MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Cercopithecine Herpes Virus 1

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: B virus, Monkey B virus; Herpesviridae, Alphaherpesvirinae, Herpes simiae, CHV-1, Simian B disease, Genus Simplexvirus:

CHARACTERISTICS: Herpesvirus, dsDNA, envelope, 100 nm diameter, icosahedral capsid

SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Acute, usually fatal, ascending encephalmyelitis; febrile onset with headache, vesicular skin lesions at site of exposure and variable neurological patterns; involvement of the respiratory centre and death 1 day to 3 weeks after onset of symptoms in over 70% of cases; occasional recoveries with considerable residual disability

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Occurs in veterinarians, laboratory workers and others handling Eastern Hemisphere (Old World) monkeys or tissue cultures derived from monkeys; 31 reported cases with 68% mortality; naturally occurring alpha herpes virus infecting free - living or captive macaques; biological counterpart of herpes simplex virus in humans

HOST RANGE: Humans, monkeys, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Unknown

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: B virus occurs in monkeys as a latent infection and is reactivated spontaneously resulting in shedding of virus in saliva, during periods of stress, higher rates of virus shedding occur; transmission to man occurs after a monkey bite or by direct or indirect contact / exposure of naked skin (broken or mucous membranes) to infected saliva, tissues, tissue fluid or monkey cell cultures; splashes or droplets of infected fluids to eye; aerosols exposure of CHV-1 is likely to be minimal; human-to-human transmission has been documented in one case

INCUBATION PERIOD: 3 days up to 4 weeks

COMMUNICABILITY: One reported case where virus was transmitted from person-to-person via direct contact of broken skin with monkey bite of another individual

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Most commonly found in macaque monkeys and other Old World monkeys frequent enzootic infection of captive Macaca mulatta (rhesus) and M. fascicularis (cynomolgus) monkeys

ZOONOSIS: Yes

VECTORS: None

SECTION IV - VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Efficacy of acyclovir under investigation and reported to be effective

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible 1% sodium hypochlorite, 70% ethanol, 2% glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Inactivated by heat (50-60° C for at least 30 min), sensitive to lipid solvents, acidic pH and detergent solutions

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Virus can remain viable in monkey saliva, CNS tissue and monkey kidney cell cultures; may survive for up to 7 days at 37° C, weeks at 4° C, very stable at -70° C

SECTION V - MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms after exposure to bites by a monkey with known or suspicious lesion of B-virus; serological confirmation, PCR

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Wash and scrub exposed area / wound thoroughly with soap, concentrated solution of detergent, povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine and water, irrigate area with running water for 15-20 minutes; antiviral therapy should be administered

IMMUNIZATION: None available

PROPHYLAXIS: Administration of specific IG, if available may be effective; acyclovir or ganciclovir may be effective

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: 36 reported cases with 64% deaths (23 died); most cases associated with individuals working directly with living Old World Monkeys; exposure to in vitro monkey tissues (primary rhesus monkey kidney) has been associated with laboratory infection. Other cases occurred following the cleaning of a monkey skull, puncture with contaminated needle or cut by infected glass, researcher died of CHV-1 after having been splashed in eye when moving a monkey cage

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Oral secretions, thoracic and abdominal viscera and CNS tissues of naturally infected macaques

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Bites from monkeys with oral herpes lesions; exposures of broken skin or mucous membranes to oral secretions or to infectious culture fluids; importance of aerosol exposure is not known

SPECIAL HAZARDS: Infected monkey cell cultures are a potential hazard

SECTION VII - RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 4 practices, containment equipment and facilities are recommended for activities involving manipulation of the virus.

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Street clothing is removed and complete laboratory clothing is used the nature of which depends on the level 4 design (suit laboratory/cabinet line)

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Proper methods of restraint and protective clothing (longed sleeved garments, face shield or surgical mask and goggles or glasses) to help prevent bites and scratches of handlers hands

SECTION VIII - HANDLING INFORMATION

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

DISPOSAL: Decontaminate all materials removed from the containment laboratory by steam sterilization, chemical disinfection, incineration or by gaseous methods; these include liquid and solid wastes

STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labelled and contained within the level 4 facility

SECTION IX - MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Date prepared: June, 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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