Gyeonggi-do BL3 Biosafety Facility Re-certified to Prevent Livestock Infectious Diseases

On August 19, the Gyeonggi-do Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory received re-certification and approval for use from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency for its Biosafety Level 3 (BL3) facility, which is operated to enable rapid and precise in-house diagnosis of national disaster-type livestock infectious diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever (ASF), and lumpy skin disease.

A Biosafety Level 3 facility maintains negative air pressure inside to prevent the exposure of high-risk pathogens to the outside environment and is designed to safely handle and diagnose pathogens with high risk potential. After initial certification, the facility must undergo re-certification every three years.

The Gyeonggi-do Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory currently operates two BL3 facilities. The BL3 facility in the first testing building conducts precise diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, and lumpy skin disease, while the BL3 facility in the second testing building is dedicated to the precise diagnosis of avian influenza (AI).

Exterior view of Gyeonggi-do Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory

Since March, the laboratory has undergone a thorough review of relevant documents, including laboratory management records, facility operation logs, and facility verification data, as well as on-site inspections of facility installation, operation, and air control systems. As a result, it was certified as suitable for ensuring safety.

The re-certification demonstrates once again that these facilities meet national standards for safety and operational systems. With this re-certification, the laboratory has further strengthened its diagnostic infrastructure for high-risk livestock infectious diseases by thoroughly blocking the leakage of infectious pathogens and ensuring the safety of both personnel and the environment.

Shin Byungho, Director of the Gyeonggi-do Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory, stated, "We will do our utmost to ensure rapid diagnosis and response in the event of a national disaster-type livestock infectious disease through the stable operation of our Biosafety Level 3 facilities. Through these efforts, we will actively strive to minimize damage to livestock farms."