MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Vibrio parahaemolyticus

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: N/A

CHARACTERISTICS: Gram negative rod, halophilic, facultative anaerobe, 0.5-0.8 µm x 1.4-2.4 µm. Pathogenic strains usually possess characteristic hemolytic reaction (Kanagawa phenomenon)

SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Gastroenteritis characterized by watery diarrhea and abdominal cramps; sometimes nausea, vomiting, fever and headache; occasionally a dysentery-like illness with bloody or mucoid stools, high fever, and high WBC; open wounds may become infected; systemic infection and death rarely occur

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Sporadic cases and common source outbreaks, particularly in Japan, Southeast Asia, and North America; occurs primarily in warm months of the year

HOST RANGE: Humans

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Ingestion - > 10⁶ organisms

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: By ingestion of raw or inadequately cooked seafood, or any food cross-contaminated by handling raw seafood in the same environment, or by rinsing with contaminated seawater; a period of time at room temperature is generally necessary to allow multiplication of organisms to infectious level; exposure of open wound to contaminated sea water

INCUBATION PERIOD: Usually between 12-24 hours, but can range from 4-96 hours

COMMUNICABILITY: Not communicable from person-to-person

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Marine coastal environs are the natural habitat; during the cold season, organisms are found in marine silt; during the warm season, they are found free in coastal waters and in fish and shellfish

ZOONOSIS: None

VECTORS: None

SECTION IV - VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Sensitive to penicillin, ampicillin, fluoroquinolones; strains resistant to multiple antibiotics have been isolated

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to many disinfectants - 1% sodium hypochlorite, 70% ethanol, 2% glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Sensitive to cold

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Shrimp - up to 120 days; swabs - 72 days

SECTION V - MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; confirmation by stool culture or culture of suspected contaminated food (> 10⁵ organisms)

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Fluid replacement as necessary

IMMUNIZATION: None

PROPHYLAXIS: None

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: At least 1 reported case of laboratory acquired infection

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Feces, infected seafood and seawater

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Ingestion, parenteral inoculation; importance of aerosol hazards not known

SPECIAL HAZARDS: Naturally and experimentally infected animals are a potential source of infection

SECTION VII - RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices and containment for activities with cultures or potentially infectious clinical materials; animal biosafety level 2 practices and facilities for activities with infected animals

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

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Good personal hygiene and frequent handwashing

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 (30 min) before clean up

DISPOSAL: Decontaminate before disposal; steam sterilization, chemical disinfection

STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labelled

SECTION IX - MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Date prepared: February, 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

[Material Safety Data Sheets - Index]