BioSafety in Animal Facilities
Agents Listed by Biosafety Level
| Bacterial Agents | |||
| AGENT | BSL | ABSL | COMMENTS |
| ACINETOBACTER CALCACETICUS | 2 | 2 | |
| ACTINOBACILLUS SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| ACTINOMYCES SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| AEROMONAS SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| ARACHNIA PROPIONICA | 2 | 2 | |
| BACILLUS ALVEI | 2 | 2 | |
| BACILLUS ANTHRACIS | 2 | 3 | Animal biosafety level 2 practices are adequate for experimentally infected rodents. Biosafety level 3 practices are recommended for work involving production volumes, concentrations of cultures, or activities with high potential for aerosol production. Vaccination is recommended in these facilities for all persons working in the same room with the cultures, and persons working with infected animals. |
| BACTEROIDES SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| BARTONELLA SP | 3 | 3 | |
| BORDETELLA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| BORRELIA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| BRUCELLA SP | 3 | 3 | Biosafety level 2 practices are recommended for activities involving clinical material. Biosafety level 3 practices are recommended for work with cultures and Animal Biosafety Level 3 practices are recommended for experimental animal studies. |
| CAMPYLOBACTER FETUS VAR JEJUNI | 2 | 2 | |
| CAMPYLOBACTER SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| CHLAMYDIA PSITTACI | 2 | 3 | Biosafety level 2 practices are recommended for necropsies of infected birds and diagnostic examination of tissues or cultures. Consult CDC Guide for more details. Biosafety level 3 practices indicated when a high potential for aerosolization is present. |
| CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS | 3 | 3 | |
| CLOSTRIDIUM SP. | 2 | 2 | Biosafety level 3 practices are indicated for procedures which may produce aerosols of toxins or for handling production quantities of purified toxins. |
| CORYNEBACTERIUM DIPHTHERIAE | 2 | 2 | Biosafety level 3 practices may be indicated for manipulation of production quantities of toxin. |
| CORYNEBACTERIUM EQUI | 2 | 2 | |
| CORYNEBACTERIUM HAEMOLYTICUM | 2 | 2 | |
| CORYNEBACTERIUM PSEUDO TB | 2 | 2 | |
| CORYNEBACTERIUM PYOGENES | 2 | 2 | |
| CORYNEBACTERIUM RENALE | 2 | 2 | |
| ENTEROBACTERIACIAE ALL OTHER | 2 | 2 | |
| ERYSIPELOTHRIX RHUSIOPATHIAE | 2 | 2 | |
| ESCHERICHIA COLI | 2 | 2 | |
| ESCHERICHIA COLI K12 DERIVATIVE | 1 | 1 | |
| FRANCISELLA TULARENSIS | 3 | 3 | Biosafety level 2 practices are recommended for activities with clinical material potentially containing Francisella. Level 3 practices are indicated for cultures or experimental animal work. |
| FUSOBACTERIUM SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| HAEMOPHILUS SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| KLEBSIELLA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| LEGIONELLA PNEUMOPHILA | 2 | 2 | Primary containment devices and equipment (e.g. biological safety cabinets, centrifuge safety cups) should be used for activities likely to generate potentially infectious aerosols. |
| LEPTOSPIRA INTERROGANS ALL SER | 2 | 2 | |
| LISTERIA SP | 2 | 2 | |
| MORAXELLA SP | 2 | 2 | |
| MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM | 2 | 2 | |
| MYCOBACTERIUM BOVIS | 3 | 3 | Level 2 practices are indicated for preparing acid-fast smears and for culturing clinical specimens, provided that manipulation of such cultures is conducted in a Class I or Class II biological safety cabinet. Level 3 practices are indicated for propagation of cultures and for work with experimental animals. |
| MYCOBACTERIUM LEPRAE | 2 | 2 | |
| MYCOBACTERIUM SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS | 3 | 3 | See Mycobacterium bovis, above. |
| MYCOPLASMA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| NEISSERIA GONORRHOREA | 2 | 2 | Biosafety level 3 practices may be indicated for production quantities of infectious materials or where aerosols may be produced. |
| NEISSERIA MENINGITIDIS | 2 | 2 | Biosafety level 3 practices may be indicated where there is potential for aerosol formation or where production quantities of infectious materials are handled. |
| NOCARDIA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| PASTEURELLA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| PSEUDOMAS MALLEI | 3 | 3 | |
| PSEUDOMAS PSEUDOMALLEI | 2 | 2 | Biosafety level 3 practices are indicated where there is a high potential for aerosol production or where production quantities of infectious material are handled. |
| ROTOCOCCUS (CORYNE.) EQUI | 2 | 2 | |
| SALMONELLA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| SALMONELLA TYPHI | 2 | 0 | |
| SHIGELLA SP | 2 | 2 | |
| STAPHYLOCOCCUS SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| STREPTCOCCUS SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| STREPTOBACILLUS MONILIFORMIS | 2 | 2 | |
| STREPTOMYCES SOMALIENSIS | 2 | 2 | |
| TREPONEMA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| VIBRIO SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| YERSINIA PESTIS | 3 | 3 | Immunization is recommended for people working with cultures or with infected rodents. Necropsies should be conducted in a hood. Level 3 practices are indicated when working with production quantities of cultures or when there is a potential for aerosol production. |
| Fungal Agents | |||
| AGENT | BSL | ABSL | COMMENTS |
| BLASTOMYCES DERMATITIDIS | 3 | 2 | Level 2 practices are indicated for activities with clinical materials, animal tissues, and infected animals. Level 3 practices are indicated for processing mold cultures, soil, and environmental materials likely to contain infectious conidia. |
| CANDIDA ALBICANS | 2 | 2 | |
| COCCIDIOIDES IMMITIS | 3 | 2 | Animal Biosafety level 2 parctices are indicated when the route of challenge is parenteral. Level 2 practices are indicated for clinical specimens and animals tissues. Level 3 practices are indicated for mold cultures or infected environmental materials. |
| CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS | 2 | 2 | Processing of environmental samples, or culturing of the sexual stage of the organism should take place in a Class I or Class II biological safety cabinet. |
| EPIDERMOPHYTON-PATHOGENIC SPP. | 2 | 2 | |
| HISTOPLASMA CAPSULATUM | 3 | 2 | Level 2 practices may be used to handle clinical specimens, animal tissues, or for experimental animal studies when the route of challenge is parenteral. Level 3 practices are indicated for mold cultures, soil, or environmental materials likely to contain infectious conidia. |
| MICROSPORUM-PATHOGENIC MEMBERS | 2 | 2 | |
| PARACOCCIDIOIDES BRASILIENSIS | 2 | 2 | |
| SPOROTHRIX SCHENCKII | 2 | 2 | |
| TRICHOPYTON-PATHOGENIC MEMBERS | 2 | 2 | |
| Protozoal Agents | |||
| AGENT | BSL | ABSL | COMMENTS |
| ANAPLASMA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| ASCARIS SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| COCCIDIA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| ECHINOCOCCUS GRANULOSUS | 2 | 2 | |
| EHRLICHIA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| ENTAMOEBA HISTOLYTICA | 2 | 2 | |
| FASCIOLA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| GIARDIA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| HAEMOBARTONELLA SP | 2 | 2 | |
| LEISHMANIA SP | 2 | 2 | |
| LEUKOCYTOZOON SP | 2 | 2 | |
| NAEGLERIA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| PLASMODIUM SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| SCHISTOSOMA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| STRONGYLOIDES SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| TAENIA SOLIUM | 2 | 2 | |
| TOXOCARA CANIS | 2 | 2 | |
| TOXOPLASMA GONDII | 2 | 2 | |
| TRICHINELLA SPIRALIS | 2 | 2 | |
| TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI | 2 | 2 | |
| TRYPANOSOMA SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| Rickettsial Agents | |||
| AGENT | BSL | ABSL | COMMENTS |
| COXIELLA BURNETII | 3 | 3 | Level 2 practices may be used for non-propagative studies such as serological examinations and staining of impression smears. Level 3 practices are recommended for innoculation, incubation, and harvesting of eggs or cultures, necropsy of infected animals, and manipulation of infected tissues. Experimentally infected rodents should be maintained under Animal Biosafety Level 3. |
| RICKETTSIA AKARI | 2 | 2 | |
| RICKETTSIA CANADA | 3 | 2 | Biosafety level 2 procedures are indicated for non_propagative laboratory procedures such as serological procedures and staining of impression smears. Biosafety level 3 practices are indicated for all other manipulations of infectious material, including necropsy of infected animals and trituration of their tissues, and for inoculation, incubation, and harvesting of eggs and tissues. Animal Biosafety level 2 practices may be used to house experimentally infected animals except for arthropods and flying squirrels (which require Animal Biosafety Level 3). |
| RICKETTSIA PROWAZEKII | 3 | 2 | See Rickettsia canada. |
| RICKETTSIA RICKETTSII | 3 | 2 | Biosafety Level 2 practices apre used for all non-propagative procedures, such as serological work and staining impression smears. Biosafety level 3 practices are used for all other manipulations of known or potentially infected material, such as cultures, necropsy of infected animals, and innoculation and harvesting of eggs. Infected animals may be housed in Animal Biosafety level 2 facilities provided that necropsies and any subsequent manipulation of tissues is conducted at Biosafety Level 3. Workers must report any febrile illness promptly. |
| RICKETTSIA TSUTSUGAMUSHI | 3 | 2 | See Rickettsia canada. |
| RICKETTSIA TYPHI (R.MOOSERI) | 3 | 2 | See Rickettsia canada. |
| ROCHALIMAEA QUINTANA | 2 | 2 | |
| ROCHALIMAEA VINSONII | 2 | 2 | |
| SPOTTED FEVER GROUP - OTHER | 3 | 2 | See Rickettsia canada. |
| Viral Agents | |||
| AGENT | BSL | ABSL | COMMENTS |
| ADENOVIRUSES | 2 | 2 | |
| ADENOVIRUSES-ANIMAL-ALL TYPES | 2 | 2 | |
| ALEUTIAN DISEASE VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| ARBOVIRUSES-CERTAIN | 2 | 2 | |
| ARBOVIRUSES-CERTAIN | 2 | 2 | |
| ARBOVIRUSES-CERTAIN | 4 | 4 | |
| ARENAVIRUSES-CERTAIN | 3 | 3 | |
| ARENAVIRUSES-CERTAIN | 4 | 4 | |
| AVIAN ERTHYROBLASTOSIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| AVIAN LEUCOSIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| AVIAN LYMPHOMATOSIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| AVIAN MYELOBLASTOSOS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| BOVINE ENCEPHOLOMYELITIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| BOVINE RESP SYNCYTIAL VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| BOVINE RHINOTRACHEITIS (IBR) | 2 | 2 | |
| CACHE VALLEY VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| CANINE DISTEMPER VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| CANINE HEPATITIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| COXSACKIE A AND B VIRUSES | 2 | 2 | |
| CYTOMEGALOVIRUSES | 2 | 2 | |
| DENGUE VIRUS | 2 | 3 | |
| ECHOVIRUSES | 2 | 2 | |
| ENCEPHALOMYOCARDITIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| EPIDEMIC DIARRHEA INFANT MICE | 2 | 2 | |
| EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| FELINE LEUKEMIA | 2 | 2 | |
| FELINE SARCOMA | 2 | 2 | |
| FILOVIRUSES | 4 | 4 | |
| FLANDERS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| GIBBON APE LYMPHOSARCOMA | 2 | 2 | |
| HART PARK VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| HEMORRHAGIC FEVER AGENTS | 4 | 4 | |
| HEPATITIS A VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| HEPATITIS ASSOC.ANTIGEN MATTER | 2 | 2 | |
| HEPATITIS B VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| HEPATITIS NON-A NON-B | 2 | 2 | |
| HERPESVIRUS (OTHER) | 2 | 2 | |
| HERPESVIRUS ATELES | 3 | 3 | |
| HERPESVIRUS SAIMIRI | 3 | 3 | |
| HERPESVIRUS SIMIAE (MONKEY B) | 4 | 4 | Biosafety Level 2 practices are indicated for all manipulations of the body fluids or tissues from macaques. Biosafety Level 3 practices are indicated for any material known to contain Herpes simiae. Biosafety level 4 practices are indicated for propagation of H. simiae, manipulation of cultures, or for housing animals with proven natural or induced infection. |
| HOG CHOLERA VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| INFECTIOUS BRONCHITIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| INFLUENZA VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| INFLUENZA VIRUS VIRULENT AVIAN | 3 | 3 | |
| K (RAT) VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| LACTIC DEHYDROGENASE ELEVATING | 2 | 2 | |
| LANGAT VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| LARYNGOTRACHEITIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| LASSA VIRUS | 4 | 4 | |
| LOW RISK ONCOGENIC VIRUSES | 2 | 2 | |
| LYMPHOCYTIC CHORIOMENINGITIS | 3 | 3 | |
| MARBURG VIRUS | 4 | 4 | |
| MEASLES VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| MENINGOPNEUMONITIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| MOUSE ENCEPHALOMELITIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| MOUSE HEPATITIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| MOUSE LEUKEMIA VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| MOUSE PNEUMONIA VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| MUMPS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| MYXOMATOSIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| NEWCASTLE DISEASE VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| NEWCASTLE DISEASE VIRUS (VVND) | 4 | 4 | |
| NON-DEFECTIVE ADENO 2 SV40 HYB | 2 | 2 | |
| PAPILLOMA VIRUS SHOPE | 2 | 2 | |
| PARAINFLUENZA VIRUSES | 2 | 2 | |
| POLIOVIRUS - ALL TYPES | 2 | 2 | |
| POLYOMA VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| POXVIRUS ALASTRIM | 3 | 3 | |
| POXVIRUS MONKEY POX | 3 | 3 | |
| POXVIRUS SMALLPOX | 3 | 3 | |
| POXVIRUS SP. | 2 | 2 | |
| PSEUDORABIES VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| RABIES VIRUS | 3 | 3 | |
| REOVIRUS SP | 2 | 2 | |
| RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| RHINOVIRUS SP | 2 | 2 | |
| ROUS SARCOMA VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| RUBELLA VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| SIMIAN VIRUS - OTHER | 2 | 2 | |
| SINDBIS VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| SLOW VIRUSES | 2 | 2 | |
| TENSAW VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| TICK-BORNE ENCEPHALITIS COMPLX | 4 | 4 | |
| TURLOCK VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| VACCINA VIRUS | 2 | 3 | |
| VARICELLA VIRUS | 2 | 2 | |
| VENEZUELAN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS | 3 | 3 | |
| VESICULAR STOMATITIS LAB ADAPT | 2 | 2 | Level 2 is appropriate for laboratory adapted strains of low virulence. |
| VESICULAR STOMATITIS VIRUS | 3 | 3 | Biosafety level 3 practices are indicated for manipulation of infected tissues, and for culture of virulent isolates from naturally or experimentally infected livestock. |
| WOOLY MONKEY FIBROSARCOMA | 3 | 3 | |
| YABA VIRUS | 3 | 3 | |
| YELLOW FEVER VIRUS 17D STRAIN | 2 | 2 | |
| YELLOW FEVER VIRUS EXCEPT 17D | 3 | 3 | |