BSL3 and BSL4 Agents – Epidemiology, Microbiology and Practical Guidelines

Mandy C. Elschner is a researcher at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute for Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Jena, Germany. She leads the working group "BSL 3-agents" and is the head of the Reference Laboratories for Glanders and Anthrax. She obtained her academic degree at the University of Leipzig and authored and co-authored in 25 national and international publications. Patrick Butaye is a senior researcher active at the Veterinary and Agrochemical Research center and a professor at the University of Ghent, Faculty of Veterinary medicine. He obtained his academic degrees at the University of Ghent. He authored and co-authored in more than 70 international scientific publications. Sally Cutler is a Reader in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of East London. She gained her PhD from Imperial College, University of London on the epidemiology of Lyme borreliosis in the UK. She has since specialized in bacterial zoonoses including relapsing fever borreliosis, leptospirosis, rickettsiosis, brucellosis and Q fever. Much of her research is collaborative with developing countries. She has authored over 60 scientific publications, serves on the editorial panel of two journals (Clinical Microbiology & Infection and Ticks & Tick-Borne Diseases) and was a recipient of the W.H. Pierce prize. Manfred Weidmann is a senior scientist at the Department of Virology of the University Medical Center Gottingen Germany. He obtained his degree from the Johannes-Gutenberg University of Mainz working on the pathogenesis of Clostridium difficille. Ever since he has worked on developing rapid diagnostic tools for the detection of arboviruses and haemorrhagic fever viruses in cooperation with partners from third world countries. He obtained the 2003 Abbot Diagnostic Award. He authored and co-authored 28 international scientific publications.