Laboratory-acquired infections.

Although numerous individual case reports and a few instances of institutional outbreaks of laboratory-acquired infections had appeared in the literature, the magnitude of this problem as it relates to the occupational health of laboratory workers did not become evident until the results of an extensive survey conducted in 1950 became available. Prior to that time only an occasional report concerned itself with consideration of the need for adequately protecting personnel who come in daily contact with disease-producing agents. By means of a questionnaire circularized to several laboratories in the United States, Meyer and Eddie (26) in 1941 assembled pertinent information regarding laboratory infections due to brucellae. From published reports and personal communications, Sulkin and Pike (34) in 1949 collected data regarding the occurrence of viral infections contracted in laboratories in the United States and elsewhere in the hope that such information would indicate where the greatest need for caution exists in work with viruses. To obtain more information regarding the occurrence of laboratory infections, the National Institutes of Health sponsored a survey which was conducted about 10 years ago. Questionnaires mailed to nearly 5,000 laboratories in the United States revealed over 1,300 instances of presumed laboratory-acquired infection, with 39 deaths (35). Since that time an effort has been made to maintain a file of laboratory-acquired infections as they are reported in the literature and as they are called to our attention. A section on this subject in Diagnostic Procedures and Reagents, published by the American Public Health Association, contains a summary of 2,262 cases with 96 deaths (36). Since that manuscript was prepared, 86 additional cases (with 11 deaths) have come to our attention bringing the total to 2,348 cases, with 107 fatalities.