Pathogen Safety Data Sheet - Rabies

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SECTION I: DISEASE / INFECTIOUS AGENT

SYNONYM / CROSS REFERENCE: hydrophobia, lyssa ⁽¹⁾

ETIOLOGY / TAXONOMY ⁽¹⁾:
Family: Rhabdoviridae
Genus: Lyssavirus

ORGANISM CHARACTERISTICS:
ss RNA, enveloped, 130 -300nm x 70 nm ⁽²⁾

SURVEILLANCE:

• Rabies is a reportable disease in Canada. Animal owners, veterinarians and laboratories are required to immediately report the presence of an animal that is rabid or suspected of being rabid to a CFIA district veterinarian. Control measures will be applied immediately for domestic animals (http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/H-3.3/fulltoc.html).

DISTRIBUTION:

• The status of Rabies in Canada is indigenous
• The virus is present on all continents except Antarctica. Numerous island nations and a few mainland countries fulfill WHO and OIE requirements for rabies free status ⁽³⁾.

SECTION II: ANIMAL HEALTH HAZARD AND EPIDEMIOLOGY

CLINICAL DISEASE / PATHOGENESIS:
1) Clinical signs:

• attacks central nervous system of mammals, always fatal once symptoms appear
• 2 forms: Furious rabies, animals appear excited and aggressive. Dumb rabies, animals may have paralysis and wild animals may act friendly or nocturnal animals may come out during the day ⁽⁴⁾.

2) Infectious dose: Unknown

3) Incubation period:
2 weeks to months depending on factors such as location of bite, amount and strain of Rabies ^{(5, 6)}

SOURCE / MODE OF TRANSMISSION / COMMUNICABILITY:

• saliva (primarily via bite wounds, or contact with mucous membrane or open wound) ⁽⁴⁾
• rarely from corneal transplants from persons dying of undiagnosed CNS disease ^{(2, 5)}
• Two visitors of an extraordinarily densely populated bat cave may have become infected via aerosol ^{(2, 5)}.

VECTORS: none

HOST RANGE:

• all mammals (degree of susceptibility varies with virus strain) ⁽⁵⁾
• transmitted by dogs, cats and by wild carnivores (such as racoons, foxes, and skunks) and bats ^{(4, 6, 7, 8)}

ZOONOSIS:

• Rabies can be transmitted to humans from rabid animal.

RESERVOIR:

• Canidae (dogs, foxes, coyotes and wolves)
• skunks, racoons, bats, mongooses and jackals ^(2,7)

SECTION III: DIAGNOSIS

NECROPSY / HISTOPATHOLOGY FINDINGS:

• Negri Bodies
• may be histologically visible lesions ⁽²⁾

LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS ^{(2, 6)}:

• Fluorescent Antibody Test
• virus isolation in mice or cell culture
• histology/immunohistochemistry

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY:

• vaccine
• postexposure prophylaxsis with vaccine and human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) or equine (ERIG) IG in some countries ⁽⁵⁾

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS ⁽⁹⁾:

• indigestion
• rapidly progressing Central Nervous System infections
• poisoning

SECTION IV: DECONTAMINATION PROCEDURES

Select a registered disinfectant with a drug identification number (DIN). Use according to label directions for concentration and contact time. Consider organic load and temperature. It is recommended that laboratories evaluate the effectiveness of the disinfectant using a validated method (e.g. Quantitative Carrier Test). See table 1 to help select a registered disinfectant for use against Rabies virus.

Table 1: Active ingredients considered to be effective against Rabies virus

ACTIVE INGREDIENT	CONCENTRATION	CONTACT TIME
Oxidising agents: Sodium Hypochlorite	10,000 ppm (1%)	10 minutes (10)
Alcohols: Ethanol	70%	10 minutes (10)
Synthetic phenols: Ortho phenylphenol	1200 ppm	10 minutes (10)
Quaternary ammonium salts: Benzalkonium chloride	1000 ppm	10 minutes (10)

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: (7)

Temperature	121ºC for 15 minutes (autoclaving) 50ºC for 1 hour
Ultraviolet radiation	inactivated rapidly by sunlight

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE OF HOST:

• does not survive long outside host unless in a cool dark area ⁽⁷⁾

SECTION V: LABORATORY HAZARDS FOR HUMANS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS:

• 2 cases were documented (presumed from exposure to highly concentrated infectious aerosols generated in a blender and a malfunctioning aerosol machine) ^{(2, 7)}.

BIOSAFETY PRECAUTIONS ⁽⁷⁾:

• Avoid contacts with infected animals, their tissues and excretions.
• All bite or scratch wounds from animals should be thoroughly washed with copious amounts of water and soap or detergent. Rapid action is very important. Following washing, 70% alcohol or tincture of iodine may be applied to wounds. Post exposure prophylaxsis may include Rabies immune globulin (RIG) and vaccination. Afer exposure, one or more booster injections may be necessary for prophylactically vaccinated people ^{(2, 3, 5)}.
• A slide set on WHO recommendations on pre and post exposure treatment can also be accessed and downloaded at: http://www.who.int/csr/don/1997_05_06a/en/
  emc/diseases/zoo/slides ⁽⁸⁾.
• Minimize aerosol generation

SECTION VI: PHYSICAL AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS:

All physical containment and operational practices for containment level 3, indigenous agents, as per the Containment Standards for Veterinary Facilities must be met. Derogations can be granted with respect to the ventilation systems in recognition that rabies virus is not transmitted by the airborne route. Please contact the Biohazard Containment & Safety Division for details.
The Containment Standards for Veterinary Facilities can be accessed at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/sci/lab/convet/convete.shtml.

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING:
Laboratory:

• Primary layer of protective clothing should include dedicated laboratory clothing (e.g. scrubs and headwear) and laboratory dedicated footwear.
• Secondary layer of protective clothing (e.g. solid-front gowns with tight-fitting wrists, 2 pairs of gloves) should be worn over laboratory clothing when directly handling infectious materials.
• A risk assessment should be conducted to determine if a respiratory protection is required when directly handling infectious material outside BSC.

Post Mortem:

• Primary layer of protective clothing should include dedicated laboratory clothing (e.g. scrubs and headwear) and laboratory dedicated footwear.
• Secondary layer of protective clothing (e.g. solid-front gowns with tight-fitting wrists, 2 pairs of gloves) should be worn over laboratory clothing when directly handling infectious materials.
• Cut resistant gloves, adequate respiratory protection, steel toed/steel shanked rubber boots.
• A shower is required on exit.

HANDLING INFORMATION:
Spills in laboratory:

• spills inside the Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC)
• spills outside the BSC
• spills while performing aerosol generating procedures
• also consider entry and exit procedure modifications if necessary, appropriate PPE, disinfection of spill and surroundings including contact time, flow (pattern) of the clean up and disposal of contaminated materials.

Refer to Table 1 for inactivation of Rabies virus.

STORAGE: All cultures and infected material should be stored in leakproof, sealed containers that are accurately labeled and clearly identified as a biohazard risk. The access to infectious material should be controlled at all times. Records must be kept to describe the use, inventory and disposal of infectious material.

DISPOSAL: Decontaminate all infectious material prior to disposal. Use steam sterilization, incineration or chemical disinfection.

REFERENCES:

1. Zoonoses and Communicable Diseases Common to Man and Animals, Second Edition, PAHO publication # 503
2. Handbook of Zoonosis, Section B: Viral, Second Edition, 1994
3. Rabnet, WHO, http://www.who.int/rabies/rabnet/en/
4. Rabies fact sheet, Animal Health CFIA, April 2003,
   http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/
   heasan/disemala/rabrag/rabragfse.shtml
5. Control of Communicable Diseases Manual, Seventeenth Edition, 2000
6. AusVetPlan, Edition 2.0, 1996, http://www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au/shadomx/apps/fms/
   fmsdownload.cfm?file_uuid=2B295277-9D88-DE87-6AD9-D03891C49253
   &siteName=aahc
7. Rabies MSDS, Public Health Agency of Canada, May 2000, http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/msds-ftss/msds124e.html
8. Rabies fact sheet WHO, http://www.who.int/rabies/animal/en/
9. Rabies animal health disease card, Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/subjects/en/health/diseases-cards
   /cards/rabies.html
10. Prince H, Prince D, Principles of Viral Control and Transmission. In: Block SS, ed. Disinfection, Sterilization and Preservation, Fifth Edition, 2001:543-571

LAST UPDATED: March 30, 2005
PREPARED BY:The Biohazard Containment and Safety Unit, CFIA

Disclaimer: Although the information and recommendations in this Pathogen Safety Data Sheet are compiled from reliable sources, there is no guarantee, warranty or any assurance that the information and recommendations are correct, accurate, sufficient, reliable or current and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency shall not be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from or in connection with the use of or reliance upon the information and recommendations.

The user assumes all risks and responsibility for and shall be liable for the use of and any reliance on the information and recommendations and the results thereof and any loss or damage resulting therefrom.

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