Assume all cultures are hazardous since they may harbor latent viruses or other organisms that are uncharacterized. The following safety precautions should be observed.
Use pipette aids to prevent ingestion and keep aerosols down to a minimum.
No eating, drinking or smoking while handling cells.
Wash hands after handling cultures and before leaving the lab.
Decontaminate work surface with disinfectant or 70% ethanol before and after working with cells.
All waste should be considered hazardous.
Dispose of all liquid waste after each experiment and treat with bleach.
