A pathway toward better oversight for high-level disease research labs

What do hantavirus, the Yersinia pestis bacteria, the 1918 influenzas virus, and the H5N1 virus have in common? The virus found in rodent droppings, the culprit behind the Black Death, the cause of the 1918 pandemic, and the bird flu virus, respectively, can cause deadly illness or even spark a pandemic. They can also each be studied in biosafety level (BSL) 3 laboratories, which are one step short of the highest level of biosafety.​