Zika Virus (ZIKV)
| Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Morphology | Zika virus (ZIKV) is a single-stranded RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family, genus Flavivirus, Spondweni group. There are two ZIKV lineages, the African and the Asian lineage. The latter has recently emerged in the Pacific and the Americas. It is related to other pathogenic vector borne flaviviruses including dengue and West-Nile viruses but produces a comparatively mild disease. |
| Growth Conditions | Inoculate intracerebrally into suckling mice. Resuspend 20% sMb (sucking mouse brain) with 7.5% BSA in PBS. |
| Health Hazards | |
|---|---|
| Host Range | Humans, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, monkeys, dogs, rabbits, and chickens |
| Modes of Transmission | The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main vector but other Aedes species can also transmit the virus. Sexual transmission via semen has been reported recently. A pregnant woman can pass Zika virus to her fetus during pregnancy. |
| Signs and Symptoms | About 1 in 5 people infected with ZIKV become ill. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, headache, join pain, conjunctivitis (red eyes), and muscle pain. The symptoms are usually mild and last for 2 to 7 days. There may be an association between ZIKV infection in pregnancy and microcephaly of the fetus. |
| Infectious Dose | Unknown |
| Incubation Period | The incubation period ranges between approximately three to 12 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Most of the infections remain asymptomatic (between 60 to 80%). |
| Medical Precautions/Treatment | |
|---|---|
| Prophylaxis | None publically available |
| Vaccines | None publically available |
| Treatment | Treatment of symptoms using medication for pain relief, fever reduction and anti-histamines for pruritic rash. Drink fluids to prevent dehydration. |
| Surveillance | Monitor for symptoms. ZIKV disease diagnostics is primarily based on the detection of viral RNA from clinical specimens (blood, saliva, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, amniotic fluid, semen, and breast milk). Serological investigations can be conducted from day 5 after the onset of disease, by detection of Zika-specific IgM antibodies and confirmation by neutralization |
| 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 classification is applied to ZIKV. BSL-2 practices with BSL-3 practices, containment equipment, and facilities are suitable for activities utilizing known or potentially infectious body fluids and for cell culture passage of laboratory-adapted strains. ABSL-2 with ABSL-3 practices, containment equipment, and facilities are suitable for studies in adult mice with mouse brain-passaged strains 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.
ZIKV exposure via aerosol transmission is a possibility, so caution should still be taken during a spill outside of a BSC. 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 (bleach, povidone-iodine, and chlorhexidine), 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 to 10% bleach, 70% ethanol, and 2% glutaraldehyde. |
| Inactivation | Inactivated by heat and low pH |
| Survival Outside Host | Zika can live on hard, nonporous surfaces for as long as 8 hours, and possibly longer if the environment contains blood. |
| 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 ZIKV. 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 and when working at higher containment levels, such as solid-front gowns with tight fitting wrists, gloves, and respiratory protection. Eye protection must be used where there is a known or potential risk of exposure to splashes |
| References | |
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