HUMAN CORONAVIRUS PATHOGEN SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

[Medics Index]

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Human Coronavirus (excluding SARS-Co-V)

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63, HCoV-HKU1, common cold, viral respiratory disease, viral gastroenteritis.

CHARACTERISTICS: Enveloped viruses 120- 160 nm in diameter, with a positive stranded, capped and polyadenylated RNA genome that is 27-32 kb in size ^(1-3).There are many coronaviruses which affect animals; however, currently, only five strains of coronavirus are known to infect humans, classified based on antigenic cross-reactivity: HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63, and HCoV-HKU1 ^(1-4). HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63 are more related to each other than to the other coronavirus, as they share 65% of their sequence identity ⁽⁵⁾.

SECTION II - HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

PATHOGENICITY/TOXICITY: HCoV-229E and HCoV-OC43 cause the common cold, a self-limiting upper respiratory tract infection. Infection can lead to a number of illnesses such as bronchitis, gastroenteritis, progressive demyelinating encephalitis, diarrhea, peritonitis, nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, sneezing, sore throat and cough ^{(1, 5)}. They can cause more severe lower respiratory tract infection, including pneumonia in infants, elderly and immunocompromised individuals ^(1-3). HCoV-229E is a common agent if coryza, whereas HCoV-OC43 is generally characterized by sore throats ⁽³⁾. HCoV-NL63 causes laryngotracheitis (croup) and nonfatal upper and lower respiratory tract infections in children, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals ^{(1, 3)}. HCoV-HKU1 causes mild upper respiratory diseases, the common cold, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia, with symptoms such as rhinorrhoea, fever, cough, febrile seizure, and wheezing ^{(3, 6)}. More severe illness may occur in children, adults with underlying disease, the elderly, and may be associated with gastrointestinal illness ⁽¹⁾.

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Coronaviruses have a worldwide distribution, causing 10-15% of common cold cases. Infections show a seasonal pattern with most cases occurring in the winter months ^{(7, 8)}.

HOST RANGE: Humans.

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Unknown.

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Infection can be transmitted through inhalation of respiratory droplet aerosols; virus can also be spread via the fecal-oral route, and through fomites ^{(1, 2)}.

INCUBATION PERIOD: 2-4 days ^{(4, 8)}.

COMMUNICABILITY: Human-to-human transmission is possible during the presence infectious droplets, which can cause infection via inhalation, or through contaminated surfaces ⁽⁸⁾.

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Humans ⁽⁴⁾.

ZOONOSIS: None.

VECTORS: None.

SECTION IV – STABILITY AND VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Currently, there are no specific antiviral drugs for coronavirus available ⁽⁴⁾.

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to 0.1% sodium hypochlorite, 0.1% organochlorine, 10% iodophore, 70% ethanol and 2% glutaraldehyde. Resistant to 0.04% quaternary ammonium compound and phenolics ⁽⁹⁾.

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Inactivation by UV light can be done by exposure to 1200 µJ/cm² for 30 minutes ^{(10, 11)}.

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Survives up to six days in aqueous mediums and up to 3 hours on dry inanimate surfaces ⁽¹²⁾.

SECTION V – FIRST AID / MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Coronavirus infections are not usually diagnosed due to the mild, self-limited nature of the disease. Research laboratories have used isolation methods, electron microscopy, serology and PCR-based assays to diagnosis coronavirus infections for surveillance studies ⁽⁴⁾.

Note: All diagnostic methods are not necessarily available in all countries.

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: No specific treatment available, treatment should be supportive ^{(4, 7)}.

IMMUNIZATION: None.

PROPHYLAXIS: None.

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: No infections have been reported to date. However, this may be an under-estimate of the number of incidences as symptoms are nonspecific and self-limiting.

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Specimens from the upper or lower respiratory tract, stools ⁽²⁾.

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Aerosols, contact with stools ⁽²⁾.

SPECIAL HAZARDS: None.

SECTION VII – EXPOSURE CONTROLS / PERSONAL PROTECTION

RISK GROUP CLASSIFICATION: Risk group 2 ⁽¹³⁾. This risk group applies to the species as a whole, and may not apply to every strain within the species.

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Containment Level 2 facilities, equipment, and operational practices for work involving infectious or potentially infectious materials, animals, or cultures ⁽¹⁴⁾. These containment requirements apply to the species as a whole, and may not apply to each strain within the species.

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Lab coat. Gloves when direct skin contact with infected materials or animals is unavoidable. Eye protection must be used where there is a known or potential risk of exposure to splashes ⁽¹⁴⁾.

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: All procedures that may produce aerosols, or involve high concentrations or large volumes should be conducted in a biological safety cabinet (BSC). The use of needles, syringes, and other sharp objects should be strictly limited. Additional precautions should be considered with work involving animals or large scale activities ⁽¹⁴⁾.

SECTION VIII – HANDLING AND STORAGE

SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle and, wearing protective clothing, gently cover spill with paper towels and apply an appropriate disinfectant, starting at the perimeter and working towards the centre. Allow sufficient contact time before clean up ⁽¹⁴⁾.

DISPOSAL: Decontaminate all wastes that contain or have come in contact with the infectious organism before disposing by autoclave, chemical disinfection, gamma irradiation, or incineration.⁽¹⁴⁾.

STORAGE: The infectious agent should be stored in leak-proof containers that are appropriately labelled ⁽¹⁴⁾.

SECTION IX – REGULATORY AND OTHER INFORMATION

REGULATORY INFORMATION: The import, transport, and use of pathogens in Canada is regulated under many regulatory bodies, including the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Environment Canada, and Transport Canada. Users are responsible for ensuring they are compliant with all relevant acts, regulations, guidelines, and standards.

UPDATED: November, 2010

PREPARED BY: Pathogen Regulation Directorate, Public Health Agency of Canada.

Although the information, opinions and recommendations contained in this Pathogen 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 ©
Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010
Canada

REFERENCES:

1. Wevers, B. A., & van der Hoek, L. (2009). Recently Discovered Human Coronaviruses. Clinics in Laboratory Medicine, 29(4), 715-724.
2. Mahony, J. B. (2007). Coronaviruses. In P. R. Murray (Ed.), Manual of Clinical Microbiology (9th ed., pp. 1414-1423). Washington D.C.: ASM Press.
3. Pyrc, K., Berkhout, B., & van der Hoek, L. (2007). Antiviral strategies against human coronaviruses. Infectious Disorders Drug Targets, 7(1), 59-66.
4. Lai, M. M. C., Perlman, S., & Anderson, L. J. (2007). Coronaviridae. In D. M. Knipe, P. M. Howley, D. E. Griffin, M. A. Martin, R. A. Lamb, B. Roizman & S. E. Straus (Eds.), Fields Virology (5th ed., pp. 1305-1336). Philadelphia PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
5. Dijkman, R., & van der Hoek, L. (2009). Human coronaviruses 229E and NL63: close yet still so far. Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan Yi Zhi, 108(4), 270-279. doi:10.1016/S0929-6646(09)60066-8
6. Perlman, S., & Netland, J. (2009). Coronaviruses post-SARS: update on replication and pathogenesis. Nature Reviews.Microbiology, 7(6), 439-450. doi:10.1038/nrmicro2147
7. Van Der Hoek, L. (2007). Human coronaviruses: What do they cause? Antiviral Therapy, 12(4 B), 651-658.
8. Wat, D. (2004). The common cold: A review of the literature. European Journal of Internal Medicine, 15(2), 79-88.
9. Sattar, S. A., Springthorpe, V. S., Karim, Y., & Loro, P. (1989). Chemical disinfeciton of non-porous inanimate surface experimentally contaminated with four human pathogenic viruses. Epidemiology and Infection, 102(3), 493-505.
10. Johnston, S. L., Papi, A., Bates, P. J., Mastronarde, J. G., Monick, M. M., & Hunninghake, G. W. (1998). Low grade rhinovirus infection induces a prolonged release of IL-8 in pulmonary epithelium. Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md.: 1950), 160(12), 6172-6181.
11. Chilvers, M. A., McKean, M., Rutman, A., Myint, B. S., Silverman, M., & O'Callaghan, C. (2001). The effects of coronavirus on human nasal ciliated respiratory epithelium. The European Respiratory Journal : Official Journal of the European Society for Clinical Respiratory Physiology, 18(6), 965-970.
12. Sizun, J., Yu, M. W. N., & Talbot, P. J. (2000). Survival of human coronaviruses 229E and OC43 in suspension and after drying on surfaces: A possible source of hospital-acquired infections. Journal of Hospital Infection, 46(1), 55-60.
13. Human Pathogens and Toxins Act. S.C. 2009, c. 24. Government of Canada, Second Session, Fortieth Parliament, 57-58 Elizabeth II, 2009, (2009).
14. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2004). In Best M., Graham M. L., Leitner R., Ouellette M. and Ugwu K. (Eds.), Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (3rd ed.). Canada: Public Health Agency of Canada.

[Medics Index]

Coronavirus In Puppies

	An important message from Dr. Hines
Ron Hines DVM PhD Lots of my articles are plagiarized and altered on the web to market products and services. There are never ads running or anything for sale with my real articles - other than my time. Try to stay with the ones that begin with http://www.2ndchance.info/ in the URL box or find all my articles at ACC.htm. Canine Coronavirus ties with Canine Parvovirus as the leading viral causes of diarrhea in puppies. Clinically, the two infections can be indistinguishable. But they are quite different in their final effect - Canine Coronavirus rarely kills the puppy while Canine Parvovirus often does. Canine Coronavirus is widespread in the dog population worldwide. It invades the rapidly growing cells of the intestinal lining causing nausea, lack of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. It is primarily a disease of puppies. Coronavirus is shed in the feces of infected dogs for months after initial ingestion. It takes one two three days from the time the puppy is exposed to an infected dog's stool for it to become visibly sick. The virus appeared suddenly in Europe in 1971, and some scientists speculate that Canine Coronavirus may have mutated from another coronavirus that causes a similar disease in pigs. There are slight (antigenic) differences between coronavirus strains isolated from puppies with diarrhea. So puppies and dogs immune to a particular strain of Coronavirus may not be immune other strains of the virus. Most dogs probably become infected with coronavirus and recover without getting ill or after a sickness too mild for owners to notice. We know this because most adult dogs have antibody to this disease which indicates that they were, at one time, exposed to the virus. Canine Coronavirus is an RNA-type virus and a member of the Group I Coronaviruses. When the virus is viewed under an electron microscope the particles have a halo-like crown of projections or “Corona”. Coronavirus is surrounded by a fatty protective coating which makes it rather easy to kill with detergent and solvents that dissolve fats. This is in contrast to Parvovirus, which is very tough and hard to kill. Coronavirus is spread from dog to dog through infected feces. What Symptoms Should I Look For? The main sign of Coronavirus in puppies is watery diarrhea. It differs from the diarrhea produced from eating trash in not containing much mucous. It differs from the diarrhea produced by Parvovirus in that it rarely contains digested blood. Some pups with the disease vomit, others do not. Coronavirus diarrhea is often less violent than Parvovirus diarrhea. However, there is enough overlap of symptoms so that coronavirus can not be differentiated from parvovirus by clinical signs alone. Coronavirus diarrhea typically lasts 2-4 days and very few puppies die from it. If puppies do die, there are usually other problems occurring at the same time, such as parasites, dual infection with parvovirus or malnutrition. How The Disease Progresses: Within 2-3 days of ingesting the virus, coronavirus can be found in the upper two-thirds of the pet's small intestine. In very rare cases the virus may also invade the spleen, liver and brain and lungs. During this same period diarrhea begins. Diarrhea usually lasts 2-7 days. The diarrhea is due to mal absorption of nutrients and a deficiency in digestive enzymes. Most infected dogs shed coronavirus in their stools for 6-9 days. But shedding can be prolonged in some pups. Most puppies recover after a few days of diarrhea and poor appetite. However, puppies less than three months of age may die of the virus if they are weakened in some other way. This could be due to a second disease, being the runts of the litter or come from over-bred, poorly maintained mothers. Puppies with coronavirus rarely have a fever. This is true of many infections in puppies because they loose body heat so rapidly. When I feel the tummies of these puppies they are often bloated and tight. I can usually feel gas-filled tender loops of intestine and enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes in their abdomens. How Can My Pup Be Treated? There is no specific treatment your veterinarian has that kills canine coronavirus. What we try to do is support the pup until its own immune system conquers the virus. We do this by correcting the dehydration that accompanies all severe diarrheas. If the puppy can drink, pedialite is a good oral liquid to give them. If they are sicker, the fluids need to be given intravenously or subcutaneously. For The Diarrhea: We give give medicines that relax intestinal spasms such as metoclopramide. In severe cases, we might also prescribe loperamide, oral opiods or diphenoxylate (Lomotil). Compounds that protect the inner surfaces of the inflamed intestines can also be helpful. Common ones include: famotidine (Pepcid ), cimetidine (Tagament) and sucralfate (Carafate). But we can not use them until the vomiting has been controlled. For Vomiting: Medications that stop vomiting are called anti-emetics. We often inject one called metoclopramide (Reglan). Chlorpromazine (Thorazine); and prochlorperazine (Compazine) are also used. Sometimes, Pepto-Bismol in small amounts is helpful. Antibiotic Protection: Antibiotic do not destroy coronavirus. But we often give them to give the pup protection from other bacteria that may attack its weakened system. For General Support: Chilled puppies need additional sources of heat such as a heating pad or heat lamp. Many of these puppies have internal parasites that complicate the disease. If I detect protozoa in fecal samples I place the pups on metronidazole (Flagyl). If I detect hookworms I worm the pups with pyrantel pamoate . I let their intestines heal for two days before I give them food by mouth. When I do, I give them frequent small amounts of a bland intestinal diet like as Canine i/d or EN or a home made blend of pureed chicken a rice. How Can I Prevent This Disease? Have your puppy vaccinated against coronavirus at 9 and 12 weeks of age. Adult dogs do not require yearly boosters. Be sure it is free from intestinal worms and receiving a quality diet. Coronavirus takes advantage of weakened puppies - so anything you do to give it a low stress-high quality environment will help protect it from coronavirus as well. Avoid dog to dog contact or contact with objects that are contaminated with the virus prevents infection. Do not take your new puppy to places that other dogs visit until its puppy shot serries is completed. Crowding, dirty facilities, grouping large numbers of dogs, and all types of stress make outbreaks of this disease more likely. Enteric Coronavirus are moderately resistant to heat, acids and disinfectants but not nearly so much as Parvovirus. The disease is a big problem in large puppy “mills” where sanitation and husbandry are poor. Most cases are brought to me by owners of puppies that were acquired at these breeders or in pet stores selling the puppies. These outbreaks could have been prevented by quarantining newly-arrived puppies and sanitizing the facility with a 1:20 dilution of ordinary household bleach. Canine Respiratory Coronavirus We now know that a second type of dog coronavirus exists. This strain, known as Group II, affects the dog's respiratory tract rather than its intestine. It causes coughing, sneezing and a nasal discharge. It is one of the organisms involved in what we call "kennel cough" or CIRD. When it is a problem, it is usually working in combination with other disease organisms. It is seen most often when large numbers of dogs are housed together such as in boarding kennel, animal shelters, dog shows and dog race tracks.