Bacillus cereus - Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

 

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Bacillus cereus

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Bacillus cereus food poisoning

CHARACTERISTICS: Large (1 x 3-4 µm), aerobic, gram-positive rod; spore forming; motile; produces heat stable and heat labile toxins

SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Opportunistic pathogen; intoxication characterized by two forms: an emetic form with severe nausea and vomiting and a diarrheal form with abdominal cramps and diarrhea; both forms are usually mild and self-limiting (24 hrs); immunocompromised individuals are susceptible to bacteremia, endocarditis, meningitis, pneumonia; also associated with posttraumatic endophthalmitis (ocular infection - rare)

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Worldwide; common cause of foodborne disease, especially in Europe

HOST RANGE: Humans

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Greater that 10⁶ organisms by ingestion (>10⁵ organisms/g of food)

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Ingestion of foods kept at ambient conditions after cooking; emetic form frequently associated with cooked rice

INCUBATION PERIOD: Emetic form 1-6 hours, average 4 hours; diarrheal form 6-24 hours, average 17 hours

COMMUNICABILITY: Not communicable from person to person

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Ubiquitous organism of the soil; commonly found in low levels in raw, dried and processed foods

ZOONOSIS: None

VECTORS: None

SECTION IV - VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Sensitive to chloramphenicol, aminoglycosides, vancomycin, clindamycin, erythromycin

DRUG RESISTANCE: Resistant to penicillin, ampicillin, cephalosporins, trimethoprim

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Spores are relatively resistant; inactivated by 2% glutaraldehyde, 5% sodium hypochlorite; prolonged contact times required

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Spores destroyed by heating at 100°C for 10 min; ionizing radiation destroys spores with 540 krad

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Spores are relatively resistant to heat and dessication; survive cooking

SECTION V - MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms and confirm by identification of organism in suspected food and faeces of patients

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Supportive therapy

IMMUNIZATION: None available

PROPHYLAXIS: None available

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: None reported to date

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Contaminated food sources, stool

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Ingestion of contaminated material

SPECIAL HAZARDS: None

SECTION VII - RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices, containment equipment and facilities for activities involving clinical specimens and cultures

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

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: Good personal hygiene and frequent handwashing

SECTION VIII - HANDLING INFORMATION

SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle; wearing protective clothing, gently cover spill with absorbent paper towel and apply 5% sodium hypochlorite starting at the perimeter and working towards the centre; allow sufficent contact time before clean up

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

STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labelled

SECTION IX - MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Date prepared: November 1999

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