Recommendations for Protecting Outdoor Workers from West Nile Virus Exposure

Details

• Journal Article:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Personal Author:
  Harney, Amanda G. ; MacMahon, Kathleen
• Description:
  The West Nile virus (WNV) is most often spread to humans from the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus may also be transmitted in other ways - through organ transplants, blood transfusions, and breast milk, and from mother to fetus. But the risk of such transmission is very low. WNV was first reported in the United States in 1999, and occupational exposures have been documented. By 2004, the virus was reported throughout the continental United States. Most human infections with WNV (about 80%) cause no symptoms, and about 20% cause flu-like symptoms, including fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle or joint pain. Fewer than 1% of humans infected with WNV become severely ill. Severe symptoms include high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, tremors, muscle weakness, and paralysis. Severely affected persons may develop encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes of the brain or spinal cord). Severe cases may be fatal. People of all ages and conditions may be affected. However, those who are above age 50 or who have had an organ transplant are at increased risk of severe illness. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Content Notes:
  Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,
  
  "This brochure was written by Kathleen MacMahon, DVM, Education and Information Division; and Amanda G. Harney, MPH, Office of Compensation Analysis and Support. Scientists from the Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, provided critical input"--P. 11.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Blood Blood-Borne Pathogens Communicable Disease Control Communicable Diseases Construction Industry Disease Vectors Farmers Forestry Hematologic Diseases Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Paint Safety Viral Diseases West Nile Fever/prevention & Control

  More +
• Keywords:
  Infection-control; Infectious-diseases; Viral-diseases; Viral-infections; Disease-control; Disease-prevention; Disease-vectors; Disease-transmission; Bloodborne-pathogens; Farmers; Agricultural-workers; Construction-workers; Forestry-workers; Painters; Roofing-industry; Mechanics
• Source:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-155, 2005 Sep; :1-11
• Series:
  NIOSH Numbered Publications
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Guidance
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  EID - Education and Information Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  17 pdf pages
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20028171
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2005-109460
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2005
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:0e8337d8577f818719c9e4ca005b3fed4bcae002377cb438bcfaeb293ad5cbba61c03aaae13fa422f3be2226b8c1780c9bf5d5202815917ba54431281fd95099
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/11381/cdc_11381_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 4.80 MB ]