@article{mbs:/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.000772, author = "Wong, C. and Ng, S. Y. and Tan, S. H.", title = "An accidental laboratory exposure to Brucella melitensis: the prospective post-exposure management and a detailed investigation into the nature of the exposure", journal= "Journal of Medical Microbiology", year = "2018", volume = "67", number = "7", pages = "1012-1016", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.000772", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.000772", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1473-5644", type = "Journal Article", keywords = "accidental laboratory exposure", keywords = "laboratory-acquired infection", keywords = "Brucellosis", keywords = "Brucella exposure", keywords = "post-exposure prophylaxis", abstract = "Our aim was to prospectively manage 22 Brucella-exposed individuals and identify the lapses in laboratory practices that lead to the exposure. The exposed individuals were risk-stratified, assessed for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), counselled to self-monitor symptoms and followed-up with three serology tests. Staff laboratory practices were recorded. Ten out of 13 high-risk individuals received PEP within 48 h of exposure. Compliance with PEP and serology monitoring was 90 and 96 %, respectively. No brucellosis cases were documented. A single handler manipulated the Brucella isolate on the open bench. Movement of the isolate was tracked in detail, highlighting various points of laboratory non-conformance. Early PEP intervention is effective in preventing acquired brucellosis. Our pragmatic post-exposure management achieved high PEP and serology compliance. We experience first-hand how regular staff engagement motivated PEP adherence and interval blood sampling attendance. The enforcement of practical strategies and safety practices was also implemented without compromising our laboratory processing times.", }