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Containment Standards for Facilities Handling Aquatic Animal Pathogens - First Edition
Chapter 8 - Glossary

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Anteroom
Entry room which leads into a containment zone.
Aquatic animals
In the context of this document, aquatic animals are defined as finfish, molluscs, and crustaceans.
Aquatic animal pathogen (also referred to as pathogen)
A microorganism or parasite that can cause disease in an aquatic animal.
Backflow prevention
System that protects water supplies from contamination. Many types of backflow devices also have ports so that they can be tested or examined for proper function.
Biological safety cabinet (BSC)
A primary containment device that provides protection from airborne contaminants for personnel, the environment and the product (in some models)
Biosafety
The containment principles, technologies and practices that are implemented to prevent unintentional exposure to pathogens and toxins as well as their accidental release.
Biosafety Manual
A collection of SOPs and all other documentation pertaining to the specific biosafety and biosecurity aspects of a given facility.
Biosafety officer
A person who is trained and assigned to oversee biological safety and biosecurity at a given facility.
Biosecurity
Institutional and personnel security measures to prevent the loss, theft, misuse, diversion or intentional release of pathogens.
Containment zone
A contiguous physical area within a physical structure that meets specified containment requirements.
Decontamination
The process of rendering biological material non-viable, i.e., specific pathogen(s), gametes, nucleic acid, or other biological materials including cloning vector(s). The process is also applied non-specifically to all liquid and/or solid waste. Decontamination may be accomplished through the application of a chemical treatment, heat, heat and pressure, irradiation, biological degradation, and other means.
Facilities
Aquatic animal holding areas or buildings such as research and diagnostic laboratories (government, commercial, university or private) as well as commercial operations involved in producing or developing vaccines or other biologics.
Fomite
An object that does not cause disease itself but which can spread infection by being contaminated with pathogens.
Hazard
A source of risk that could potentially cause adverse effects. A hazard produces risk only if an exposure pathway exists and if exposure creates the possibility of adverse consequences.
Importing
The activity of acquiring aquatic animal pathogens, aquatic animal product(s) and by-product(s) or other substances that may carry an aquatic animal pathogen or part thereof into Canada from another country.
in vitro
Research where the experiment is performed in a laboratory environment or outside a living organism.
in vivo
Activities that involve the use of whole living animals in scientific experiments.
Laboratory
For the purposes of this document, a laboratory is an area within a facility or the facility itself that handles aquatic animal pathogens for in vitro or in vivo research, maintains aquatic animal pathogens or aquatic animal gametes in storage, or conducts diagnostic work on tissues (fresh, frozen, preserved).
Large scale
Volumes of microbial cultures in excess of the volume typically required for identification and characterization of microorganisms, diagnosis of infectious diseases, and pathogenicity or vaccine studies with a small number of animals within containment.
Liquid effluent
The liquid waste produced by a containment facility which must be decontaminated prior to release.
Live aquatic animal holding facility
Facility that undertakes research or diagnostic work involving live aquatic animals.
Local Risk Assessment
A site-specific risk analysis that identifies the potential risk factors (i.e., nature of the work, personnel, environment, protocols and equipment used) associated with the use of an organism for a specific laboratory or facility project.
Marine edges
Surfaces that have raised edges to help prevent liquid from dripping or spilling onto the floor.
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
A form containing data regarding the properties of a particular substance (chemical or biological) intended to provide workers and emergency personnel with procedures for handling or working with that substance in a safe manner. MSDSs include information such as physical data, health effects, storage, disposal, protective equipment, and spill handling procedures.
Pathogenicity
The ability of an organism to enter a host and produce pathological changes generally associated with a particular disease.
Primary containment
Ensures the protection of personnel and the immediate laboratory from exposure to infectious agents and is provided by both good microbiological techniques and the use of appropriate safety equipment. In general, primary containment provides a physical barrier between the worker and/or the work environment and the hazardous material.
Examples: BSCs, glove box, fume hood, animal containment caging, centrifuge safety cups, PPE (lab coat, gloves, respiratory protection, positive pressure suits, etc.)
Program change
A change in a certified facility that relates to the nature of work or the procedures. Examples: pathogen list changes, program intent change, location of work change.
Risk group
Internationally accepted term used for the inherent risks of a pathogen that are based on factors such as severity of disease caused, routes of infection, virulence and infectivity; it also takes into account the existence of effective therapies, possibilities for immunization, presence of vectors, quantity of agent and whether the agent is indigenous to Canada, possible effects on other species, or possible economic environmental effects.
Secondary containment
The protection of the environment external to the work environment from exposure to infectious materials (protects people/environment outside the immediate work area).
Examples: facility design and construction, good operational practices.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Documents that describe the procedures used for a specific task, such as entry and exit of personnel into containment, liquid effluent waste decontamination and sample reception.
Validation
A process that verifies that the specific parameters of the particular decontamination process have been met.
Veterinary biologics
Veterinary biologics are vaccines, antibody products, and diagnostic tests which are used in prevention, treatment or diagnosis of infectious diseases of animals, including infectious diseases of aquatic animals.
Virulence
The degree or ability of a pathogenic organism to cause disease.
Watersheds
A high area of land where rain collects, some of it flowing down to supply rivers, lakes, etc., at lower levels.
Water type
In the context of this document, refers to salt or fresh water.
Zoonotic (defining Zoonosis)
Any disease or infection which is transmissible from animals to humans.
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