Risk Assessment
Natural organisms are grouped according to their risk potential into risk groups. Different risk groups require corresponding safety levels.
Classification is based on various criteria including...
- Pathogenicity and lethality
- Virulence
- Mode of infection: effective dose and ways of infection
- Production of non-cellular entities such as toxins and allergens
- Reproductive cycles and survival structures
- Host range
- Degree of immunity in the host population
- Resistance or sensitivity to antibiotics and other drugs
- Availability of prophylaxis or therapies
- Presence of oncogenic nucleic acid sequences
- Shedding of viruses by cell lines
- Parasitic properties
