Biological hazard
Biological Hazard
A biological hazard, or biohazard, is a biological substance that poses a threat to the health of living organisms, primarily humans. This can include medical waste, samples of a microorganism, virus or toxin that can impact human health. It can also include substances harmful to other animals.
Types of Biological Hazards[edit | edit source]
There are several types of biological hazards. These include:
- Bacteria: These are single-celled organisms that can cause diseases such as tuberculosis, salmonella, and anthrax.
- Viruses: These are smaller than bacteria and can cause diseases such as influenza, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19.
- Fungi: These organisms can cause diseases such as ringworm, athlete's foot, and histoplasmosis.
- Parasites: These organisms live on or in a host organism and can cause diseases such as malaria, giardiasis, and toxoplasmosis.
Risk Levels[edit | edit source]
Biological hazards are classified into four levels, from Level 1 (lowest risk) to Level 4 (highest risk). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) provide guidelines for the handling and transportation of these hazards.
Prevention and Control[edit | edit source]
Prevention and control of biological hazards can be achieved through a combination of tactics. These include personal protective equipment (PPE), good personal hygiene, use of vaccines, and proper handling and disposal of waste.
See Also[edit | edit source]
This safety related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it.
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD