MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Human rotavirus

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: HRV, Sporadic viral gastroenteritis; severe viral gastroenteritis of infants and children; non-bacterial gastroenteritis of infancy, rotaviral enteritis

CHARACTERISTICS: Reoviridae; double capsid shell, naked, icosahedral virion; 60-80 nm in diameter; double stranded RNA, linear, segmented genome; wheel-like appearance; seven major serogroups (A-G), human strains belong predominantly to strain A; large epidemics have been reported in China with serogroup B

SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Infects the mature villous epithelium of the small intestine; characterized by fever and vomiting, followed by a watery diarrhea; occasionally associated with severe dehydration and death in children; neurologic abnormalities ranging from aseptic meningitis to subdural haemorrhage related to electrolyte loss; infections in adults are subclinical; local and systemic immune responses are evoked; repeated infections tend to be less severe than the original infection

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Worldwide; the single most important cause of gastroenteritis in children (95% of children worldwide are infected); peak of infection occurs between 4 months and 3 years of age; adults are mostly asymptomatic; in temperate regions, infections are most frequent during the winter and early spring months; high incidence in day-care settings; major cause of nosocomial diarrhea of newborns and infants

HOST RANGE: Humans; experimentally infected animals

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Not known

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Fecal-oral route; person-to-person; contact with respiratory secretions, contaminated water, food or other surfaces; contact with fomites

INCUBATION PERIOD: Usually 24 to 72 hours

COMMUNICABILITY: Shed in feces during acute stages of the disease and up to 8 days after symptoms subside

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Humans; animal strains of rotavirus differ from those that infect humans

ZOONOSIS: None

VECTORS: None

SECTION IV - VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: No specific antivirals

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to 95% ethanol, 2% formalin, 5% lysol, 2% sodium hypochlorite but requires prolonged exposure

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Stable at acidic pH (3.0 - 3.5); sensitive to heating above 50° C; stabilized by the addition of 2M magnesium sulfate

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Survives for months at 4° C and 20° C

SECTION V - MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms and for demonstration of rotavirus antigen in stools by EIA

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Supportive therapy to prevent dehydration, acidosis and shock, single oral dose of gamma globulin reduces duration of illness and virus shedding

IMMUNIZATION: FDA approved live virus vaccine, tetravalent rhesus-based (Rotashield); not recommended for infants due to correlation of vaccine use and intussusception (bowel obstruction)

PROPHYLAXIS: None available

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: None reported to date

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Stools, rectal swab

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Ingestion; droplet exposure of the mucous membranes; inhalation of infectious aerosols

SPECIAL HAZARDS: None

SECTION VII - RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices and containment facilities for all activities involving virus and infectious body fluids and tissues

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

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Frequent hand-washing and good hygiene

SECTION VIII - HANDLING INFORMATION

SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle; wearing protective clothing gently cover spill with absorbent paper towel and apply 2% sodium hypochlorite to the spill starting at the perimeter and working towards the centre; wait 4 hours before clean up

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

STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labelled

SECTION IX - MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Date prepared: April, 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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