In case you weren’t aware, Appendix D in the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) 6th Edition (2020) underwent significant revisions from the 5th Edition, retitling it from “Agriculture Pathogen Biosafety” to “Biosafety and Biocontainment for Pathogens Affecting Agricultural Animals and Animals that are Loose-Housed or in Open Penning.” 

Veterinary researchers now have access to streamlined tools for protocol reviews. The changes include risk-based assessments over rigid BSL/ABSL assignments, with enhanced tools for determining minimum containment recommendations for most significant pathogens affecting agricultural animals.​

Major Revisions

  • Expanded Scope: Appendix D now covers loose-housed/open-pen animals (e.g., wildlife, poultry in open systems), adding guidance for non-traditional containment like field studies or zoological settings.​
  • Updated Tables: There are summary tables for bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, toxins, and prions that include concise information about host ranges, transmission routes, and environmental stability to inform risk assessments for in vitro, in vivo, and in vivo procedures conducted in an agricultural environment.​
  • Agent Additions: Relevant information on emerging zoonoses (e.g., updated avian influenza strains, African Swine Fever) can be found, with revised ABSL recommendations under different use conditions.​

Appendix D Tables: Your Biorisk Cheat Sheets

BMBL-6 Appendix D tables

Appendix D of Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL, 6th Edition) features concise summary tables organizing pathogens affecting agricultural animals and loose-housed species by type—bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, toxins, and prions—for quick ABSL/BSL reference.

Table Structure

Each table follows a consistent, scannable format with these columns:​

  • Genus/Agent: Pathogen name (e.g., Mycobacterium bovis, Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus)
  • Hosts: Primary species (cattle, swine, poultry, wildlife)
  • Routes: Transmission modes (aerosol, oral, percutaneous, fomites)
  • Stability: Environmental survival (hours/days in feed, water, soil)
  • Recommended Containment: ABSL-1/2/3 or BSL equivalents, plus vaccination/PPE notes