From the Ornithological Council (2003); West Nile Virus: what ornithologists and bird banders should know. http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/WNV.html

In the lab:

As of February 2003, there have been only two documented cases of researchers contracting West Nile Virus in the course of conducting research. Both cases involved microbiologists. One was infected from an accidental needle puncture in the finger while working with live virus while the other was infected through an accidental scalpel cut while performing a necropsy on a dead Blue Jay (CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review, 20 December 2002).

It is best to assume that any specimen could be infectious and to take proper precautions at all times. Specifically:

Neither refrigeration nor freezing will kill the virus. Ornithologists working with thawed tissue or specimens should assume that this material contains live virus.

Ornithologists preparing specimens or working with tissue from fresh (never frozen) birds should be aware that the virus will remain viable in dead birds for several days.

Ornithologists preparing specimens should take care to avoid scalpel cuts and punctures. If they occur, cleanse the area promptly and thoroughly, apply antiseptic, and report the incident to a supervisor. If signs of illness occur within two weeks of exposure, prompt medical evaluation and consultation with public health authorities should be sought.

Standard measures to minimize exposure to fluids or tissues during handling of potentially infected tissue comprise standard droplet and contact precautions. These include barrier protections such as gloves, masks, and eyewear; proper use and disposal of needles, scalpels, and other sharp instruments; and minimizing the generation of aerosols (such as vigorous spraying of water on carcasses or work surfaces). While wearing gloves, be careful not to handle anything but the materials involved in the procedure. Touching equipment, phones, wastebaskets or other surfaces may cause contamination. Be aware of touching the face, hair, and clothing as well. Researchers who use gloves must learn the proper way to remove and dispose of gloves and must avoid touching unprotected skin with the gloved hand. Consult your safety officer or safety manual. Typical instructions say to remove the first glove by grasping the cuff - being careful to avoid touching the bare skin of the wrist or arm - and peeling the glove off the hand so that the glove is inside out. Repeat this process with the second hand, touching the inside of the glove cuff, rather than the outside. Wash hands immediately with soap and water.

Although WNV is classified as a Biosafety Level 3 agent, it is considered acceptable practice to work with most specimens in a Biosafety Level 2 laboratory under Level 3 conditions. See Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories 4th ed. [http://bmbl.od.nih.gov] for details.

In the field:

Although there are no documented cases of ornithologists or bird banders contracting WNV from handling living or dead birds, it is also the case that there has been no surveillance of ornithologists or bird banders to determine the presence/absence or prevalence of the disease. Even if such surveillance were to be implemented, it would be difficult to know if the disease had been contracted through contact with bird feces or saliva or if it had been contracted from an insect bite - at the research site or elsewhere.

It has been confirmed that WNV may be shed from the cloacal and oral cavities. (Komar et al. 2002). Therefore, contact with droppings, dropping-contaminated feathers, or the cloaca may result in exposure to WNV.

Be sure to have antiseptic (not antibacterial or antimicrobial) available for handwashing and first aid for cuts or punctures sustained while handling birds.

Reasonable precautions include the use of antiseptic wipes. This will protect both the researcher and the birds subsequently handled by the researcher.

Avoid contact with bird feces.

If bitten by a bird, wash hands (when possible) or use antiseptic (not antibacterial or antimicrobial) wipes or even a small amount of fresh bleach.

Since ornithologists often use needles to take blood samples, extra care should be taken to avoid needle sticks.

Public health officials consider gloves to be an appropriate precaution but ornithologists rarely wear gloves when handling birds, particularly in the field. If gloves are worn, they should be changed or decontaminated with 70% ethanol or other appropriate substance after handling each bird to avoid transmission from one bird to another. Again, be familiar with proper glove removal and disposal. Other barrier protections such as goggles and masks are standard precautions against inadvertent exposure to droplets and fluids.

Ornithologists and bird banders should take the same reasonable precautions to minimize risks - of various diseases - posed by mosquito bites. Reasonable measures include protective clothing (long sleeves, long pants, socks), and the use of DEET or other insect repellants - with repeated applications over time. For detailed information about the proper use of DEET and summary of a recent assessment of the efficacy and safety of DEET, see the appendix).

Precautions against transmission to birds and other wildlife

Ornithologists and bird banders should not re-use contaminated bags, boxes or other holding/carrying devices and other devices used to restrain birds during processing. The North American Banding Council manual states, "Launder bird bags frequently, as they must be kept clean," and "If a diseased bird is caught, it is extremely important to put that bag aside until it has been washed and disinfected." However, as it is not possible to determine if a bird is shedding virus, the better practice would be to carry an ample supply of bags or other holding/carrying devices so that no bag or other holding device is used more than once before laundering.

When preparing specimens in the field, place waste material in a biosafety bag, seal it, and burn it, or carry it out with you.

Never re-use needles or scalpel blades unless decontaminated with a fresh 10% bleach solution.

REFERENCES

Centers for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review, 20 December 2002. [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5150a2.htm].

Komar, Nicholas, Robert Lanciotti, Richard Bowen, Stanley Langevin, and Michel Bunning. 2002. Detection of West Nile Virus in Oral and Cloacal Swabs Collected from Bird Carcasses. Emerging Infectious Diseases 8: 741-742.

Nash D, Mostashari F, Fine A, Miller J, O'Leary D, Murray K, et al. 2001. The outbreak of West Nile virus infection in the New York City area in 1999. New England Journal of Medicine 344:1807- 1814.

This publication was reviewed by scientific experts under the auspices of the Ornithological Council. You may contact the Council for further information.

The Ornithological Council thanks the following individuals for sharing their time and expertise:

Nick Komar, ScD.

Arbovirus Diseases Branch

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Robert G. McLean, Ph.D.

Program Manager Wildlife Diseases, National

Wildlife Research Center (Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,

U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Sarah A. Lister, DVM, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM

Director of Public Health Preparedness

Association of Public Health Laboratories

Brenda J. Nordenstam, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

College of Environmental Science and Forestry

State University of New York at Syracuse

Citation: Ornithological Council (2003). West Nile Virus: what ornithologists and bird banders should know.