Table 2.

WHO and NIH risk group classifications. Reproduced from WHO [54].

Risk Group	Individual Risk	Community Risk	Description
1	Low	Low	A microorganism that is unlikely to cause human or animal disease.
2	Moderate	Low	A pathogen that can cause human or animal disease but is unlikely to be a serious hazard to laboratory workers, the community, livestock or the environment. Laboratory exposure may cause serious infection, but effective treatment and preventive measures are available, and the risk of spread of infection is limited.
3	High	Low/moderate	A pathogen that usually causes serious human or animal disease but does not ordinarily spread from one infected individual to another. Effective treatment and preventive measures are available.
4	High	High	A pathogen that usually causes serious human or animal disease and can be readily transmitted from one individual to another, directly or indirectly. Effective treatment and preventive measures are not usually available.