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Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) or prion diseases are neurodegenerative diseases which affect humans and a variety of domestic and wild animal species (Tables 1 and 2).1,2 A central biochemical feature of prion diseases is the conversion of normal prion protein (PrP) to an abnormal, misfolded, pathogenic isoform designated PrPSc (named for "scrapie," the prototypic prion disease).

The purpose of this policy is to outline provisions covering the following human resource areas in case of a communicable disease or other serious public health threat that is declared by the public health officials to be a public health emergency, including: designation of mandatory employees, compensation for mandatory employees, accounting for absences, and emergency furlough provisions.

Chapter 4 of the Adams School of Dentistry's (ASOD) Infection Control Manual details immunization and training requirements for ASOD personnel (including faculty, staff, and residents) and students, with guidance on infectious / communicable diseases.

The purpose of this policy is to outline the requirements for employees working in clinical environments who have professional contact/interaction with patients, clients, families and/or human subjects.

Working in a health care environment poses a risk for acquiring certain infectious diseases greater than that for the general public. To reduce the potential risk, employers are required to establish a medical surveillance program which documents immunity for some diseases, monitoring for others such as Tuberculosis, along with safety training on methods to prevent exposure and disease.

Risk assessment and management guidelines for agriculture differ from human public health standards. Risk management for agriculture research is based on the potential economic impact of animal and plant morbidity, and mortality, and the trade implications of disease.

Bacillus anthracis, a gram-positive, non-hemolytic, and non-motile bacillus, is the etiologic agent of anthrax, an acute bacterial disease of mammals, including humans. Like all members of the genus Bacillus, under adverse conditions B. anthracis has the ability to produce spores that allow the organism to persist for long periods until the return of more favorable conditions.

Hantaviruses are negative sense RNA viruses belonging to the genus Hantavirus within the family Bunyaviridae. The natural hosts of hantaviruses are rodent species and they occur worldwide. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a severe disease caused by hantaviruses such as Sin Nombre virus or Andes virus whose hosts are rodents in the sub familySigmodontinae.

During the performance of clinical practice/research activities, students may interact with clients/research participants with tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis B (HBV), HIV/AIDS, and other infections. This contact may expose the student to infectious agents and may result in the student transmitting an infectious disease to other students, faculty, clients, family members, and research participants.

Risk assessments for arthropod research are multifaceted and focus on risks to individual researchers (harm, injury, disease) and impacts that a breach in containment may have on the community (increased/new vector reservoir, improved vector characteristics). Specific containment recommendations for arthropods deemed to be influential on public health can be found in the "Arthropod Containment Guidelines."

Workers’ Compensation benefits are available to any employee who suffers disability through accident or occupational disease arising out of, and in the course of, his or her employment, according to the provisions of the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act.

Biohazardous agents are infectious microorganisms, or their toxins, which cause or may cause human disease. Although the OSHA "Occupational Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories" (referred to as the "Laboratory Standard") does not apply to biological agents, the policy on this campus is to apply the same basic requirements - responsibilities, training, laboratory safety plan, reporting of accidents/exposures, etc. - to biological agents.

Genetic research studies may create special risks to human subjects and their relatives. These involve medical, psychosocial, legal and economic risks, such as the possible loss of privacy, insurability, and employability, change in immigration status and limits on education options, and may create a social stigma. Knowledge of one's genetic make-up may also affect one's knowledge of the disease risk status of family members.

The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill continues to grow as a leader in international education and global health through programs such as UNC Global, the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Disease, and the Consortium of Universities for Global Health.

Compensatory time is not to be accumulated, tracked, used, or paid out for FLSA exempt employees, except if specifically mandated by a State and/or UNC System policy, such as during a pandemic or communicable disease emergency.