MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Marburg virus

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Marburg disease, African hemorrhagic fever

CHARACTERISTICS: Filoviridae; 800-100 nm elongated filamentous virion, single stranded, negative sense RNA

SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Sudden onset with high fever, malaise, myalgias, vomiting, diarrhea; maculopapular rash, renal and hepatic involvement and hemorrhagic diathesis; involvement of liver, pancreas, kidney, CNS and heart; leukopenia and thrombocytopenia; marked toxicity often leading to shock and death (25% case fatality rate)

EPIDEMIOLOGY: 1967 - outbreak in Germany and Yugoslavia following exposure to African green monkeys imported from East Africa (31 cases with 7 deaths); 1975 and 1982-4 cases reported in South Africa (originated in Zimbabwe); 1980 - two cases in Kenya

HOST RANGE: Humans, monkeys

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Unknown

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: By direct contact with infected blood, secretions, organs, or semen and by the aerosol route; contaminated syringes and needles responsible for many nosocomial infections

INCUBATION PERIOD: 3-7 days

COMMUNICABILITY: Communicable as long as blood and secretions contain virus (semen - 7 weeks after clinical recovery)

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Natural reservoir is unknown (monkeys are susceptible but incidental hosts)

ZOONOSIS: Yes, from infected African green monkeys

VECTORS: Unknown

SECTION IV - VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: N/A

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

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Susceptible to UV irradiation and heat

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Survive in blood specimens for 2 weeks at room temperature; does not survive for long periods after drying

SECTION V - MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for characteristic clinical course and epidemiologic features; confirmation by virus isolation or serology (in a level 4 facility)

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Treatment is directed at maintaining renal function and electrolyte balance and combating hemorrhage and shock; transfusion of convalescent serum may be beneficial

IMMUNIZATION: None

PROPHYLAXIS: None

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: 31 reported cases with 9 deaths; cases arose from contact and accidents with blood and tissues from African green monkeys

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Blood, urine, respiratory and throat secretions, semen and tissues from human or animal hosts

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Accidental parenteral inoculation, direct contact with broken skin or mucous membranes, exposure to infectious aerosols and droplets

SPECIAL HAZARDS: Work with infected non-human primates has presented a documented hazard

SECTION VII - RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 4 practices, containment equipment and facilities are recommended for all activities involving known or suspected infectious materials of human or animal origin

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

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Clinical specimens from persons suspected of being infected with this virus should be submitted to a level 4 containment facility

SECTION VIII - HANDLING INFORMATION

SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle; wearing protective clothing, gently cover spill with paper towels 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: September, 1996 Prepared by: Office of Biosafety

LCDC

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.

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