GLOBAL TRAVEL: International air travel which has increased substantially in recent years, and more travelers are visiting remote locations where they may be exposed to infectious agents.

ETIOLOGIC AGENTS are those microorganisms that cause disease in humans and include bacteria, bacterial toxins, viruses, fungi, rickettsia, protozoans, and parasites. These disease causing micro-organisms may also be referred to as infectious materials. Organisms such as mosquitoes that may transmit infectious disease to other humans are called vectors.

ETIOLOGIC AGENTS VECTORS and other materials that may contain them, are recognized by the federal government and state governments as hazardous materials. Infectious materials are regularly transported from one location to another by common land carriers. Containers of infectious materials must be carefully packaged to prevent breakage or leakage to avoid exposure of the package handlers, transporters, and the general public to the package contents. The package must be labeled with the universal biohazard sign to warn package handlers of the hazardous contents.