Environmental Health
Animal Exposure Program
Ruminant Handling and Q Fever Prevention
(Standard Operating Procedures)
What is Q Fever?
Ruminants such as sheep, goats, and cattle can present a significant risk to animal handlers for exposure to a highly transmittable disease causing organism known as Coxiella burnetii . In pregnant ruminants, Coxiella burnetii builds up to enormous numbers in certain tissues and fluids, i.e., the uterus or womb, the placenta, the mammary glands or udders, birth fluids, and milk. This rickettsial organism is extremely resistant to drying and can survive many months in the environment. As few as ten Coxiella burnetii microbes can cause an acute infection called Q Fever. Individuals acquire this infection by inhaling aerosols and contaminated dusts generated by animals or animal products. Animal handlers, farm workers, students, and visitors must be made aware of the potential disease development that could result from exposure to the placenta, amniotic fluids, milk, and feces from birthing ruminants.
What are the signs and symptoms of Q Fever?
Individuals can be infected with Q Fever unknowingly, or mistake their symptoms for the flu. Often, it is impossible to diagnose without laboratory tests. Q Fever strikes as a sudden illness, affecting a large number of people in the same workplace. Common signs and symptoms include:
- sudden onset of high fever
- headache
- malaise and fatigue
- nausea and/or vomiting
- chills and sweating
- general feeling of sickness and loss of appetite
More serious complications can affect the immune-compromised, individuals with heart abnormalities, and pregnant human females, i.e., endocarditis and miscarriage or premature birth. Person to person transmission occurs rarely, but contaminated clothing can transmit the organism. Individuals should notify their physician or their occupational health provider if signs and symptoms of Q Fever arise.
How can Q Fever be prevented?
Personal Protective Equipment such as OB Sleeved gloves, nitrile gloves, N-95 dust mask, and protective outerwear should be available for individuals exposed to ruminants, especially during birthing procedures. Hands should always be washed with a disinfectant soap immediately after contact with the animals, tissues, or wastes.
Surfaces contaminated by ruminant birthing fluids and tissues can be decontaminated with a 1 to 10 bleach and water solution. Contaminated bedding can be composted and tissues can be incinerated or buried. Take care not to produce dust when cleaning and/or decontaminating. If dust production in unavoidable, the use of a properly fitting N-95 dust mask is suggested.
Be aware of the sources of Q Fever; especially fluids and tissues from pregnant ruminants. Only allow authorized individuals who have been made aware of the potential biohazards to enter the ruminant housing and birthing area.
Animal Exposure Occupational Health Program
Both research and non-research animals have the potential to cause injury, transmit zoonotic disease like Q Fever, and/or cause allergic reaction to those who have contact. This can be either direct contact from handling an animal or just from being in close proximity, i.e., working or passing through an animal housing room. In many cases a preventative annual physical examination is necessary for animal handling personnel. To accomplish this Purdue University has the Animal Exposure Occupational Health Program .
Ruminant Standard Operation Procedure
- In the laboratory setting, handlers of female ruminants should work under BSL2 conditions.
- Q Fever awareness training for staff, students, and visitors who have contact with ruminants, especially potentially pregnant human females and individuals with heart conditions.
- Personal Protective Equipment should be available for individuals exposed to ruminants, especially during birthing procedures, i.e., OB Sleeved gloves, nitrile gloves, protective outerwear.
- Hands should always be washed with disinfectant soap immediately after contact with the animals, tissues, or wastes.
- Dust reduction methods for cleaning should be utilized.
- Surfaces that come in contact with amniotic fluids can be decontaminated with a 1 to 10 ratio of household bleach with water.
- Placental tissue and contaminated bedding should be appropriately disposed so that it does not present a hazard or releasing Coxiella organisms into the environment, i.e., incineration, burying, or composting.
- Only authorized individuals should be allowed in the animal housing and birthing area.
- Individuals should notify their physician or their occupational health provider if signs and symptoms of Q Fever arise.
- Animal handling staff should participate in the Animal Exposure Occupational Health Program (Contact REM).
If there any questions concerning this SOP contact Robert Golden.
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