Recommendations for Protecting Laboratory, Field, and Clinical Workers from West Nile Virus Exposure

Details

• Personal Author:
  Harney AG ; 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]
• Subjects:
  Blood Blood-Borne Pathogens Communicable Disease Control Communicable Diseases Disease Vectors Health Personnel Hematologic Diseases Laboratories Occupational Health Safety Viral Diseases

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• Keywords:
  Bloodborne-pathogens Disease-control Disease-prevention Disease-transmission Disease-vectors Health-care-personnel Health-science-personnel Infection-control Infectious-diseases Laboratory-workers Viral-diseases Viral-infections

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• Series:
  NIOSH Numbered Publications
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2006115
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Guideline
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; 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:
  1-9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20029220
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2006-103435
• Citation:
  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. 2006-115, 2005 Dec; :1-9
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2006
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e749db8ba9a87bf7feddddbdde6c8c31308ad6912769811eae406eec8f6dec14c120f31241eed3341cbecd0244f6c8c2a3571d939aa4e5b868309277e30f47dd
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/209875/cdc_209875_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 4.01 MB ]