MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Hepatitis D

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Viral hepatitis D, delta hepatitis, delta agent hepatitis, delta-associated hepatitis, HDV

CHARACTERISTICS: Defective 35- 43 nm diameter virus consisting of a coat of HBsAg and a unique internal antigen (delta antigen); within the delta antigen is a single-stranded RNA in either circular or linear conformation; HDV requires co-infection with HBV for HDV viral replication

SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Two major types of HDV infections noted: simultaneous HDV and HBV infections or HDV superinfection in chronic HBV patients; simultaneous HDV and HBV infections are clinically indistinguishable from acute hepatitis A or B; fulminant hepatitis is more common than with HBV alone; HDV superinfection in HBV individuals suffer relapse of jaundice and most develop chronic cirrhosis, epidemics have occurred and resulted in rapidly progressive liver disease, with 20% mortality

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Worldwide: highest prevalence in Italy, Middle East, Africa and South America; in Mediterranean countries, infections are endemic in persons with HBV, and are mostly transmitted by intimate contact; non-endemic areas, infections are confined to individuals that are exposed to blood and blood products, mostly drug addicts and hemophiliacs

HOST RANGE: Humans; experimental infection in chimpanzees and woodchuck

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Not known

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Percutaneous spread, needles, injecting: exposure to blood and serous body fluids, contaminated needles, syringes and plasma derivatives; sexual transmission: person-to-person contact

INCUBATION PERIOD: Varies from 2 to 12 weeks or months depending on size of inoculums; shorter in HBV carrier individuals

COMMUNICABILITY: Blood is potentially infectious during all phases of the active HDV infection; peak infectivity mostly prior to the onset of acute illness

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Humans; infection experimentally transmitted to HBV infected chimpanzees and woodchucks

ZOONOSIS: Not known

VECTORS: None

SECTION IV - VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: No specific antiviral available to date

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Sensitive to 1% sodium hypochlorite, 2% glutaraldehyde

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Sensitive to heat

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Survives for long periods in blood or blood products

SECTION V - MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; confirm by serological analysis or nucleic hybridization for presence of viral RNA, RIA or EIA, reverse transcriptase PCR

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: No specific treatment

IMMUNIZATION: HBV vaccine protects against HBV infection and presumable coinfection with HBV-HDV; however, neither HBV vaccine nor HBIG will prevent HDV infection among persons with chronic HBV

PROPHYLAXIS: None available

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: None reported to date

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Blood and blood products, urine, semen, CSF

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Accidental parenteral inoculation; droplet exposure of mucous membrane; contact exposure of broken skin

SPECIAL HAZARDS: Sharps containing infected blood

SECTION VII - RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices and containment facilities for all activities involving viruses, contaminated or potentially contaminated body fluids or tissues

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Laboratory coat and gloves

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: None

SECTION VIII - HANDLING INFORMATION

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

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

STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labelled

SECTION IX - MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Date prepared: May, 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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