Nocardia spp. - Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

 

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Nocardia spp.

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Nocardia asteroides, N. brasiliensis, N. caviae, N. transvalensis, N. ottidiscaviarum, Nocardiosis

CHARACTERISTICS: Order Actinomycetales; exhibits classical fungal characteristics, but presence of peptidoglycans in the cell wall allows classification as higher bacterium; aerobic; thin, gram positive branching filaments; may fragment into bacillary or coccoid forms; soil saprophyte

SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Chronic disease originating in lungs; pulmonary alveolar proteinosis predisposes individual for infection; 80% of cases present as invasive pulmonary infection; 10% of pulmonary disorders are fatal; symptoms include fever, cough, chest pain, CNS disease, headache, lethargy, confusion, seizures, sudden onset of neurologic deficit, 20% of patients develop granulomatous, skin lesions and CNS abnormalities; spread to blood - abscesses of brain, subcutaneous tissue and other organs; fatality rate can be high; also causes mycetoma (swelling and suppuration of subcutaneous tissues and formation of sinus tracts with visible granules, lesions usually on foot or lower leg)

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Nocardiosis - occasional sporadic disease worldwide; Mycetoma - Mexico, North Africa, South Asia and other tropical and subtropical areas; no evidence of age or racial differences; ratio of male/female ratio for infection is 2:1

HOST RANGE: Humans, animals

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Unknown

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Nocardiosis - Inhalation of contaminated dust; Mycetoma - subcutaneous contamination by a penetrating wound (thorns, splinters); rarely nosocomial post surgical transmission occurs

INCUBATION PERIOD: Uncertain; months for mycetoma

COMMUNICABILITY: Not directly transmitted from person-to-person

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Soil, decaying vegetation

ZOONOSIS: None

VECTORS: None

SECTION IV - VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Sensitive to sulfonamides (TMP-SMX, sulfisoxazole, sulfadiazine)

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to 1% sodium hypochlorite 2% glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde; susceptibility to 70% ethanol questionable (phenolics may be substituted)

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Inactivated by moist heat (121° C for at least 15 min) and dry heat 160-170° C for at least 1 hour

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Saprophyte - survives out of host in soil, decaying matter

SECTION V - MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; visualization and isolation of the organism

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Surgical drainage may be required; antimicrobial therapy should be administered as required

IMMUNIZATION: None

PROPHYLAXIS: None

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: 1 reported laboratory acquired infection with Nocardia

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Sputum, pus, CSF, bronchial washings, rarely isolated from blood

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Accidental parenteral inoculation, exposure of the mucous membranes to droplets and aerosols, ingestion

SPECIAL HAZARDS: None

SECTION VII - RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices, containment equipment and facilities for all activities involving the manipulation of this organism

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Laboratory coat; gloves when direct contact with infectious materials is unavoidable

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: None

SECTION VIII - HANDLING INFORMATION

SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle; wearing protective clothing, gently cover spill with absorbent paper towel and apply 1% sodium hypochlorite, starting at perimeter and working towards the centre; allow sufficient contact time (30 min) before clean up

DISPOSAL: Decontaminate before disposal; steam sterilization, chemical disinfection, incineration

STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labelled

SECTION IX - MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Date prepared: March, 2001

Prepared by: Office of Laboratory Security, PHAC

Although the information, opinions and recommendations contained in this Material 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 ©
Health Canada, 2001