Replies

SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT
NAME: Human coronavirus

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Viral respiratory disease, viral gastroenteritis

CHARACTERISTICS: Coronaviridae; first isolated in 1965, spherical enveloped virion, 80-160 nm in diameter, crown-like in appearance, club-shaped peplomars, single-stranded, linear, non-segmented, positive-sense RNA genome;

SECTION II - HEALTH HAZARD

PATHOGENICITY: Usually produce an afebrile cold in adults, characterized by nasal discharge, and malaise; may exacerbate respiratory symptoms in asthmatic and chronic pulmonary disease patients; implicated in gastroenteritis; greater occurrence in children; maybe associated with pneumonia and pleural reactions, rarely manifests in neurological complications; immunity is serotype specific; antigenic heterogeneity allows for multiple symptomatic reinfections

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Worldwide; major cause of respiratory disease between late fall and early winter; accounts for 10-30% of all colds

HOST RANGE: Humans

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Not known

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: By inhalation of aerosols; respiratory transmission from person-to-person; indirectly through fomites

INCUBATION PERIOD: From 2 to 5 days

COMMUNICABILITY: Communicable during the acute and convalescent stages of the disease

SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: Humans

ZOONOSIS: None

VECTORS: None

SECTION IV - VIABILITY

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: No specific antivirals

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to 1% sodium hypochlorite, 2% glutaraldehyde

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Sensitive to heat

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Survives up to 24 hours on metal surfaces at ambient conditions

SECTION V - MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; confirm by serological testing and viral isolation
FIRST AID/TREATMENT: No specific therapy

IMMUNIZATION: None available

PROPHYLAXIS: None available

SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS
LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: None reported to date

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Nasal discharges, respiratory
secretions; stools

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Droplet exposure of the mucous membranes of the eye, nose and/or mouth; inhalation of infectious aerosols; ingestion

SECTION VII - RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices, equipment and containment facilities for activities involving virus, infectious body tissues and fluids