Journal of Biosafety and Biosecurity最新文献

Coronavirus causes significant damage to human health and the global economy. In this paper, we undertake patent analysis and data mining to systematically analyze the trend in patent applications for coronavirus detection, prevention, and treatment technologies. Our goals are to determine the correlation between typical coronavirus outbreaks and changes in patent technology applications, and to compare the research and development (R&D) progress, patent layout, and characteristics of major institutions in various countries experiencing coronavirus outbreaks. We find that the United States commenced coronavirus detection and vaccine technology R&D earlier than other countries, as it attached importance to the R&D for treatment technologies from the time of the SARS outbreak and initiated the trend of multi-party R&D, with full technology chain coverage by the government, enterprises, universities, and research institutions. China’s patent applications have grown rapidly in recent years, mainly based on the R&D of research institutions and universities, although it has formed full technology chain coverage. However, the patent quality and technology global layout still need to be improved. This paper reviews the patent development trends of important coronavirus technologies, and proposes that policymakers should establish a long-term mechanism for R&D, pay attention to intellectual property protection, and deepen international technical cooperation to provide a reference for the development and application of coronavirus detection technology, vaccine technology, and treatment technology.

Countries must have strong early warning, detection, and response capabilities in the face of the risks and challenges posed by major infectious diseases and bioterrorism threats. Vaccination is one of the most effective means for countries to maintain biosecurity and respond to bioterrorism attacks. Microneedles are emerging as a potential vaccine delivery method with minimal pain, no bleeding, and the ability to be self-administered, doing away with the need for professional health care workers. This last advantage, particularly if combined with room temperature preservation, could have an important role in improving national biosecurity through large-scale, rapid deployment of a biological vaccine. In this review, we summarized the research status of microneedles, including the types, materials, and production technologies of microneedles. Recent progress regarding microneedles in the field of biosecurity is introduced and challenges in its future application are discussed.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has evolved rapidly into new variants throughout the pandemic. The Omicron variant has more than 50 mutations when compared with the original wild-type strain and has been identified globally in numerous countries. In this report, we analyzed the mutational profiles of several variants, including the per-site mutation rate, to determine evolutionary relationships. The Omicron variant was found to have a unique mutation profile when compared with that of other SARS-CoV-2 variants, containing mutations that are rare in clinical samples. Moreover, the presence of five mouse-adapted mutation sites suggests that Omicron may have evolved in a mouse host. Mutations in the Omicron receptor-binding domain (RBD) region, in particular, have potential implications for the ongoing pandemic.

Biological threats, whether naturally occurring or accidentally or deliberately released, have the potential to endanger lives and disrupt economies worldwide. Thus, high-containment protective measures should be implemented when handling bio-agents that can cause serious, highly contagious diseases, otherwise devastating pandemics can occur. In the fields of scientific investigation, healthcare, and product development, high-containment facilities play a critical role in preventing, detecting, and responding promptly and effectively to threats to global health security. In this paper, we present a summary of the main types of high-containment facilities, as well as their applications, challenges, and suggestions for the future.

Biological weapons are used in wars to wound or kill people or animals and destroy crops with pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, as well as toxins and other biologically active substances. These are highly infectious, easily communicable, widely destructive, long-acting, and difficult to prevent and treat. Thus, a major challenge for the international community is preventing the spread of biological weapons throughout the world. The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) is a multilateral treaty that clearly prohibits the development, production, stockpiling, acquisition and preservation of biological and toxic weapons, as well as the design and delivery of biological warfare agents, except for the purpose of prevention, protection and other peaceful uses. The BWC is, to a certain extent, binding on countries capable of manufacturing biological weapons, and has become a powerful tool enabling the international community to jointly deal with the threats posed by biological weapons. However, its effectiveness has been reduced by the lack of a corresponding verification mechanism. With the rapid development of biotechnology, global biosecurity is faced with new and highly uncertain challenges and threats, which requires the member countries of the BWC to cooperate with, promote, and supervise each other in making constant improvements to the BWC in an effort to maintain global peace and stable development.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is as an emerging infectious disease (EID) that has caused the worst public health catastrophe of the 21st century thus far. In terms of impact, the COVID-19 pandemic is second only to the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 in modern world history. As of 7 September 2021, there have been 220 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 4.5 million deaths. EIDs pose serious public health and socio-economic risks, and 70% of EIDs originate from wildlife. Preventing development of EIDs such as COVID-19 is a pressing concern. Here, taking the COVID-19 pandemic as an example, we illustrate the disastrous effects of EIDs and assess their emergence and evolution from a One Health perspective. We propose a One Health strategy, centered on ‘moving the gates forward’, for EID prevention and control at the human–animal–environment interface. This strategy may be instructive and provide early warnings of EIDs in the future.

We summarized the basic practices and characteristics of epidemic reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Based on the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of epidemic data reporting, we put forward some suggestions that should be used for reference and thus improve the epidemic data reports of infectious diseases.

Public engagement in the development, promotion, and utilization of innovation is an important part of any biosafety decision-making process. Under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the public is expected to be involved in the development and handling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the implementation of a national biosafety framework (NBF), which governs and regulates the operations of modern biotechnology and GMOs. In this study, we explore the state of public knowledge and awareness regarding GMOs and attitudes toward the NBF in Ghana using a survey conducted in three elite communities in Accra, the capital of Ghana. We interviewed 130 people and found that while most of the respondents obtained information on GMOs through the media, academic papers, and agriculture awareness workshops, access to information on the technology and the NBF was often limited. Our results showed that despite the existence of GMOs and an NBF in Ghana for many years, awareness, understanding, and knowledge of GMOs and the NBF remain inadequate. We found that young, better-educated males are more likely to accept GMOs and be aware of the NBF. This suggests the need for more widespread public education, engagement, and awareness development regarding GMOs, the NBF, and governing institutions as a way of resolving the problems created by misinformation, distrust, and fear, and increasing public confidence in GMOs.