Biohazard levels and biosafety protection for Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains with different virulence

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infectious respiratory disease caused byMycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), which seriously endangers human health. TB is transmitted through the respiratory tract and poses great biosafety risks to laboratory technicians and staff, through direct or indirect contact with MTB. Therefore, the comprehensive application of standard laboratory operating procedures, safety equipment, contingency plans, and other laboratory biosafety measures not only ensures the safe handling of potentially infectious microorganisms by laboratory workers but also strives to prevent the accidental exposure of potentially harmful pathogens to larger communities. In this article, we intend to discuss topics as biosafety risk assessments suitable for handling the biohazard levels of MTB strains, and the development of corresponding biosafety protection measures necessary for the biosafety of MTB testing and related research that will be implemented at different levels of laboratory and epidemiological situation.