MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Wuchereria bancrofti

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Bancroftian filariasis, filariasis, elephantiasis

CHARACTERISTICS: Filarial nematode, adults are white, threadlike worms; females (80-100 mm in length, 0.2-0.3 mm in width) usually twice size of male, resides in lymphatics; microfilaria are 250-300 µm long and 7-9 µm in width

SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Clinical manifestation varies from asymptomatic to a variety of symptoms including recurrent filarial fever, lymphadenitis and retrograde lymphangitis; chronic signs includes hydrocele, chyluria and elephantiasis of the limbs, breast and genitalia; those with tropical pulmonary eosinophilia syndrome, manifested by nocturnal asthma, chronic interstitial lung disease, recurrent low-grade fever

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Endemic in most of the warm humid regions of the world, including Latin America (scattered foci in Brazil, Surinam, French Guiana, Haiti, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica), Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands; common in urban areas where conditions favor vectors breeding

HOST RANGE: Humans

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Not known

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Usually by the bite of an infectious mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus, Anopheles gambiae, An. funestus, Aedes polynesiensis, Ae. scapularis and Ae. pseudoscutellaris)

INCUBATION PERIOD: Variable; allergic inflammatory manifestations can appear a month after infection; microfilariae appears in the blood by 6 to 12 months and may persist for 5 to 10 years or longer

COMMUNICABILITY: Not directly transmitted from person-to-person; humans can infect mosquitoes if microfilariae are present in the blood; mosquito becomes infective 12 to 14 days after a blood meal

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Humans

ZOONOSIS: Mosquito as developmental reservoir and vector

VECTORS: Mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus, Anopheles gambiae, An. funestus, Aedes polynesiensis, Ae. scapularis, Ae. pseudoscutellaris)

SECTION IV - VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Sensitive to diethylcarbamazine, ivermectin

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: All infectious stages are susceptible to 1% sodium hypochlorite, 2% glutaraldehyde

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Sensitive to freezing

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Not known

SECTION V - MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; confirm by microscopic demonstration of microfilariae in peripheral blood; PCR detection method is available

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Administer appropriate drug therapy

IMMUNIZATION: None available

PROPHYLAXIS: Diethylcarbamazine

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: None reported to date

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Blood

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Accidental parenteral inoculation; droplet exposure of the infective stages of the parasite to the mucous membranes

SPECIAL HAZARDS: None

SECTION VII - RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices and containment equipment for all activities involving the infective stages of the parasite and potentially infectious body fluids or tissues

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Laboratory coat; gloves when skin contact with infected materials is unavoidable

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Frequent hand washing

SECTION VIII - HANDLING INFORMATION

SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle; wearing protective clothing gently cover the spill with absorbent paper towel and apply 1% sodium hypochlorite starting at the perimeter and working towards the center; allow sufficient contact time (30 min) before clean up

DISPOSAL: Decontaminate all wastes before disposal; steam sterilization, incineration, chemical disinfection

STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labeled

SECTION IX - MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Date prepared: January, 2001

Prepared by: Office of Laboratory Security, PHAC

Although the information, opinions and recommendations contained in this Material Safety Data Sheet are compiled from sources believed to be reliable, we accept no responsibility for the accuracy, sufficiency, or reliability or for any loss or injury resulting from the use of the information. Newly discovered hazards are frequent and this information may not be completely up to date.

Copyright ©
Health Canada, 2001

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