757 Laboratory Safety

Hantavirus

The disease begins as a flu-like illness characterized by fever, chills, and muscle aches, but it can rapidly progress to a life-threatening condition marked by respiratory failure as the lungs fill with fluid.

Animal laboratory workers and persons working in infested buildings are at increased risk to this disease, particularly during dusty clean-up activities. Infection with hantavirus can progress to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which can be fatal.

There are several other ways rodents may spread hantavirus to people:

• If a rodent with the virus bites someone, the virus may be spread to that person, but this type of transmission is rare.
• Researchers believe that people may be able to get the virus if they touch something that has been contaminated with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, and then touch their nose or mouth.
• Researchers also suspect people can become sick if they eat food contaminated by urine, droppings, or saliva from an infected rodent.

For more information on Hanta Virus see the CDC home page on Hantavirus.

Legionnaires' Disease

Legionnaires' disease is a common name for one of the several illnesses caused by Legionnaires' disease bacteria (LDB). Legionnaires' disease is an infection of the lungs and is a form of pneumonia. More than 43 species of Legionella have been identified and more than 20 linked with human diseases. Legionellosis is the term for the diseases produced by LDB. In addition to Legionnaires' disease, the same bacteria also causes a flu-like disease called Pontiac fever.

Legionnaires' disease sources may include almost any warm water system or device, including man-made or natural, that disseminates water, particularly as aerosols, sprays or mists, and provides favorable conditions for LDB growth and amplification.

Disease transmission is most likely to occur via:

• Inhalation of aerosols, fine sprays, mists or other microscopic droplets of water contaminated with LDB, providing direct access into the lungs.
• Aspiration such as may occur when choking or spontaneously during the drinking, ingesting, or swallowing process. This allows oral fluids and particles to by-pass natural gag reflexes and enter into the respiratory tract and lungs instead of the esophagus and stomach.
• There is no evidence that the diseases are transmitted from one person to another.

For more information on Legionnaires' disease, see OSHA's Legionnaires' Disease Webpage.

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