Candida albicans - Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

 

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Candida albicans

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Candidiasis, Thrush, Moniliasis

CHARACTERISTICS: Oval, budding yeast, produces pseudohyphae in culture and in tissues and exudates

SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Mycosis of superficial layers of skin or mucous membranes (oral thrush, vulvovaginitis, paronychia, onychomycosis, intertrigo); ulcers or pseudomembranes in esophagus, gastrointestinal tract or bladder; hematogenous dissemination may produce lesions in kidney, spleen, lung, liver, prosthetic cardiac valve, eye, meninges, brain

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Worldwide

HOST RANGE: Humans

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Unknown

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Endogenous spread (part of normal human flora); by contact with excretions of mouth, skin, and feces from patients or carriers; from mother to infant during childbirth; disseminated candidiasis may originate from mucosal lesions, unsterile narcotic injections, catheters

INCUBATION PERIOD: Variable

COMMUNICABILITY: Communicable for duration of lesions

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Humans (normal human flora)

ZOONOSIS: None

VECTORS: None

SECTION IV - VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Sensitive to nystatin, clotrimazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, amphotericin B for invasive candidiasis

DRUG RESISTANCE: Resistant strains have been described for all the above antifungal drugs

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Sensitive to 1% sodium hypochlorite, 2% glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde; only moderately sensitive to 70% ethanol (phenolic may be substituted)

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Inactivated by moist heat (121°C for at least 15 min)

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Survives outside of host, especially in moist, dark areas

SECTION V - MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; microscopic demonstration of pseudohyphae and/or yeast cells in infected tissue or fluid; confirmation by culture

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Administer antibiotic therapy as required

IMMUNIZATION: None

PROPHYLAXIS: None

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: 2 reported laboratory-acquired infections with Candida

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Sputum, bronchial washings, stool, urine, mucosal surfaces, skin or wound exudates, CSF, blood

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Accidental parenteral inoculation, exposure of 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 the manipulation of this organism

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Laboratory coat; gloves when 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: 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