POTENTIAL INFECTIOUS HAZARDS OF COMMON BACTERIOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES

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Abstract
The following common bacteriological technics were tested to determine if bacteria laden aerosols are released during the operation; operation of the Waring Blendor, shaking dilution bottles, removal of a cotton plug from a centrifuged culture, removal of an inoculum from a vaccine bottle, flaming an inoculating loop, streaking an agar plate, transferring an inoculum. Bacteriological technics liberating heavily laden aerosols seem to be those associated with splashing or bubbling of the culture. When a bubble bursts there is released into the air a spray of sufficiently small particle size that droplets remain suspended for some time. These could serve as vectors of microorganisms and thus explain many laboratory infections in which there is no history of an accident.
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