Bordetella Pertussis
Bordetella Pertussis
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET – INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES
SECTION I – INFECTIOUS AGENT
NAME: Bordetella pertussis
SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Whooping cough, B. parapertussis
CHARACTERISTICS: Gram-negative coccobacilli, aerobic, encapsulated, non-motile, produces a toxin; B. pertussis has fastidious growth requirements while B. parapertussis grows on simple culture media
SECTION II – HEALTH HAZARD
PATHOGENICITY: An acute respiratory disease with three stages: a catarrhal stage with an irritating cough, lasts 1 to 2 weeks; a paroxysmal stage characterized by violent coughs followed by a high pitched inspiratory whoop, lasts 2 to 6 weeks; a convalescent stage where the cough gradually decreases in frequency and severity, lasts several weeks; 75% of deaths are among infants; parapertussis is similar but milder, occurs in school-age children and is seen less frequently
EPIDEMIOLOGY: Common in children worldwide; decline in incidence and mortality following immunization and where good nutrition and medical care are available; in unimmunized populations with malnutrition and multiple infections, pertussis is among the most lethal infant diseases
HOST RANGE: Humans
INFECTIOUS DOSE: Unknown
MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Primarily by direct contact with discharges from respiratory mucous membranes of infected persons by the airborne route, probably by droplets; frequently brought home by an older sibling
INCUBATION PERIOD: Commonly 6 to 20 days; average 7 to 10 days
COMMUNICABILITY: Highly communicable in the early catarrhal stage; becomes negligible in about 3 weeks despite persisting spasmodic cough with whoop; when treated with antibiotics, the period of infectiousness extends only 5-7 days after onset of therapy
SECTION III – DISSEMINATION
RESERVOIR: Infected persons; asymptomatic carriers (both children and adults)
ZOONOSIS: None
VECTORS: None
SECTION IV – VIABILITY
DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Sensitive to erythromycin or TMP-SMX (susceptible to ciprofloxacin in vitro)
DRUG RESISTANCE: Two erythromycin-resistant isolates of B. pertussis have been reported in Utah and Arizona
SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to many disinfectants – 1% sodium hypochlorite, 70% ethanol, iodines, phenolics, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde
PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Inactivated by moist heat (121°C for at least 15 min) and dry heat (160-170°C for at least 1 hour)
SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Survives 1-2 hours on surfaces; 3-4 hours in human sputum samples; air – 19 to 20 hours; plastic – 3-5 days; paper – 1 day; in diluted saliva – up to 7 days; susceptible to cold temperatures and dessication
SECTION V – MEDICAL
SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; confirmation by recovery of organism from nasopharyngeal swabs during catarrhal stage
FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Antibiotic therapy – 14 day course of erythromycin or TMP-SMX; adequate oxygenation, hydration and electrolyte balance
IMMUNIZATION: Whole cell adsorbed vaccine available; recommended for children at 2 months of age, boosted at 2 and 5 years; acellular engineered fraction vaccines licensed for booster vaccination
PROPHYLAXIS: Close contacts less than 7 years who have not received required DTP doses should be given a DTP dose; 18-day erythromycin or TMP-SMX course for close contacts less than 1 year old, regardless of immunization status, and for unimmunized contacts less than 7 years
SECTION VI – LABORATORY HAZARDS
LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: Rare source of infections; one case in a worker who had aerated liquid cultures for vaccine preparation; possible infection in 8 people who worked in building where research on vaccine was being done (organism was recovered); similar incident reported in a large university research facility which resulted in 2 possible infections
SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Nasopharyngeal swabs and secretions
PRIMARY HAZARDS: Direct contact of mucous membranes and inhalation of infectious aerosols and droplets
SPECIAL HAZARDS: No special hazards
SECTION VII – RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS
CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices, containment equipment and facilities for work with known or potentially infectious specimens and cultures; work likely to generate aerosols should be carried out in a biosafety cabinet
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Laboratory coat; gloves when direct contact with infectious materials is unavoidable; gloves and gown (tie in back, tight wrists) should be worn while conducting procedures in biosafety cabinet
OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Hands should be washed thoroughly after work is finished to avoid possible spreading of the organisms
SECTION VIII – HANDLING INFORMATION
SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle; wearing protective clothing, gently cover spill with paper towel 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, incineration
STORAGE: In sealed containers that are labelled appropriately
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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