Human and Other Primate Cells and Tissues

Human Source MaterialHuman Source Material

Blood and blood products Blood and blood products Vaginal secretions Vaginal secretions Semen Semen Amniotic fluid Amniotic fluid Unfixed tissues Unfixed tissues Cerebrospinal, synovial, Cerebrospinal, synovial,

pleural, pericardial and pleural, pericardial and peritoneal fluids peritoneal fluids

Cell culturesCell cultures

Saliva Saliva Urine Urine Tears Tears Sputum Sputum Feces Feces Vomit Vomit Other excretions and Other excretions and

secretions secretions

Second column not covered in Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, possibly not occupationally related.

Human Source MaterialHuman Source Material

May transmit infectious agents May transmit infectious agents Imperfect knowledge of infectious statusImperfect knowledge of infectious status

Incubation period (asymptomatic) Incubation period (asymptomatic) No test for every pathogenNo test for every pathogen

Most tissues and body fluidsMost tissues and body fluids Bloodborne Pathogens (HBV, HCV, HIV, Bloodborne Pathogens (HBV, HCV, HIV,

HTLV-1)HTLV-1) Pathogens causing Malaria, Syphilis, Pathogens causing Malaria, Syphilis,

Babesiosis, Brucellosis, Leptospirosis, Babesiosis, Brucellosis, Leptospirosis, Arboviral infections, Relapsing fever, Arboviral infections, Relapsing fever, Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease and viral Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease and viral hemorrhagic feverhemorrhagic fever

Cell Culture RisksCell Culture Risks Contaminating pathogenic agents Contaminating pathogenic agents

natural (often zoonotic) or inadvertent natural (often zoonotic) or inadvertent ~20 LAIs from primary cultures in last 30 years ~20 LAIs from primary cultures in last 30 years e.g., Herpes B (CHV-1), prions e.g., Herpes B (CHV-1), prions

Oncogenic potential Oncogenic potential could be oncogene or oncogenic agent could be oncogene or oncogenic agent e.g., HPV-18, MPMV genomes in HeLa cells e.g., HPV-18, MPMV genomes in HeLa cells

Unexpected (adventitious) agents Unexpected (adventitious) agents e.g., SIV, STLV, SV5 in primate cells, HHV-8 e.g., SIV, STLV, SV5 in primate cells, HHV-8

in BCBL-1 cells in BCBL-1 cells Hazardous chemicals added to culture medium Hazardous chemicals added to culture medium

Cell Culture under Bloodborne Cell Culture under Bloodborne Pathogen StandardPathogen Standard ABSA requested OSHA’s interpretation in 1994: ABSA requested OSHA’s interpretation in 1994:

Do human cell cultures fall under the Do human cell cultures fall under the Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Standard? Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Standard?

Response: Response: All primary human cell cultures (explants) and All primary human cell cultures (explants) and

subsequent subsequent in vitroin vitro passages fall under the passages fall under the BBP Standard BBP Standard

To be exempted from the BBP requirements, To be exempted from the BBP requirements, cell strains and lines must undergo testing and cell strains and lines must undergo testing and characterization (documented) for bloodborne characterization (documented) for bloodborne pathogens (not just HBV, HCV and HIV)pathogens (not just HBV, HCV and HIV)

Cell Culture SafetyCell Culture Safety

Extend Universal/Standard Precautions to all Extend Universal/Standard Precautions to all human and animal cell cultures human and animal cell cultures Consider working at BSL 2 (most work Consider working at BSL 2 (most work

there already to protect the cell cultures) there already to protect the cell cultures) Handle all cultures in a biosafety cabinet Handle all cultures in a biosafety cabinet If human origin and not demonstrated to If human origin and not demonstrated to

be free of human bloodborne pathogens, be free of human bloodborne pathogens, adhere to requirements of the BBP Standard adhere to requirements of the BBP Standard

Wear PPE appropriate to human source Wear PPE appropriate to human source materialmaterial

Human Source MaterialsHuman Source Materials May be regulated May be regulated Can be biohazardous Can be biohazardous Use Universal Precautions at Use Universal Precautions at

all times all times Visible blood means Visible blood means

increased risk increased risk Don’t consider “normal” Don’t consider “normal”

sourcesource

Human and Non-Human and Non-human Primate Cell human Primate Cell CulturesCultures

Treat human cultures as Treat human cultures as possible biohazards possible biohazards

Beware of non-human Beware of non-human primate cells primate cells

Beware of CNS, corneal, Beware of CNS, corneal, pituitary cells pituitary cells

Some cells may be OK at Some cells may be OK at BSL 1BSL 1

Summary