Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium - Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

 

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Nonhemolytic streptococci, gamma hemolytic streptococci, enterococcus, group D streptococci, vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE); formerly Streptococcus faecalis

CHARACTERISTICS: Gram-positive cocci, facultatively anaerobic, occurs singly, in pairs or short chains, no hemolysis on blood agar after 24 hours (may see alpha hemolysis after 48 h)

SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Normal inhabitant of intestinal tract (10⁵-10 ⁸ CFU's per gram of stool) and female genital tract; occasionally associated with urinary tract infection, bacteremia and bacterial endocarditis

EPIDEMIOLOGY: World wide distribution, newly recognized as a nosocomially transmitted pathogen ( increase due to increased use of medically comprimising devices - IV's); 3^rd most commom organisms recovered from nosocomial infections; accounts for 10% of nosocomial infections, 9% of bacteremia infections, 16% urinary tract infections and 5-15% of cases of bacterial endocarditis ; clinical isolate raito of E. faecalis : E. faecium is 10:1, however among VRE isolates the ratio of E. faecium: E. faecalis is 10:1

HOST RANGE: Humans

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Not known

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Normal inhabitant of gastrointestinal tract - trauma results in organisms entering into blood stream; organism is found in many food products but relationship with food poisoning is questionable

INCUBATION PERIOD: Not known

COMMUNICABILITY: Not transferred from person-to-person

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Humans, various animals

ZOONOSIS: None

VECTORS: None

SECTION IV - VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIDILITY Sensitive to combination of penicillin or ampicillin plus an aminoglycoside, drug suscepti bility testing must be done

DRUG RESISTANCE: Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) ( eg. vancomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, etc)

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to many disinfectants - 1% sodium hypochlorite, 70% ethanol, 2% glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, iodines

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

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Extremely hardy, can survive for weeks on environmental surfaces; cheese - 180 days; soil up to 77 days; soiled linen up to 90 days, cultures at -70° C for several years

SECTION V - MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms of infection; confirm bacteriologically, new rapid surveillance typing methods and antimicrobial susceptibility testing

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Antibiotic therapy with penicillin or ampicillin in combination with aminoglycoside for treatment of serious enterococcal infections

IMMUNIZATION: None available

PROPHYLAXIS: Antibiotic prophylaxis - only indicated for persons with diseased or artificial heart valves who undergo genitourinary or rectal procedures

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: 78 recorded cases of infections with Enterococcus spp. with 4 deaths up to 1976

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Tissues - ulcers, intra-abdominal abscesses; blood, feces, urine

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Accidental parenteral inoculation; ingestion

SPECIAL HAZARDS: None

SECTION VII - RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices, containment equipment and facilities for all activities involving known or potentially infected clinical materials or cultures; animal biosafety level 2 facilities for studies utilizing infected animals

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

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Hand washing particular in medical hospital setting

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