Laboratory staff should be aware of the potential for personnel exposure and
cross-contamination of improperly stored samples in liquid nitrogen cryogenic storage
systems. Published reports indicate that two viruses, Hepatitis B and Vesicular Stomatitis
Virus, retain infectivity after suspension in liquid nitrogen. This information confirms
the standard biosafety recommendations on the use of personal protective equipment when
adding or removing samples from a cryogenic storage system, and on the need to
decontaminate equipment when it is being decommissioned or repaired.
References
1.
HuntD.“Human Immunodeficiency virus type 1 and Other Blood-Borne Pathogens,” p.
51, In FlemingD.O., RichardsonJ.H., TulisJ. & VesleyD., eds. Laboratory Safety, Second Edition. Principles and Practices. 1988. ASM Press, Washington, DC.
2.
LehmanR.D.1996. “A Mechanically Refrigerated Cryogenic Freezer for Air-phase
Storage of Biologicals at −150° Centigrade without Liquid Nitrogen.”. American Laboratory, 25–30.
U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institutes of Health,
Bethesda, Maryland. 1988. Biosafety in Microbiological and
Biomedical Laboratories.
