Handling of highly infectious material in a clinical pathology laboratory and in a viral diagnostic unit

The handling of potentially lethal and highly infective material in a routine clinical pathology laboratory and in a viral diagnostic unit is detailed. Extensive precautions were taken at each step of the receiving, processing and disposal cycle. Disposable protective clothing and apparatus were used whenever possible. Laboratory tests were limited to those essential for the clinical management and diagnosis. Technologists who handled infective material were limited to minimal numbers of experienced, non-pregnant, informed volunteers. They wore special protective clothing, including gloves, caps, gowns and masks. When possible, specimens were handled under special protective hoods. Potentially infective material was processed through automated apparatus, and care was taken to prevent contamination of its exterior. The effluent from the machines was collected into viricidal agents (glutaraldehyde, sodium hypochlorite). After processing, the machines were flushed extensively with viricidal solution. This procedure has caused no damage to the automated equipment and has been adopted as a routine laboratory safety measure. The protective procedures adopted were successful in that there was no outbreak of the viral infection among the associated laboratory workers.