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Bartonella Bacilliformis

Bartonella Bacilliformis

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET – INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

SECTION I – INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Bartonella bacilliformis

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Bartonellosis, Oroya fever, Verruga peruana, Carrion’s disease

CHARACTERISTICS: Small, gram-negative, motile rods with polar flagella

SECTION II – HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Characterized by two different clinical forms: a febrile anemia (Oroya fever) manifested by irregular fever, severe anemia, generalized lymphadenopathy and delirium; a dermal eruption (Verruga peruana) of small, hemangioma-like nodules with muscle and joint pain, and may be preceded by Oroya fever; fatality rate ranges from 10- 90% for untreated Oroya fever

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Limited to mountain valleys of Peru, Ecuador, and Southwest Columbia where the sandfly vector is present

HOST RANGE: Humans

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Not known

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: By the bite of sandflies (Lutzomyia); blood transfusion

INCUBATION PERIOD: Usually 16 to 22 days, occasionally 3 to 4 months

COMMUNICABILITY: Person to person transmission not documented; patient’s blood remains infectious for sandfly months after illness

SECTION III – DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Humans

ZOONOSIS: None

VECTORS: Sandfly (Lutzomyia)

SECTION IV – VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Susceptible to penicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline

DRUG RESISTANCE: Nalidixic acid; in vitro resistance to penicillin and ampicillin, tetracycline and vancomycin has been noted

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

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Sensitive to heating

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Survives in tap water at room temperature for up to 7 days

SECTION V – MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; demonstration of organism in blood or skin lesions

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Antibiotic therapy

IMMUNIZATION: None available

PROPHYLAXIS: None available

SECTION VI – LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: One case reported up to 1988

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Blood, skin lesion

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Accidental parenteral inoculation; contact with infected laboratory sandflies

SPECIAL HAZARDS: None

SECTION VII – RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices and containment facilities for activities involving known or potentially infectious materials

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Laboratory coat and gloves when working with infectious materials

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Avoid accidental inoculation and follow general needle safety practices

SECTION VIII – HANDLING INFORMATION

SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle; wearing protective clothing, gently cover spill with absorbent paper towel and apply 1% sodium hypochlorite starting at the perimeter and working towards the centre; allow sufficient contact time (30 min) 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: November 1999

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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