Biosafety in the laboratory - VIB

3. CLASSIFICATION AND
RISK ASSESSMENT
Pathogenic organisms
Organisms are divided into four categories of risk. Organisms that are not able to cause
disease belong to risk group 1. Pathogenic organisms belong to the risk groups 2, 3 or 4,
depending on their degree of pathogenicity and the availability of effective treatment. To
distinguish between the classification of natural non-modified pathogens and GMOs, the
pathogen classification uses the term risk groups or sometimes also biological risk class,
while for the GMO classification the term risk class is used. Below an overview is given of
the definitions of the different risk groups.
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Very unlikely to cause disease in humans, animals or plants.
Human pathogens (micro-)organisms that can cause disease in humans and pose a hazard
to persons that are directly exposed to it. Their spread to the community
is unlikely. Profylaxis or effective treatment is mostly available.
Animal pathogens (micro-)organisms that can cause disease in animals and that possess
in different extend one of the following properties: limited geographical
importance, transmission to other limited or non-existent species,
absence of vectors or carriers. Limited economic and/or medical
impact. Profylaxis and/or effective treatment is mostly available.
Fytopathogens (micro-)organisms that can cause disease in plants, but for which there
is no higher risk of an epidemic when they are accidentally disseminated
into the Belgian environment. Profylaxis or effective treatment is
available. Non-indiginous or exotic fytopathogens that are not able to
survive in Belgium because of the absence of target plants or because
of unfavourable weather conditions, belong to this risk group.
Human pathogens (micro-)organisms that can cause serious disease in humans and pose a
hazard to persons that are directly exposed to it. There is a risk of spread
to the community. Profylaxis or effective treatment is mostly available.
Animal pathogens (micro-)organisms that can cause serious disease or epizotic in animals.
Spread to other species is more than possible. Some of these
pathogenic agents require specific sanitary measures. Profylaxis or
effective treatment is mostly available.
Fytopathogens (micro-)organisms that can cause a disease in plants with important
economic or environmental consequences and for which treatments
are non-existent, difficult to apply or costly. Accidental spread may
lead to local epidemics. Exotic strains of fytopathogens usually occuring
in the Belgian environment and not in the list of the quarantine
organisms also belong to this risk group.
Classification and risk assessment 9