Laboratory-acquired infections in the Middle East and North Africa region: a systematic review of reported cases and biosafety gaps

Abstract

BackgroundLaboratory-acquired infections (LAIs) are a significant occupational health hazard to laboratory workers, who can become infected by various pathogens handled as part of their work, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. Data on LAI in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions are limited. AimTo systematically review the reported LAIs in the MENA region to identify gaps in biosafety practices and identify the most common infectious agents contributing to them. MethodsThe PubMed, Scopus, LAI, and Belgian Biosafety Server databases were searched from conception to October 2024 for any reports and cases of LAIs in the MENA region, following PRISMA guidelines. Using a systematic strategy, inclusion criteria were relevant studies reporting cases involving MENA laboratory workers. Non-laboratory cases or studies with insufficient data were excluded. Reported cases were analysed by infection type, risk factors, and laboratory practices. FindingsOf 2062 studies, 12 articles (24 cases) from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and UAE were considered eligible for inclusion. Twenty-four LAI cases were reported in the MENA region between 1968 and 2016. Brucella melitensis was the most frequently reported pathogen, reported in 66.7% of cases, highlighting a specific occupational risk in microbiology laboratories in the region. The review also identified gaps in data reporting, variability in laboratory biosafety practices, and a tendency towards underreporting. ConclusionThis review highlights the occupational health risks posed by LAIs in the MENA region, with Brucella spp. identified as the predominant pathogens in reported cases, and it also identifies gaps in biosafety practices.