Biosafety in cosmetology centers is a growing challenge due to the diversity of biological, chemical, and environmental risks that converge in these spaces. This systematic review compiled 19 studies published between 2008 and 2025 to analyze compliance with standards, waste management, the use of protective barriers, and the perceptions of users and professionals. The results show marked heterogeneity: while countries such as New Zealand achieve up to 80% compliance with disinfection measures, in Latin American contexts only 27% of establishments have specific areas for hazardous waste. Likewise, it was documented that only 33% of workers in Turkey consistently wore gloves, and that 72% of European consumers relied solely on visible cleanliness, without knowing the internal biosafety protocols. Evidence shows that technological innovations, such as biosafety cabinets or automated autoclaves, significantly reduce microbial load, although their implementation depends on the economic capacity of the centers. In contrast, countries with weak regulatory frameworks maintain high levels of risk for workers and customers. This study provides a comparative analysis with quantitative data that highlights international gaps and raises the need for specific public policies for the beauty sector. It is recommended that future research focus on the effectiveness of adapted manuals, the evaluation of new technologies, and the role of consumers in consolidating safe environments.

Highly pathogenic for humans orthopoxviruses (OPV) - Variola virus (VARV) and Monkeypox virus (MPXV) can cause systemic diseases characterized by high contagiousness and often leading to death. In previous publications (https://doi.org/10.3390/v14112580), we reported on the development of a sensitive, rapid and easy-to-use immunochemical test potentially suitable for use in the infection foci and in laboratory conditions with a high level of biosecurity. The prototype of the diagnostic kit was tested on non-pathogenic and low-pathogenic for humans OPV and specifically detected them with a sensitivity within the range of 103 to 104 PFU/mL. The aim of this work was to evaluate the sensitivity of this assay in detecting highly pathogenic for humans MPXV and VARV, as well as the applicability of the assay in a laboratory with a high level of biosafety (BSL-4). The efficiency of virus detection in cryolysates of CV-1 cell culture samples infected with VARV and MPXV was assessed using a one-step dot immunoassay method in a laboratory with biosafety level BSL-4. It was shown that the one-step dot assay allows detection of MPXV at a concentration of 2.5 × 103 PFU/mL, and VARV at a concentration of 1.0 × 104 PFU/mL. It was noted that vapors from disinfectants (hydrogen peroxide/formaldehyde) applied in biosafety cabinet decontamination may interfere with assay performance and affect result interpretation. The one-step dot immunoassay can be performed in a BSL-4 laboratory. When limiting the contact of the detecting system with formaldehyde vapors, the sensitivity of the test for detection of VARV and MPXV falls within the previously declared range of 103-104 PFU/mL.

Personnel exposure studies to multi-source diffusion of bioaerosols under biosafety laboratory - Level 2 plus operating conditions.

BackgroundThe management of biosafety laboratories for pathogenic microorganisms is directly related to public health and the effectiveness of biological experiments. However, persistent non-compliance issues in biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) laboratory management remain a challenge. This study aimed to assess the quality control of BSL-2 laboratories for pathogenic microorganisms in Lishui.MethodsBy combining the Biosafety Online Supervision Systems and on-site inspections, this study assessed the quality control of 73 medical institutions and the 128 biosafety laboratories under their management in Lishui.ResultsThe results discovered that the 73 medical institutions had low compliance rates in several fields: Responsibilities of the biosafety management (80.82%), development of system documentation (65.75%), risk assessment (84.56%), training of laboratory personnel (82.19%), and biosafety labeling (52.05%). Additionally, 128 laboratories had low pass rates for the access control management system (85.94%), hand/eye wash and shower stations (85.94%), and biosafety cabinet operations (89.06%).ConclusionThis study demonstrates that future efforts should focus on strengthening laboratory personnel training and implementing biosafety management responsibilities to ensure safe and regulation-compliant operations in laboratories handling pathogenic microorganisms.

Introduction Reliable laboratory equipment and effective metrology systems are essential for accurate diagnostics and epidemic response, particularly for diseases like Lassa fever. Across West Africa, gaps in equipment maintenance, calibration, and technical capacity have undermined diagnostic sustainability. In response, West African Health Organization (WAHO), with partners, initiated a regional strategy to address these deficiencies through stakeholder engagement, needs assessment, training, and policy development. Methods From 2022 to 2024, regional meetings and expert consultations brought together over 75 participants from all 15 ECOWAS countries and partners. A baseline survey involving 27 institutions across 13 countries assessed practices, challenges, and opportunities in equipment maintenance and metrology. Follow-up meetings included group work, plenary discussions, and prioritization exercises. Equipment procurement under WAHO-supported projects also incorporated expert consultation to ensure standardization, availability of spare parts, and local maintenance capacity. Results Key findings included widespread lack of national policies on equipment maintenance, shortage of trained biomedical engineers, and limited access to spare parts. In response, A Regional Technical Working Group (TWG) was established to provide ongoing technical guidance. Regional Centres of Excellence were identified to serve as hubs for technical support, training, and calibration services. An End-User Training Workshop on biosafety cabinet (BSC) maintenance was conducted in March 2024 with 14 ECOWAS countries. A Regional Certification Program for BSC certifiers is in development, aiming to reduce reliance on international providers and promote cost-effective, timely certification. PROALAB-procured equipment now includes maintenance contracts and end-user training. Conclusion The coordinated regional approach has laid the foundation for sustainable improvement in laboratory equipment maintenance and metrology across ECOWAS. By leveraging regional expertise, fostering standardization, and building in-country capacity, WAHO and partners are reducing fragmentation and dependency. Continued investment is essential to consolidate these gains and ensure resilient laboratory systems for future public health emergencies.

Oncology pharmacists (OPs) play a crucial role in cancer care, treatment, survivorship, and multidisciplinary teams (MDTs). OPs have specialized training in designing, administering, monitoring, and modifying oncology chemotherapy; managing adverse events; and evaluating clinical trials and investigational drugs. Yet, the state of OP has remained largely unknown in the clinical oncology workforce of the West African region. Therefore, this study aimed to understand who reconstitutes chemotherapy and to explain the OP educational and practice needs, challenges, and solutions in Nigeria. Using a concurrent embedded mixed method design, 35 OPs completed a questionnaire, and 12 others responded to a semistructured interview. The data were then subjected to inductive thematic and descriptive analyses. The findings showed that 54% of the OPs were responsible for chemotherapy reconstitution, and only 60% of the oncology centers had a biosafety cabinet. 91% of OPs were practicing; however, only 54% were trained in OP, and none of the OPs were board-certified. Most of the OPs spent time weekly on reconstitution, administrative duties, teaching, and training; only 3% spent on oncology clinical trials and conferences and 8% on noninterventional research. We identified four themes: (1) Some OPs are not reconstituting chemotherapy: A Call for MDT, (2) For OP, No Training is Enough, (3) Board Certification will give OPs Recognition, and (4) Introduction of OP Course in Universities. To improve patient treatment outcomes, training on chemotherapy reconstitution should be prioritized, integration of OPs into MDTs, and the safe handling of chemotherapy in centers should be mandated in the region. The West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists should be supported in expanding its curriculum and introducing OP fellowships.

e21021 Background: West Africa, especially Nigeria, faces a disproportionate burden of cancer incidence and mortality, along with disparities in cancer care and management. Oncology pharmacists (OPs) play a crucial role in cancer care, treatment, and survivorship and MDTs. OPs have specialized training in designing, administering, monitoring, and modifying oncology chemotherapy, managing adverse events, and evaluating clinical trials and investigational drugs. Yet the educational needs and state of OPs have remained largely unknown in the West African region. Methods: Using a concurrent embedded mixed method design, 35 oncology pharmacists (OPs) completed a questionnaire, and 12 others responded to a semi-structured interview. The data were then subjected to inductive thematic and descriptive analysis. Results: The quantitative findings showed that 54% of the OPs were responsible for chemotherapy reconstitution, and only 60% of the oncology centers had a biosafety cabinet. 91% of OPs were practicing oncology pharmacy (OP); however, only 54% were trained in OP, and none of the OPs were board-certified. Most of the OPs spent time weekly on chemotherapy reconstitution, administrative duties, teaching, and training; only 3% spent on oncology clinical trials and conferences and 8% on other research. Respondents ranked developing medication therapy management programs as the topmost priority area for better OP practices, and chemotherapy reconstitution is the area of OP that requires the most attention for improving patient treatment outcomes and survivorship. Inadequate training, lack of equipment, non-recognition of oncology pharmacy, availability of oncology medicines, and non-integration of multi-disciplinary teams (MDT) were the major challenges in OP practice in Nigeria. In the qualitative findings, four themes were identified: (i.) Some oncology pharmacists are not reconstituting chemotherapy: A Call for MDT, (ii.) For Oncology Pharmacy, No Training is Enough, (iii.) Board Certification will give Oncology Pharmacists Recognition, and (iv.) Introduction of Oncology Pharmacy Course in Universities. Conclusions: The findings suggest that oncology pharmacists should be included in MDTs and other cancer management, which is a critical step toward improving patient outcomes in the region. Our findings show that the safe handling of chemotherapy is problematic in this region. Hence, the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment and other West African countries should urgently institute a national and state task force to watchdog all oncology chemotherapy centers and ensure that those preparing chemotherapy to save cancer patients are also saved from carcinogens.

Handling and decontamination of live medications: What challenges for hospital pharmacies in France?

The discontinuation of commercially available saline and hypertonic saline wound dressings for the veterinary market has restricted options available to veterinary practitioners treating contaminated and infected wounds. Clinicians may manufacture their own homemade solutions in clinics or field settings to treat equine or livestock species; however, information is limited on whether autoclave sterilization is necessary or sufficient to eliminate bacterial growth in isotonic and concentrated salt solutions and how long they may subsequently be stored prior to use. The purpose of this study was to assess sterility of saline (0.9%) and hypertonic saline (20%) solutions manufactured three ways (1-autoclaved glass bottle that was autoclaved again following solution preparation; 2-autoclaved glass bottle, not autoclaved again following preparation; 3-non-autoclaved plastic bottle, not autoclaved following preparation). Solutions were stored two different ways (1-solution in sealed bottle or 2-soaked gauze in vacuum-sealed plastic packets). Products were assessed for bacterial growth at four time points (baseline, one week, one month, six months). At each time point, samples of each solution were plated on Luria-Bertani (LB) agar plates and assessed for bacterial growth at 24 h. Vacuum-sealed soaked gauze was placed in antibiotic-free growth media for 24 h, and then media were plated on LB agar plates and assessed for bacterial growth at 24 h. If bacterial growth was detected, qualitative culture with sensitivity was performed to identify bacterial isolates. No bacterial growth was detected in stored solutions for any preparation method, concentration or time point assessed. Bacterial growth was detected from 0.9% saline-soaked gauze at 1 week, 1 month and 6 months in all container types for at least one time point. Bacterial culture revealed Ralstonia, Bacillus, Sphingomonas and Staphylococcus species. Environmental controls (water, containers, salt, biosafety cabinet and benchtop) were submitted for culture to identify the source of contamination, yielding light mixed growth from tap water and no growth from any other locations. These findings provide clinicians with practical information to guide preparation and storage of homemade saline-based products for wound care.

Host cell DNA is an impurity from cell-based manufacturing processes that must be controlled and monitored to ensure drug purity and safety. Conventional methods for measurement of residual host cell DNA in therapeutic protein require numerous preparations of plates, DNA extraction from the protein samples, followed by quantification of the extracted DNA using real-time PCR (qPCR). Preparation of plates for extraction is the most laborious step, including numerous manual steps such as sample dilution, standard curve preparation, as well as reagent and sample plate preparation. Additionally, much of the work needs to be performed in a biosafety cabinet to avoid contamination. In this study, a robotic platform using a Gilson liquid handler for plate preparation for rDNA extraction is presented. This automated workflow is not only high throughput, but also shows reproducibility that is equivalent or better as compared to manual workflows. Moreover, this approach is faster than traditional extraction and reduces the risk of human error and variability and eliminates the need for manual pipetting and plate preparation. In this study, automated and manual workflows were performed side-by-side in triplicate from different purification steps from bioreactor to ultrafiltration step. Day to day variability, matrix interference, and spike recovery were assessed to demonstrate the robustness of the automated workflow.

This study evaluated healthcare workers' occupational exposure to inhaled drugs during drug reconstitution and handling tasks, focusing on compliance with occupational exposure limits (OELs). Ten nurses and pharmacy technicians were monitored during an 8-hour shift to measure inhalable particle concentrations using a portable sampling device. Inhalable particle concentrations ranged from <15 to 381 μg/m 3 (arithmetic mean 83 μg/m 3 ). Exposure to drugs in hazardous drug classes (HDCs) 1, 2, and 3 complied with OELs, while exposure to drugs in HDCs 4 and 5 exceeded OELs, highlighting the need for enhanced protective measures. No additional precautions are needed for drugs in HDCs 1, 2, and 3, but dust exhaust or biosafety cabinets are recommended for handling drugs in HDCs 4 and 5.

Many multidose eyedrops in the clinic and operating room are discarded after single use due to cross-contamination concerns. This practice contributes to significant hospital costs, drug shortages, and unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions. 9-week, prospective, observational study of 97 patients. To validate the safety of multidose eyedrops in the ophthalmology clinic by ASORN-trained technicians using a videographic and microbiological analysis. Secondly, to determine optimal culturing conditions to prevent environmental contamination. During eyedrop administration, no videos demonstrated bottle-to-patient contact. 12/96 (12.5%) plates demonstrated growth, likely due to environmental contamination. Mass spectrometry revealed non-pathogenic and common species for 8 identifiable growths. Environmental contamination is minimized by use of a biosafety cabinet. We found no clinical correlation between the use of multidose eyedrop bottles and infection on multiple patients in the ophthalmology clinic. We recommend using a biosafety cabinet to establish a national consensus for multidosing eyedrops and to improve inter-study comparisons.

High concentrations of aerosols can be generated within the sort collection area of cell sorters during instrument failures that cause the stream to deviate, such as a partial nozzle obstruction. Complete containment of these aerosol particles becomes essential for operator safety when working with potentially infectious or hazardous samples. Currently, aerosol containment is accomplished through the generation of continuous negative airflow within the sort collection area using an aerosol evacuation system, which can be enhanced by using primary containment devices such as biosafety cabinets. Unlike biosafety cabinets, many aerosol evacuation systems are not certified or tested on a regular basis after installation. Therefore, proper function of the system must be verified by the user prior to running hazardous samples to ensure that it is operational and provides sufficient protection for the operator. This protocol describes an updated procedure for verifying the containment and evacuation of aerosols generated when the stream is disrupted during an instrument failure. In this procedure, aerosols are generated to simulate a partial nozzle obstruction while running 1-µm fluorescent beads. Air samples are collected just outside the sort collection area using a disposable impactor-style aerosol sampler cassette and are examined for the presence of beads in an effort to detect aerosols. If no beads are present, aerosols were adequately contained and evacuated by the aerosol evacuation system. The presence of beads, however, indicates a potential failure of the aerosol evacuation system and/or other engineering controls that could result in the exposure of laboratory workers to any infectious or hazardous samples that are run through the instrument. © 2025 The Author(s). Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA. Basic Protocol: Validation of the aerosol evacuation system using 1-µm fluorescent beads and disposable aerosol sampler cassettes Support Protocol: Preparation of 1-µm fluorescent bead reference slide.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a biosafety cabinet equipped with an ozone generator, particularly during the transition periods between the production of cell products. As living cell products cannot undergo sterilization, maintaining an aseptic manufacturing environment is paramount. Raw materials, often derived from human tissues, are frequently contaminated with various resident bacteria, necessitating environmental resets after each process. The utility of this device against bacteria, including endotoxins, endospores, and fungi endemic to human tissues, could facilitate safe and reproducible production changeovers through a simplified, one-button operation. This study focused on bacteria resistant to conventional cleaning protocols, specifically targeting endospore-forming bacteria with robust resistance to disinfectants, spore-forming fungi, and included analyses of endotoxins. The effects of ozone exposure on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (an endotoxin-producing bacterium), Bacillus subtilis (an endospore-forming bacterium), and Aspergillus brasiliensis (a spore-forming fungus) were assessed. In the dedicated biosafety cabinet equipped with an ozone generator, the treatment group exposed to ozone showed a significant reduction in both colony-forming units and endotoxin levels in Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 1.0 × 104 colony-forming units (CFUs) compared to the control group. Moreover, the ozone treatment markedly decreased the colony formation of Bacillus subtilis endospores and Aspergillus brasiliensis spores. Given its effectiveness against endospores and endotoxins-among the most challenging bacterial derivatives to eliminate-the device demonstrates potential for enhanced bacterial control in Grade A biosafety cabinets within cell product manufacturing facilities. The system may substantially reduce operator stress by ensuring product safety through straightforward operational procedures and high reproducibility, although further validation is required.

A longstanding challenge in microfluidics has been the efficient delivery of fluids from macro-scale pumping systems into microfluidic devices, known as the "world-to-chip" problem. Thus far, the entire industry has accepted the use of imperfect, rigid tubing and connectors as the ecosystem within which to operate, which, while functional, are often cumbersome, labor-intensive, prone to errors, and ill-suited for high-throughput experimentation. In this paper, we introduce TapeTech microfluidics, a flexible and scalable solution designed to address the persistent "world-to-chip" problem in microfluidics, particularly in organ-on-a-chip (OoC) applications. TapeTech offers a streamlined alternative, utilizing adhesive tape and thin-film polymers to create adaptable, integrated multi-channel ribbon connectors that simplify fluidic integration with pumps and reservoirs. Key features of TapeTech include reduced pressure surges, easy priming, rapid setup, easy multiplexing, and broad compatibility with existing devices and components, which are essential for maintaining stable fluid dynamics and protecting sensitive cell cultures. Furthermore, TapeTech is designed to flex around the lids of Petri dishes, enhancing sterility and transportability by enabling easy transfer between incubators, biosafety cabinets (BSCs), and microscopes. The rapid design-to-prototype iteration enabled by TapeTech allows users to quickly develop connectors for a wide range of microfluidic devices. Importantly, we showcase the utility of TapeTech in OoC cultures requiring fluid flow. We also highlight other utilities, such as real-time microscopy and a well-plate medium exchanger. The accessibility of this technology should enable more laboratories to simplify design and setup of microfluidic experiments, and increase technology adoption.

End-stage liver diseases have an increasing impact worldwide, exacerbated by the shortage of transplantable organs. Recognized as one of the promising solutions, tissue engineering aims at recreating functional tissues and organs in vitro. The integration of bioprinting technologies with biological 3D models, such as multi-cellular spheroids, has enabled the fabrication of tissue constructs that better mimic complex structures and in vivo functionality of organs. However, the lack of methods for large-scale production of homogeneous spheroids has hindered the upscaling of tissue fabrication. In this work, we introduce a fully automated platform, designed for high-throughput sorting of 3D spheroids based on label-free analysis of brightfield images. The compact platform is compatible with standard biosafety cabinets and includes a custom-made microscope and two fluidic systems that optimize single spheroid handling to enhance sorting speed. We use machine learning to classify spheroids based on their bioprinting compatibility. This approach enables complex morphological analysis, including assessing spheroid viability, without relying on invasive fluorescent labels. Furthermore, we demonstrate the efficacy of transfer learning for biological applications, for which acquiring large datasets remains challenging. Utilizing this platform, we efficiently sort mono-cellular and multi-cellular liver spheroids, the latter being used in bioprinting applications, and confirm that the sorting process preserves viability and functionality of the spheroids. By ensuring spheroid homogeneity, our sorting platform paves the way for standardized and scalable tissue fabrication, advancing regenerative medicine applications.

Cleaning methods for biosafety cabinet to eliminate residual mycoplasmas, viruses, and endotoxins after changeover

Cell sampling is a key step performed regularly throughout the cell manufacturing process to gather cell samples for cell growth, progress, and characteristics analysis. While the current method of sampling by pipetting in a biosafety cabinet is commonly used, it is labour-intensive and susceptible to contamination risks. We have developed Device for Automated Aseptic Sampling (DAAS), to enable automated, small volume (0.02-1.00mL) aseptic sampling with minimal dead volume primarily for cell and gene therapy manufacturing. The aim of DAAS is to enable an accurate and consistent sampling process, with minimal contamination risks and interruption to the cells in culture. DAAS can potentially interface with other automated solutions to enable automated and streamlined cell manufacturing workflow and reduce overall manufacturing costs. DAAS has been verified as an aseptic sampling solution via repeated microbial ingression tests. It has also been tested for achieving comparable cell density and viability compared to manual pipetting, with negligible cross-sample carryover when used to sample Jurkat cells of different cell concentrations. The application of using DAAS to sample cell periodically and monitor cell growth and viability continuously for prolonged cell culture was successfully demonstrated with Jurkat cell culture in a static culture flask and donor T cell culture in an automated bioreactor system over a culture duration of 10days in a Biosafety Level-2 laboratory. Overall, DAAS presents great potential as an automated and aseptic sampling solution, offering cell and gene therapy manufacturers easier and more frequent access to cell samples with minimal interruptions to the cell culture. This enables close monitoring of cell culture and a more automated, connected and cost-effect cell and gene therapy manufacturing process.

To assess diagnostic mycology capacity and available fungal diagnostic services of microbiology laboratories in eight tertiary hospitals in Nigeria and one in Ghana. On-site audits were performed in the microbiology laboratories of nine tertiary hospitals using a structured observation checklist. A total of nine tertiary hospitals' laboratories in Nigeria and Ghana were assessed between June 2022 and December 2023. The majority of audited laboratories lacked basic infrastructure and materials needed for fungal diagnostic testing, with less than half of the labs having a dedicated mycology bench, space or room, 3/9 (33.3%), appropriate bench workflow 1/9 (11.1%), functional biosafety cabinet type two 2/9 (22.2%), dedicated incubators 3/9 (33.3%), standard operating procedures 1/9 (11.1%), mycology atlases 2/9 (22.2%). Trained laboratory personnel for mycology were also lacking with only one of the laboratories 1/9 (11.1%) observed to have a designated trained personnel for the mycology bench. The audit revealed deficits in basic infrastructure, material resources, dedicated human resources, and laboratory capacity to detect serious fungal infections.

The detection of bacterial contamination in drinking water is essential for monitoring the spread of foodborne diseases. We developed a simple, portable, and low-cost method of mini most probable number (mini MPN) to semi-enumerate bacterial suspension in water as a drinking water analogue. In this study, there is no significant difference between mini MPN and the standard method, technique plate count (TPC), at 10 and 100 CFU/ml Klebsiella pneumoniae suspension with a P-value of 0.28. For the ease-of-use aspect of this method, we tested several variables to prove it can be mass-applied in society. The usage of a sterile-plastic pipette, sample inoculation conducted in a biosafety cabinet (BSC), the usage of a 3-month storage medium, and incubation temperature conducted at room temperature compared to aseptic standard laboratory technique showed P-value > 0.05. In a trial for this method, we used commercialized drinking water for bacterial enumeration and characterization. We found multi-drug resistant (MDR) Ralstonia insidiosa which was resistant to at least four antimicrobial classes, including aminoglycosides, penicillins, cephalosporin, and carbapenem. Vitek 2 Compact was used for bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. A virulence test in Omphisa fuscidentalis larvae showed R. insidiosa strain D had a low virulence.