosafety,Containment, Biologic,Physical Containment,Biologic Containment,Containment, Biohazard,Containment, Biohazards,Containment, Biological,Containment, Physical
D000357 African Swine Fever A sometimes fatal ASFIVIRUS infection of pigs, characterized by fever, cough, diarrhea, hemorrhagic lymph nodes, and edema of the gallbladder. It is transmitted between domestic swine by direct contact, ingestion of infected meat, or fomites, or mechanically by biting flies or soft ticks (genus Ornithodoros). Swine Fever, African,African Swine Fever Virus Infection,Asfivirus Infection,Wart-Hog Disease,Asfivirus Infections,Infection, Asfivirus,Infections, Asfivirus,Wart Hog Disease,Wart-Hog Diseases
D000358 African Swine Fever Virus The lone species of the genus Asfivirus. It infects domestic and wild pigs, warthogs, and bushpigs. Disease is endemic in domestic swine in many African countries and Sardinia. Soft ticks of the genus Ornithodoros are also infected and act as vectors. Wart-Hog Disease Virus,Virus, Wart-Hog Disease,Wart Hog Disease Virus
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001685 Biological Factors Endogenously synthesized compounds that influence biological processes not otherwise classified under ENZYMES; HORMONES or HORMONE ANTAGONISTS. Biologic Factors,Biological Factor,Factor, Biologic,Factor, Biological,Factors, Biological,Biologic Factor,Factors, Biologic
D013552 Swine Any of various animals that constitute the family Suidae and comprise stout-bodied, short-legged omnivorous mammals with thick skin, usually covered with coarse bristles, a rather long mobile snout, and small tail. Included are the genera Babyrousa, Phacochoerus (wart hogs), and Sus, the latter containing the domestic pig (see SUS SCROFA). Phacochoerus,Pigs,Suidae,Warthogs,Wart Hogs,Hog, Wart,Hogs, Wart,Wart Hog

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