Retroviral vectors are becoming standard tools in cell biology as well as potential
therapeutic agents for human disease. Many investigators have come to believe that
retroviral vectors are safe, but both current biosafety guidelines and distributors of
vectors recommend using the vectors under Biosafety level-2 (BSL-2) containment, with
certain experiments requiring BSL-3 practices. This short review considers the dangers
posed by the large variety of retroviral vectors and gives the rationale for safety
evaluation.
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