These agents are dangerous, highly virulent organisms that should never be manipulated on an open bench! Laboratory infections can occur, and the use of a class II or higher biological safety cabinet (BSC) is critical when aerosols are likely.
The importance of always following facility-specific safety protocols and standard microbiology practices cannot be understated.
| Agent | Biosafety Level | Laboratory Exposure Risk |
| B. anthracis | BSL-2 | Low |
| Y. pestis | BSL-2/3 | Medium |
| F. tularensis | BSL-2/3 | High |
| Brucella species | BSL-2/3 | High |
| Burkholderia species | BSL-2/3 | High |
