Biological Materials from Human Patients or Volunteers

Prepared by: Michael J. Huerkamp, DVM, Diplomate ACLAM
Date: June 8, 1999

Agent: Biological Materials from Human Patients or Volunteers

Biological materials such as blood, serum, cells, tissues or tumors from human patients or volunteers may harbor pathogens such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis A virus, Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Hepatitis E virus or other pathogens. The risk of infection from a contaminated needle stick is about 1:4 for HBV and 1:500 for HIV.

Potential Hazard: The risk of occupationally-acquired HIV is very low and is primarily through exposure to
infected blood from humans. HIV and hepatitis viruses should be assumed to be present in all blood or clinical specimens contaminated with blood and in unfixed tissues from inoculated immunosuppressed animals (i.e., SCID mice, nude mice, certain transgenics or knockouts). The risk of HIV or HBV from the bite of an animal inoculated with human tissues is too low to be reliably predicted, but should not be discounted.

Recommended Precautions: The animal biosafety level II practices (DAR SOP 10-19) will protect husbandry personnel against exposure or infection. Safety practices as given in the “Bloodborne Pathogen Standards” should be followed, including not reusing needles or recapping by hand. Personnel suffering a bite, scratch, needlestick or other exposure from animals inoculated with human clinical materials must seek immediate medical attention at the EUH or Grady Hospital emergency rooms. A vaccine is available for protection against Hepatitis B virus. Vaccines are not available for HIV or HCV.

For protection of rodent colonies, human tumors, cells and tissues should be shown to be free of murine agents capable of being carried by humans: Toolan’s H-1 parvovirus, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus, Reovirus-3, hantavirus (mouse, rat, human), and mycoplasma.

References: Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, 3rd edition, CDC-NIH, 1993, pp. 106-7, 116-21.