{"id":13964,"date":"2018-04-19T10:20:04","date_gmt":"2018-04-19T14:20:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/?page_id=13964"},"modified":"2019-05-02T14:27:45","modified_gmt":"2019-05-02T18:27:45","slug":"usutu-virus-usuv-agent-information-sheet","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/ethics-compliance\/safety\/rohp\/agent-information-sheets\/usutu-virus-usuv-agent-information-sheet\/","title":{"rendered":"Usutu virus (USUV) Agent Information Sheet"},"content":{"rendered":"

Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP)
\nBoston University
\n617-358-7647<\/p>\n

Agent<\/h2>\n

Usutu virus (USUV) is an African mosquito-borne flavivirus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis virus serocomplex and is closely related to the Murray Valley encephalitis virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and West Nile virus.<\/p>\n

  • Disease\/Infection<\/strong>
    \nUsutu virus symptoms can include fever, rash, and neurological disorders<\/li>\n
  • Pathogenicity<\/strong>
    \nA flavivirus present in mosquitos, and rarely infected humans.<\/li>\n
  • Biosafety Information<\/strong>
    \nclass=”a”><\/p>\n
  • Risk Group\/BSL
    \nRisk Group 2
    \nBiosafety level: BSL2\/ABSL2<\/li>\n
  • Modes of Transmission<\/strong>
    \nTransmitted by mosquitos, birds infected (predominately blackbirds)<\/p>\n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    <\/td>\nTransmission<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Skin Exposure (Needlestick, animal bite, or scratch):<\/td>\nAccidental parenteral inoculation or exposure to non-intact skin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Mucous Membrane Exposure Splash to Eye(s), Nose or Mouth:<\/td>\nDirect or indirect contact with mucous membranes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Inhalation:<\/td>\nUnlikely unless aerosolized<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Ingestion:<\/td>\nUnlikely unless aerosolized<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
  • Host Range\/Reservoir<\/strong>
    \nComplex life cycle, involving several birds species as primary hosts, predominantly blackbirds, mosquitos as primary vectors, and humans, horses, and other mammals as incidental hosts.<\/li>\n
  • Symptoms<\/strong>
    \nFever, rash, fulminant hepatitis, and neurological disorders including meningoencephalitis and coma. Severe disease predominantly in those with compromised immune systems.<\/li>\n
  • Incubation Period<\/strong>
    \nUnknown<\/li>\n
  • Viability<\/strong>
    \nSusceptible to 70% alcohol, 1% sodium hypochlorite, and 2% glutaraldehyde<\/li>\n
  • Survival Outside Host<\/strong>
    \nUnknown<\/li>\n

    Information for Lab Workers<\/h2>\n
  • Laboratory PPE<\/strong>
    \nBSL-2 precautions \u2013 lab coat, gown, and gloves. Wear eye protection if splash risk.<\/li>\n
  • Containment<\/strong>
    \nBSL-2 and ABSL-2 practices<\/li>\n
  • In Case of Exposure\/Disease<\/strong>\n
  • 1. For injuries in the lab which are major medical emergencies (heart attacks, seizures, etc\u2026):\n
      \n
    1. Medical Campus: call or have a coworker call the Control Center at 617-414\u20134144.<\/strong><\/li>\n
    2. Charles River Campus: call or have a coworker call campus security at 617-353-2121.<\/strong> You will be referred to or transported to the appropriate health care location by the emergency response team.<\/li>\n<\/li>\n
    3. For lab exposures (needle sticks, bite, cut, scratch, splash, etc\u2026) involving animals or infectious agents, or for unexplained symptoms or illness call the ROHP 24\/7 hour number (1-617-358-ROHP (7647); or, 8-ROHP (7647) if calling from an on-campus location)<\/strong> to be connected with the BU Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) medical officer. ROHP will refer you to the appropriate health care location.<\/li>\n
    4. Under any of these scenarios, always inform the physician of your work in the laboratory and the agent(s) that you work with.<\/li>\n
    5. Provide the wallet-size agent ID card to the physician.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
    6. Vaccination<\/strong>
      \nNone available.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Information for First Responders\/Medical Personnel<\/h2>\n
        \n
      1. Public Health Issues<\/strong>
        \nAfter exposure: No human to human transmission.
        \nIn case of illness: Standard precautions
        \nPPE: Standard precautions<\/li>\n
      2. Diagnosis\/Surveillance<\/strong>
        \nDiagnosed by PCR or 4 times rise in acute and convalescent serum specimens on blood serology\u2014IgM and IgG response (EIA or MJ)<\/li>\n
      3. First Aid\/Post Exposure Prophylaxis<\/strong>
        \nPerform one of the following actions:<\/p>\n
        \n\n\n\n\n
        Skin Exposure (Needlestick or scratch):<\/td>\nImmediately go to the sink and thoroughly wash the wound with soap and water for 15 minutes. Decontaminate any exposed skin surfaces with an antiseptic scrub solution.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
        Mucous Membrane Splash to Eye(s), Nose or Mouth:<\/td>\nExposure should be irrigated vigorously.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
        Splash Affecting Garments:<\/td>\nRemove garments that may have become soiled or contaminated and place them in a double red plastic bag.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
      4. Treatment<\/strong>
        \nThere is no treatment other than supportive care.<\/li>\n
      5. References<\/strong>
        \nAshraf U, Ye J, Ruan X, Wan S, Zhu B, Cao S. Usutu Virus: An Emerging Flavivirus in Europe. Johnson K, ed. Viruses. 2015;7(1):219-238. doi:10.3390\/v7010219.Weissenb\u00f6ck H, Bakonyi T, Rossi G, Mani P, Nowotny N. Usutu Virus, Italy, 1996. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2013;19(2):274-277. doi:10.3201\/eid1902.121191.V\u00e1zquez A, Ruiz S, Herrero L, et al. West Nile and Usutu Viruses in Mosquitoes in Spain, 2008\u20132009. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 2011;85(1):178-181. doi:10.4269\/ajtmh.2011.11-0042.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) Boston University 617-358-7647 Agent Usutu virus (USUV) is an African mosquito-borne flavivirus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis virus serocomplex and is closely related to the Murray Valley encephalitis virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and West Nile virus. Disease\/Infection Usutu virus symptoms can include fever, rash, and neurological disorders Pathogenicity A flavivirus […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13717,"featured_media":0,"parent":5281,"menu_order":54,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13964"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13717"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13964"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13964\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17249,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13964\/revisions\/17249"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5281"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13964"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}