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Review
. 2023 Dec 29;15(12):e51309.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.51309. eCollection 2023 Dec.

The Role of the Biosafety Cabinet in Preventing Infection in the Clinical Laboratory

Gaurav A Jagtap  1 , Ankit Badge  2 , Mangesh G Kohale  3 , Rashmi S Wankhade  3
Affiliations
Review

The Role of the Biosafety Cabinet in Preventing Infection in the Clinical Laboratory

Gaurav A Jagtap et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Clinical laboratories are essential in healthcare to better diagnose, treat, and track medical diseases. However, handling infectious organisms and possibly infectious materials in these laboratories puts the safety of laboratory workers and the general public at risk. By controlling the distribution of infectious substances and stopping the spread of diseases, biosafety cabinets (BSCs) have become crucial tools in guaranteeing laboratory safety. The prevention of infections is most important in medical and laboratory settings. In clinical laboratories, biological and infectious agents are handled, posing threats to healthcare workers and the general public. To avoid infections, proper training of the BSC is essential. Laboratory employees are instructed in aseptic procedures, proper hand posture, and efficient personal protection when working in the cabinet. These instructions decrease the chance of contaminating the surrounding area. Additionally, user ergonomics are taken into account while designing BSC, reducing operator fatigue, and guaranteeing that staff can execute tasks precisely for extended periods. This review highlights the importance of biosafety cabinets in maintaining a secure laboratory environment and explains their crucial function in infection control.

Keywords: aerosols; biosafety cabinet; laboratory safety; microorganism; pathogen.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. PRISMA flow chart
n: Number of studies; PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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