Coronavirus (Human coronavirus OC43)
| Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Morphology | Coronaviruses cause infections in a wide variety of animals, resulting in respiratory, enteric, hepatic, and neurological diseases of various levels of severity. Human Coronavirus OC43, also known as HCoV-OC43, is an enveloped viruses 120- 160 nm in diameter, with a positive stranded, capped and polyadenylated RNA genome that is 27-32 kb in size. Outside of the SARS group of coronaviruses, HCoV-OC43 is one of only a few strains that are known to infect humans. HCoV-OC43 is generally associated with mild upper respiratory tract infections, although it has also been shown to have neuroinvasive properties. |
| Growth Conditions | Cultured on HRT-18 cell lines |
| Health Hazards | |
|---|---|
| Host Range | Humans |
| Modes of Transmission | Infection can be transmitted through inhalation of respiratory droplet aerosols; virus can also be spread via the fecal-oral route, and through fomites |
| Signs and Symptoms | Illnesses have ranged from mild to moderate (often mistaken for a common cold). Symptoms can include: Fever, Cough, Runny Nose, Headache, and General Malaise. Can sometimes cause lower-respiratory tract illnesses, such as pneumonia or bronchitis. This is more common in people with cardiopulmonary disease, people with weakened immune systems, infants, and older adults. |
| Infectious Dose | Unknown |
| Incubation Period | Often short, with symptoms often present within 2-4 days |
| Medical Precautions/Treatment | |
|---|---|
| Prophylaxis | None readily available |
| Vaccines | None readily available |
| Treatment | No specific treatment available, treatment should be supportive |
| Surveillance | Monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. Confirm diagnosis with serology and PCR-based assays |
| GWU Requirements | Report all incidents to the Office of Risk Management as well as the Office of Research Safety (ORS) IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE OCCURRENCE. |
| Containment | |
|---|---|
| BSL-2/ABSL-2 | Risk Group 2 characterizes these human coronaviruses. BSL-2 practices, containment equipment, and facilities are suitable for activities utilizing known or potentially infectious body fluids and for cell culture passage of infectious strains. ABSL-2 practices, containment equipment, and facilities are suitable for studies in animals requiring BSL-2 containment. |
| Spill Procedures | |
|---|---|
| Small Spills (<1 liter) | If the spill occurred inside a biological safety cabinet, close the sash and allow the cabinet to operate for 15 minutes before continuing with the spill cleanup.
HCoV-OC43 is primarily transmitted via aerosols, so spills present an increased risk of exposure. Leave the room immediately and allow the aerosols to dissipate for 15 minutes. Notify others working in the lab. Don appropriate PPE. Cover area of the spill with paper towels or any absorbent material and apply an EPA registered disinfectant effective against enveloped viruses (ethanol, bleach, glutaraldehyde, and phenol), working from the perimeter towards the center. Allow 30 minutes of contact time before disposal and cleanup of spill materials. |
| Large Spills | Alert lab personnel in the laboratory to the spill and keep people out of the area to prevent spread of the contamination. Check if you have been contaminated or if any of your PPE has been breached. If so follow exposure procedures. Remove any contaminated clothing and place it the biohazard waste. Wash your hands and post a sign on the door. Notify your supervisor of the incident and call ORS (4-8258) for assistance. If the situation involves an imminently life-threatening injury or has catastrophic potential, call 911. |
| Exposure Procedures | |
|---|---|
| Mucus Membrane | Flush eyes, mouth or nose for 15 minutes at eyewash station. |
| Other Exposure | Wash area with soap and water for 15 minutes. |
| Reporting | Report ALL injuries to the PI immediately and reported to the Office of Risk Management at [email protected] IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE OCCURRENCE. Exposures that involve a bloodborne-pathogen or recombinant DNA also need to be reported to the Office of Research Safety at [email protected]. If the injury requires immediate medical attention, call GWPD at 202-994-6111 or call 911. |
| Medical Monitoring | Seek immediate medical evaluation, treatment, and post exposure follow-up at the Employee Health Office at GWU Hospital (900 23rd St., NW, Suite G-1090, Phone: 202-715-4275). Students should go to the Students Health Office at Marvin Center. After hours treatment can be received at the GWU hospital emergency room. |
| Stability | |
|---|---|
| Disinfection | Susceptible 10% bleach, 2% glutaraldehyde, and 70% ethanol. Quaternary ammonium compounds are also effective |
| Inactivation | Inactivation by UV light can be done by exposure to 1200 µJ/cm2 for 30 minutes |
| Survival Outside Host | Survives up to six days in aqueous mediums and up to 3 hours on dry inanimate surfaces |
| Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | |
|---|---|
| Minimum PPE Requirements | At minimum, personnel are required to don gloves, closed toed shoes, lab coat, and appropriate face and eye protection prior to working with HCoV-OC43. Additional PPE may be required depending on lab specific SOPs. |
| Additional Precautions | Additional protection may be worn over laboratory clothing when infectious materials are directly handled, such as solid-front gowns with tight fitting wrists, gloves, and respiratory protection. |
| References | |
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