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SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT
NAME: Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus
SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: LCM, LCMV, lymphocytic meningitis.
CHARACTERISTICS: Arenaviridae; ssRNA, enveloped, 50-150 nm diameter.
SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD
PATHOGENICITY: Diversity of clinical manifestations - mild influenza-like illness or occasionally, meningeal
or meningoencephalomyelitic symptoms; orchitis or parotitis; usually short duration; rarely fatal and recovery
from severe disease without sequelae.
EPIDEMIOLOGY: Uncommon, occurring in sporadic cases; outbreaks have occurred from infected pet hamsters
or laboratory animals.
HOST RANGE: Humans, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, monkeys.
INFECTIOUS DOSE: Unknown
MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Infected mice excrete virus in saliva, urine and feces; man is infected through virus-contaminated
excrete, food, or dust.
INCUBATION PERIOD: 8-13 days; 15-21 days (meningeal symptoms).
COMMUNICABILITY: No evidence of person to person spread.
SECTION III - DISSEMINATION
RESERVOIR: House mouse (Mus musculus) - virus is harbored throughout life of mouse and transmitted to
offspring which become healthy carriers; natural infections also occur in non-human primates, swine, dogs, hamsters,
guinea pigs.
ZOONOSIS: Yes
VECTORS: None
SECTION IV - VIABILITY
DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: N/A
SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to 1% sodium hypochlorite (20% commercial bleach), 2% glutaraldehyde,
70% ethanol, formaldehyde.
PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Sensitive to heat inactivation.
SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Virus survives out of host - mice droppings.
SECTION V - MEDICAL
SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; confirmation by virus isolation, serology.
FIRST AID/TREATMENT: No specific treatment, supportive therapy.
IMMUNIZATION: None available.
PROPHYLAXIS: None available.
SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS
LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: Well documented hazard (46 cases with 5 deaths), especially from infected
laboratory rodents (hamsters and mice); cases also reported arising from contaminated cell lines.
SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Blood, CSF, urine, secretions of the nasopharynx, feces; infected tissues from animals
or human sources.
PRIMARY HAZARDS: Parenteral inoculation, inhalation, contamination of mucous membranes or broken skin with
infected animal tissues or fluids, and exposure to infectious aerosols.
SPECIAL HAZARDS: Contaminated tissue cultures represent a potential hazard.
SECTION VII - RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS
CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices, safety, equipment and facilities for lab-adapted
LCM strains; biosafety level 3 practices, safety equipment, and facilities for activities involving the manipulation
of the neurotropic strains of virus and animal studies.
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Laboratory coat; gloves and gown with tight wrists and tic in back should be worn while
working with infectious materials.
OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Special precautions when working with infected hamsters may be indicated (HEPA filtered
respirator).
SECTION VIII - HANDLING INFORMATION
SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle; wearing protective clothing, gently cover spill with paper towel and
apply 1% sodium hypochlorite (20% commercial bleach), starting at perimeter and working towards the center; allow
sufficient contact time before clean up (30 min).
DISPOSAL: Decontaminate before disposal-, steam sterilization, chemical disinfection, incineration.
STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labeled.
Date prepared: October 11, 1997 Prepared by- Canadian Office of Biosafety Information edited by the Colorado State
University Office of Biosafety; June 16, 1998.
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