[Report] Virus Leak During Research?..."Safe at KDCA BL3"

Opening of Korea's First 'Biosafety Level 3 Practical Training Facility'
Perfect Reproduction of Actual Facilities and Equipment
Expected to Enhance the Competence of Bio Workers

"When handling high-risk pathogens, if harmful substances are not completely blocked, the outside can be exposed to contamination in an instant. The core of a 'Biosafety Level 3 (BL3)' research facility is to ensure that no contaminants generated inside can ever escape outside."

BL3 is a restricted access zone to prevent infectious disease outbreaks. There is a place that perfectly replicates this environment to assist research personnel in safety and prevention training for responding to new infectious diseases. This is the only 'BL3 practical training facility' in Korea, which opened on the 3rd floor of the National Pathogen Resource Bank at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) in Osong-eup, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, on the 28th. Haengseop Shin, Director of the Biosafety Evaluation Division at the Medical Safety and Prevention Bureau of KDCA, explained, "The BL3 interior maintains constant negative pressure to draw in air so that infectious aerosols generated during experiments do not spread outside. Those entering the facility wear full-body protective suits and N95 masks to physically seal the environment as much as possible."

On the 28th, a practical training session was held for reporters at the country's only 'BL3 Practical Training Facility,' which opened on the 3rd floor of the National Pathogen Resource Bank in Osong-eup, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk. On this day, participants covered their bodies thoroughly to avoid contact with contaminants, but after removing their protective gear, fluorescent substances were applied to their hands to check for contamination, revealing traces in various places.
[Photo by Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency]

On the 28th, a practical training session was held for reporters at the country's only 'BL3 Practical Training Facility,' which opened on the 3rd floor of the National Pathogen Resource Bank in Osong-eup, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk.
[Photo by Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency]

The only 'BL3 Practical Training Facility' in Korea that reproduces the general public access control zone and BL3 facilities to prevent infectious disease outbreaks, helping research personnel respond to new infectious diseases with safety prevention training.
[Photo by Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency]

Research involving high-risk pathogens and experiments for vaccine and therapeutic development can only be conducted in 'biosafety research facilities,' which are classified into levels 1 to 4 depending on the pathogen's risk and treatability. Among these, BL3 facilities handle infectious materials with high human hazard potential, such as monkeypox, MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), and anthrax. These are specialized sealed facilities with an average construction cost of 1.8 billion KRW (based on 50 pyeong) and a minimum annual maintenance cost of 90 million KRW. As of last year, there are 92 such facilities nationwide, with plans to increase to 100 this year. Due to cost burdens, individuals or private businesses without biosafety research facilities can use these facilities through usage contracts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, KDCA collaborated with institutions possessing BL3 facilities to operate the 'BL3 Private Sector Linkage Support Program for COVID-19 Vaccine and Therapeutic Development,' supporting a total of 43 joint uses of BL3 research facilities with companies like Celltrion and Genexine. However, it was regrettable that personnel working in these facilities had no opportunities for hands-on training on how to safely conduct infectious disease research on-site.

An educational training simulating a situation where a researcher is accidentally pricked by a needle during animal experiments conducted to verify the effects of medicinal herbs or vaccines is being conducted.
[Photo by Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency]

The BL3 practical training facility newly opened by KDCA is a space designed to train facility managers, users, and maintenance personnel, faithfully replicating the special sealed laboratories found in actual BL3 facilities. Education is provided on how to respond if accidents occur, such as spilling samples during mixing, to prevent viruses or bacteria from leaking outside.

On-site training also included a scenario where a researcher is pricked by a needle during animal experiments conducted to verify the efficacy of medicines or vaccines. Needle-stick or bite accidents frequently occur in animal experiments, and if one panics and immediately withdraws their hand from the safety workbench, viruses can leak outside. A KDCA official stated, "In such cases, the other researcher participating in the experiment as a two-person team quickly reports the incident by phone, follows the proper exit procedures, and then receives medical treatment."

The most important aspect in BL3 is meticulously wearing protective clothing. Gloves are worn in double layers?inner and outer gloves?to prepare for contamination during experiments. Using boots and powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) to cover from head to toe is key to minimizing exposure. Even when fully covered to avoid contact with contaminants, when fluorescent substances are applied to the hands after doffing to check contamination, fluorescent traces appeared in many places. If the laboratory had been handling the COVID-19 virus, this would be the exact moment the virus could leak outside.

Participants are putting on gloves and protective suits before entering the BL3 laboratory.
[Photo by Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency]

KDCA expects the BL3 practical training facility to contribute to strengthening research capabilities for developing infectious disease vaccines and therapeutics. Director Youngmi Ji of KDCA said, "This is the first practical training facility to open domestically, and we expect it to contribute to enhancing the biosafety capabilities of those working in the bio-industry related to vaccine and therapeutic development in preparation for the next pandemic. Going forward, we will continue to develop various policies related to biosafety and ease related regulations to promote infectious disease research."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.