Abstract
The rapid growth of laser technology and applications makes it necessary to consider relevant factors of safety, in addition to eye protection, which has been well recognized. In the use of the laser microprobe for medical studies, biological samples are vaporized by a high-energy pulsed laser beam which can cause formation of aerosols and splattering of the sample material. In this study the hazard that can result was shown by the use of bacterial colonies and bacterially infected serum and tissue samples which were vaporized by the laser beam. Viable organisms were recovered from both the aerosols and the splattered material. Circumvention of the hazard from contact or inhalation of such infective material was considered.