Biosecurity can be defined as the set of measures applied for the prevention and control of biological risk in activities involving the handling of biological agents, or samples containing them, and during contact with potentially infectious patients.
The WHO understands biosafety as the set of rules and measures aimed at protecting the health of personnel against the risks to which they are exposed during the performance of their duties, but goes further and extends the concept of biosafety to the life and health of people in general, animals and plants and the associated risks to the environment.
Biosecurity is, therefore, a global concept with direct importance for public health, plant and animal life, and the protection of the environment, including biological diversity.
Since 1983, when the World Health Organization (WHO) published the laboratory biosafety manual, recognized as the international reference publication, numerous standards have been developed.
Currently, there is a wide range of legislation that aims to regulate and lay the foundations for the analysis and management of the risks associated with biological agents.
