NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Virology and Viral Diseases, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Beijing, China.
Yantai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yantai, China.
Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 2;12:1436503. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1436503. eCollection 2024.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical importance of biosafety in microbiology laboratories worldwide. In response, China has ramped up its efforts to enhance biosafety measures within its Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laboratories. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of biosafety practices across provincial, city, and county levels of CDC microbiology laboratories in China.
We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional survey from 2021 to 2023, targeting staff from microbiology laboratories within CDCs at all administrative levels in China. Stratified sampling was employed to select respondents, ensuring a representative mix across different CDC hierarchies, job titles, and academic qualifications. The survey encompassed questions on biosafety training, the presence of BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratories, adherence to general biosafety guidelines, and management practices regarding specimens, reagents, and consumables. Statistical analysis was performed to identify significant differences in biosafety practices among different CDC levels.
A total of 990 valid responses were received, highlighting a nearly universal presence (98.69%) of BSL-2 laboratories and a significant yet varied presence of BSL-3 laboratories across the CDC network. The survey revealed high levels of biosafety training (98.69%) and adherence to biosafety protocols. However, challenges remain in the consistent application of certain safety practices, especially at lower administrative levels. Notable differences in the management of specimens, reagents, and consumables point to areas for improvement in ensuring biosecurity.
Our findings indicate a robust foundation of biosafety practices within CDC microbiology laboratories in China, reflecting significant advancements in the wake of the Biosecurity Law's implementation. Nevertheless, the variability in adherence to specific protocols underscores the need for ongoing training, resources allocation, and policy refinement to enhance biosafety standards uniformly across all levels. This study's insights are crucial for guiding future improvements in laboratory biosafety, not just in China but potentially in other countries enhancing their public health infrastructures.
新冠疫情凸显了全球微生物学实验室生物安全的重要性。作为回应，中国加大了在疾病预防控制中心（CDC）实验室加强生物安全措施的力度。本研究首次全面评估了中国省级、市级和县级 CDC 微生物学实验室的生物安全实践。
我们在 2021 年至 2023 年期间进行了一项全国性的横断面调查，对象是中国各级疾病预防控制中心微生物实验室的工作人员。采用分层抽样选择受访者，确保在不同的 CDC 层次结构、职称和学历中具有代表性。该调查涵盖了生物安全培训、BSL-2 和 BSL-3 实验室的存在、遵守一般生物安全指南以及标本、试剂和消耗品管理实践的问题。统计分析用于确定不同 CDC 水平之间生物安全实践的显著差异。
共收到 990 份有效回复，突出显示了 BSL-2 实验室几乎普遍存在（98.69%），并且在 CDC 网络中存在着明显但不同的 BSL-3 实验室。调查显示生物安全培训水平较高（98.69%），并且遵守生物安全协议。然而，在某些安全实践的一致应用方面仍存在挑战，特别是在较低的行政级别。标本、试剂和消耗品管理方面的显著差异表明，在确保生物安保方面需要改进。
我们的研究结果表明，中国疾病预防控制中心微生物学实验室的生物安全实践基础扎实，反映了《生物安全法》实施后的重大进展。然而，对特定协议的遵守情况存在差异，这突显了需要持续培训、资源分配和政策完善，以在所有级别上统一提高生物安全标准。本研究的结果对于指导未来实验室生物安全的改进至关重要，不仅在中国，而且在其他国家加强公共卫生基础设施方面也可能具有重要意义。
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