Powassan Encephalitis Virus
Powassan Encephalitis Virus
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET – INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES
SECTION I – INFECTIOUS AGENT
NAME: Powassan encephalitis virus
SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Arbovirus
CHARACTERISTICS: Flaviviridae; 40-50 nm diameter, enveloped, ssRNA; virus exhibits high degree of neurotropism
SECTION II – HEALTH HAZARD
PATHOGENICITY: Resembles mosquito-borne encephalitis clinically; acute inflammatory disease of short duration involving parts of brain, spinal cord and meninges; asymptomatic and mild cases with febrile head ache or aseptic meningitis; severe infections with stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions and spastic paralysis; high incidence of neurologic sequelae; 0.3 – 60% case fatality rate (highest case fatality rate among Arboviruses); infection whether inapparent or overt leads to immunity
EPIDEMIOLOGY: Present in Canada, USA and USSR; seasonal incidence depends on activity of tick vectors; highest incidence in rural or forested areas; greatest risk of disease transmission from June to September; males and children are more frequently infected; up to 27 reported cases in North America since 1958
HOST RANGE: Humans, woodchuck, snowshoe hare, coyotes, foxes, racoons and skunks, domesticated cats and dogs
INFECTIOUS DOSE: Unknown
MODE OF TRANSMISSION: By the bite of infective ticks, or possibly by consumption of raw milk from certain infected animals; larval ticks ingest virus by feeding on rodents, sometimes other mammals and birds, viral transfer from the blood to the CNS through the olfactory tract has been suggested
INCUBATION PERIOD: Usually 7-14 days
COMMUNICABILITY: Not directly transmitted from person-to-person; a tick infected at any stage remains infective for life; viremia in a variety of vertebrates may last for several days (in man up to 7-10 days)
SECTION III – DISSEMINATION
RESERVOIR: Tick or combination of tick and mammal
ZOONOSIS: Yes, through bite of an infected tick
VECTORS: Tick – Ixodes cookei, Ixodes marxi, Ixodes spinipalpus
SECTION IV – VIABILITY
DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: N/A
SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to 1% sodium hypochlorite, 2% glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde and 70% ethanol
PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Inactivated by heat (50-60° C for at least 30 min)
SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Does not survive out of host
SECTION V – MEDICAL
SURVEILLANCE: Serological studies or isolation of virus from blood
FIRST AID/TREATMENT: No specific treatment
IMMUNIZATION: None available
PROPHYLAXIS: None available
SECTION VI – LABORATORY HAZARDS
LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: 2 reported laboratory infections; laboratory infections with serious sequelae have been reported
SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Blood, CSF, urine and exudates
PRIMARY HAZARDS: Exposure to aerosols of infectious solutions and animal bedding; accidental parenteral inoculation; direct contact of broken skin
SPECIAL HAZARDS: None
SECTION VII – RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS
CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 3 practices, containment equipment, and facilities are recommended for activities using potentially infectious clinical materials and infected tissue cultures, animals, or arthropods
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Gloves and gown (tie in back and tight wrists) when working with agent
OTHER PRECAUTIONS: None
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
DISPOSAL: Decontaminate before disposal; steam sterilization, incineration
STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labelled (in locked level 3 facility)
SECTION IX – MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
Date prepared: March, 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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