is dried blood a biohazard?

What Does "Biohazard" Legally Mean?

A biohazard is any biological material that may pose a risk to human health, including blood, whether wet or dry. Under OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard and WHO/CDC guidelines, human blood and certain body fluids are classified as potentially infectious materials (PIMs), and must be handled, stored, transported, and disposed of with care.

How Infectious Is Dried Blood Compared to Wet Blood?

Wet blood presents a higher risk of transmitting pathogens because viruses and bacteria remain viable in liquid. Its why when shipping wet blood, regulatory issues arise along with expensive cold chain shipping costs. 

This has contributed to dried blood sampling techniques as a preferable alternative. Dried blood samples in contrast, generally have a reduced viability of many pathogens but are not risk-free. Agents, such as Hepatitis B can survive in dried blood for days under certain conditions. OSHA/CDC guidelines remind us that even dried blood can transmit infection under unsafe handling, so handling it with non-gloved hands or open wounds is still a potential hazard.

How are dried blood samples shipped?

Dried blood samples don't require cold storage/shipping or special handling. Allowing researchers and healthcare providers to send DBS collection kits to peoples home for remote sample collection.

With dried blood microsampling only a few drops of blood are required via fingerstick.  The blood samples are collected and safely sealed inside a foil specimen bag.

The sealed specimen bag can be placed inside a shipping envelope and mailed to the laboratory via standard post.

Practical Precautions When Handling Dried Blood

• Always use gloves and, when needed, face protection to avoid accidental exposure.
• Disinfect surfaces before and after encounters with dried blood.
• Use biohazard-labeled, leak-proof containers for storage and transport.
• Follow OSHA or local regulatory guidelines for disposal.
• Maintain detailed chain of custody and labeling if samples are to be tested or transported.

Guidelines & Regulatory References

Working with wet blood, collected using traditional venipuncture methods, brings with it the full range of obligations associated with handling and disposing of biohazardous materials – not to mention the significant risks.

By contrast, dried blood handling is not considered to be as hazardous and, therefore, is not subjected to the same stringent biohazard requirements.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidelines around handling and shipping dried blood specimens. While important safety precautions must be recognized and put in place, the guidelines for handling dried capillary blood specimens are not as rigorous as those for wet blood and other serious biohazards. 

• OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030)
• CDC guidelines for bloodborne infectious diseases
• WHO recommendations on safe handling of biological specimens

Summary

Though dried blood is not without risk, it’s generally less infectious than wet blood. But by incorporating current regulatory guidelines, taking practical precautions, and using informed judgment, dried blood handling can be made significantly safer for researchers, clinicians, and laboratory staff alike. Offering many around the globe the opportunity to avoid the costs and complexities of storing and shipping wet blood as a biohazard.

Per CDC guidelines, taking and sending capillary blood samples is easier, but the process may still have its challenges. Fortunately, Microsampling Collection Kits include detailed instructions and all the supplies needed for collecting volumetrically accurate blood samples.

Virtually anyone can collect a remote blood sample using these finger-stick sampling kits, with minimal training.

The kits can be fully customized to include instructions in multiple languages, with web links to training videos, or to meet other requirements of research study managers or clinical trial managers.

Image credits: Trajan, Neoteryx, iStock