Includes bibliographical references and index.

Microbial flora of humans and microbial virulence factors -- Indigenous and pathogenic agents of research animals -- Laboratory, growth chamber, and greenhouse microbial safety: plant pathogens and plant-associated microorganisms of significance to human health -- Epidemiology of laboratory-associated infections -- Risk assessment of biological hazards -- Bacterial pathogens -- Protozoa and helminths -- Mycotic agents of human disease -- Viral agents of human disease: biosafety concerns -- Biosafety for microorganisms transmitted primarily by the airborne route -- Cell lines: applications and biosafety -- Allergens of animal and biological systems -- Biological toxins: safety and science -- Design of biomedical laboratory facilities -- Primary barriers and equipment-associated hazards -- Priamry barriers: biological safety cabinets, fume hoods, and glove boxes -- Personal respiratory protection -- Standard (Universal) precautions for handling human specimens -- Prudent biosafety practices -- Decontamination and disinfection -- Packing and shipping biological materials -- Biological safety program management -- Biosafety compliance: a global perspective -- Occupational medicine in a biomedical research setting -- Measuring biosafety program effectiveness -- Biosafety of prion diseases -- Safety considerations in the BSL-4 maximum-containment laboratory -- Biosafety and viral gene transfer vectors -- Biosafety in the teaching laboratory -- Biosafety in the pharmaceutical industry -- Large-scale production of microorganisms -- Special considerations for agriculture pathogen biosafety -- Biosafety and biosecurity: regulatory impact. The epidemiology of laboratory-associated infections, including some previously unreported cases, is thoroughly covered. Detailed chapters cover hazard assessments of the wide range of pathogens and biological toxins encountered in biomedical laboratories as well as other occupational settings. All facets of hazard control, from personal protective equipment to institution-wide provisions and policies, are discussed.