Novel Treatment of a Vaccinia Virus Infection from an Occupational Needlestick — San Diego, California, 2019

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Personal Author:
  Angel, Kristen A. ; Davidson, Whitni ; de Perio, Marie A. ; Gorman, Susan ; Griffin, Margaret ; Isakari, Marcia ; Manlutac, Anna Liza ; McCollum, Andrea M. ; McDonald, Eric C. ; Ortega, Eddy ; Petersen, Brett W. ; Rao, Agam K. ; Satheshkumar, Panayampalli S. ; Townsend, Michael B. ; Whitehouse, Erin R. ; Wilkins, Kimberly ; Yu, Patricia A. ; Yu, Yon C.
• Description:
  Vaccinia Virus (VACV) is an orthopoxVirus used in smallpox vaccines, as a vector for novel cancer treatments, and for experimental vaccine research (1). The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends smallpox vaccination for laboratory workers who handle replication-competent VACV (1). For bioterrorism preparedness, the U.S. government stockpiles tecovirimat, the first Food and Drug Administration-approved antiviral for treatment of smallpox (caused by variola Virus and globally eradicated in 1980*|) (2). Tecovirimat has activity against other orthopoxViruses and can be administered under a CDC investigational new drug protocol. CDC was notified about an unvaccinated laboratory worker with a needlestick exposure to VACV, who developed a lesion on her left index finger. CDC and partners performed laboratory confirmation, contacted the study sponsor to identify the VACV strain, and provided oversight for the first case of laboratory-acquired VACV treated with tecovirimat plus intravenous vaccinia immunoglobulin (VIGIV). This investigation highlights 1) the misconception among laboratory workers about the virulence of VACV strains; 2) the importance of providing laboratorians with pathogen information and postexposure procedures; and 3) that although tecovirimat can be used to treat VACV infections, its therapeutic benefit remains unclear.
• Subjects:
  Full Report Laboratory Personnel Needlestick Injuries Occupational Diseases Occupational Health Occupational Injuries Viral Diseases
• Source:
  MMWR Morbidity Mortal Weekly Rep. 68(42):943-946
• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• ISSN:
  0149-2195 (print) ; 1545-861X (digital)
• Publisher:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (U.S.)
• Pubmed ID:
  31647789
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC6812835
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  4 pdf pages
• Volume:
  68
• Issue:
  42
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20057574
• Collection(s):
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:00ee0ec512d340cf2d02f925a910abccd2f189e2654d48bd881a8817fbceee253c14d4c4df41c1a7a3fdc30836a65414257be96127a689008f35e5fbd24629d8
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/83765/cdc_83765_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 125.98 KB ]