A Category B biological substance is an infectious substance not in a form generally capable of causing permanent disability or life-threatening or fatal disease in humans or animals.

A Category B biological substance is an infectious substance not in a form generally capable of causing permanent disability or life-threatening or fatal disease in humans or animals.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. Not applicable

Answer: (A)

Category B infectious substances are infectious materials that do not meet the higher-risk criteria of Category A. The statement matches this distinction: Category A covers materials capable of causing permanent disability or life-threatening or fatal disease in humans or animals, while Category B includes infectious substances not generally capable of causing those severe outcomes. They still require careful packaging and transport because they contain pathogens, but the hazard level is considered lower than Category A. For example, patient specimens or cultures that are infectious but not expected to cause severe disease in healthy individuals typically fall into Category B. The emphasis is on the level of risk: Category A is the more dangerous end, while Category B covers infectious substances that are infectious but not usually capable of causing the most severe disease.

Category B infectious substances are infectious materials that do not meet the higher-risk criteria of Category A. The statement matches this distinction: Category A covers materials capable of causing permanent disability or life-threatening or fatal disease in humans or animals, while Category B includes infectious substances not generally capable of causing those severe outcomes. They still require careful packaging and transport because they contain pathogens, but the hazard level is considered lower than Category A. For example, patient specimens or cultures that are infectious but not expected to cause severe disease in healthy individuals typically fall into Category B. The emphasis is on the level of risk: Category A is the more dangerous end, while Category B covers infectious substances that are infectious but not usually capable of causing the most severe disease.