Strengthening global health security with BSL 3 mobile laboratories | Part 1

Medical and pharmaceutical science have come a long way in the past century. From antibiotics and vaccines to diagnostics and novel treatments, the way we understand and treat infectious diseases has transformed human lives for the better. The speed and success with which Covid-19 vaccines were developed is testament to this fact – BSL-3 mobile laboratories played vital roles in the study of the virus and the development of countermeasures.

Medical science has come a long way, but it also has a long way to go. New infectious health threats continue to emerge, existing pathogens are spreading far beyond their historical geographical range, and they’re developing resistance to known treatments and vaccines, all while many known viruses remain without treatments. Preparing for and responding to these epidemiological threats necessitates continued research and the development of new medical tools.

Medical research and development, in turn, necessitate the use of biosafety laboratories. This is because studying diseases often involves working with disease-causing microbes and the toxins that make them dangerous. These microbes present a biorisk that human beings and the environment must be protected from.

BSL-3 mobile laboratories are important tools in any effective and resilient health system, not only for research and development but also for outbreak response and containment. They are cornerstones of disease surveillance and rapid response, including early disease warning systems and on-site diagnostics.

Before we can understand the role of BSL-3 mobile laboratories, however, we need to understand biorisks, biosafety levels (BSL), and the importance of mobile laboratory systems.

What is biorisk?

Biosafety labs are necessary to manage biorisk i.e. a combination of the likelihood of exposure to a toxin, biological hazard, or other infectious agent—specifically one which will cause harm—and the severity of the harm. In other words, the greater the likelihood and consequences of harm from exposure to an infectious agent, the greater the biorisk.

Biorisk generally includes three different types of risks: an accidental infection or allergic or toxic response, the accidental release of infectious agents into the environment or community, and unauthorised access, theft or use with the intention to cause harm.

What is laboratory biosafety?

Managing biorisks depends on laboratory biosafety. Laboratory biosafety refers to the specific practices, equipment and space design required to ensure a safe environment—both within and without the lab itself—in which researchers and medical professionals can work with dangerous contagious agents.

Such labs protect not only the researchers but also the larger environment and community from exposure to toxins and infections. Biosafety is necessary in human and veterinary clinical and diagnostic labs, academic laboratories, environmental research, and biological research and production, whether that is within academia, the industry, or any other context.

Not all biosafe labs are the same. Their features are based on the results of a biological risk assessment which depends on the nature of the hazard, the specific activities being carried out in the lab, and the availability of medical countermeasures or treatments for the hazard. Accordingly, projects or activities are designated a biosafety level (BSL), with BSL-4 being the highest biosafety level.

The biosafety levels (BSLs).

Every biological laboratory adheres to standard microbiological practices. With the designation of a biosafety level, additional controls are imposed on the lab. Each biosafety level builds on the controls of the levels below it. These controls encompass not only facility design, construction and equipment but also lab practices, personnel access, training and more.

BSL-1 laboratories are the simplest, least stringent type of biosafety labs. They are designed to study agents which aren’t known to consistently cause disease in healthy adults. They don’t require any special equipment or design and follow basic safety procedures.

BSL-2 labs are used to study moderate-risk agents i.e. agents which are potentially dangerous if inhaled, swallowed or exposed to the skin. Building on the requirements of BSL-1 labs, they involve additional safety measures like the use of gloves, protective eyewear, handwashing sinks, and waste decontamination facilities.

BSL-3 biocontainment labs are needed to study potentially dangerous agents which carry the risk of airborne transmission. Such labs include gas-tight enclosures, specialised ventilation systems and clothing decontamination among many other safety features.

Finally, BSL-4 laboratories i.e. the highest biosafety level labs are used to study agents which pose a high risk of life-threatening disease for which no therapy or vaccine is available. Not only do these labs call for adherence to the requirements of BSL-3 labs, but they also have additional requirements involving protective gear for lab personnel, isolation from other activities in the building etc.

Biosafety level 3 laboratories.

BSL-3 biocontainment labs have applications across the study of airborne pathogens, from SARS-CoV-2 to the yellow fever virus, from the West Nile virus to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Biosafety level 3 laboratories, which study such agents, pose multiple risks. These risks may be through aerosol exposure (which can cause infection on inhalation), autoinoculation (through accidental skin exposure or injection), accidental ingestion (because of contaminated gloves, hands, etc.), environmental contamination (through leaks, spills, or improper waste disposal), pathogen persistence, cross-contamination, and even psychological stress which can affect personnel decision-making and performance.

Ensuring safety from these risks requires stringent protocols, with a facility, equipment, and trained personnel which can support the implementation of these protocols.

Thus far, we’ve explored biorisks, biosafety levels, and the need for biosafety level 3 laboratories. Going forward, we’re going to delve into the features of BSL-3 biocontainment labs, the vital role they play in global health security, and why more BSL-3 mobile laboratories are the need of the hour.