University of Florida

Q Fever Control Policy

October 2005

 

Objective

To protect University of Florida faculty, staff, students, volunteers, and visitors from exposure to the Q fever agent (Coxiella burnetii)

 

Authority

By delegation of the University President

 

Policy

 

  1. Sheep and goats coming to the UF campus shall be held in an outdoor, isolated quarantine area until Q fever negative test results are obtained. Contact Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) for guidance on Q fever testing. Animals testing positive will be euthanized.  

 

  1. Sheep and goats will be required to have a second Q fever negative test prior to being housed indoors or used for biomedical research or invasive surgical procedures.

 

  1. Indoor housing, research, and/or procedure areas for sheep and goats will be confined to areas having no recirculation of air to other rooms. These rooms will be posted with a biohazard sign.

 

  1. Participation in the Animal Contact Medical Monitoring Program (http://www.ehs.ufl.edu/Bio/Animal/acweb.htm) is required for all individuals working with, or in proximity to, sheep and goats or for those entering indoor housing, research, and/or procedure areas. This program includes a risk assessment and a health questionnaire. Follow up assessments are conducted on a periodic basis, as well as in the event of an exposure to a Q fever positive animal.

 

  1. All individuals that will work with, and around, sheep and goats must be initially trained with the Q fever information in the Animal Contact Program Handbook (http://www.ehs.ufl.edu/Bio/Animal/achand.htm), and the methods to reduce exposure, as described below.

 

  1. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) will be required.

 

    1. Indoor housing, procedure, and research areas require disposable or on site-laundered jumpsuits, coveralls, or scrubs, booties or dedicated footwear, eye protection, surgical mask or HEPA/N95 respirator (recommended), and gloves. Obstetrical procedures or surgery/necropsy of pregnant animals conducted indoors will require the use of a HEPA/N95. HEPA/N95 use requires enrollment in the EH&S Respiratory Protection Program Link).

 

 

    1. IFAS or Veterinary Medical Center personnel contacting placental tissue or amniotic fluid (i.e. at parturition or abortion) should wear coveralls, boots, face mask or HEPA/N95 (recommended), and gloves and wash and change prior to leaving the facility.

 

  1. Aborted fetuses should be removed immediately for disposal as biohazardous material and the ewe or doe retested for Q fever.

 

  1. EH&S Biosafety personnel shall perform semi-annual inspections of all sheep and goat facilities and practices. They will audit work practices, PPE, and engineering controls.

 

  1. Failure to comply with the policy will result in the rescinding of an investigator’s animal use approval and ability to procure animals.

 

  1. This policy shall be reviewed and updated annually.

 

 

 

Responsibilities

 

1.                    Animal certification, testing, and quarantine: Animal Care Services and IFAS             

2.                    Educational program:  EHS Biosafety

3.                    Medical monitoring program - database and record-keeping:  EHS Occupational Medicine

4.                    Medical monitoring program - medical provider: Student Health Care Center

5.                    Inspections/Audits:  EHS Biosafety

6.                    Rescinding animal use and procurement:  Animal Care Services and IACUC

7.                    Respirator Program and Training:  EHS Occupational Medicine

 


 

University of Florida

Medical Monitoring Program for Q fever

October 2005

 

Requirements

 

  1. All those who work with, or in proximity to, sheep and goats or those entering sheep and goat indoor housing, research, and/or procedure areas shall be required to undergo a pre-placement or initial Animal Contact Medical Monitoring Risk Assessment (http://www.ehs.ufl.edu/Bio/Files/acform.pdf). The risk assessment includes:
    1. a questionnaire about the location, frequency, and type of work you do with sheep and goats
    2. a medical history questionnaire 

This work-related information will be evaluated by UF Occupational Medicine Physicians or Licensed Health Care Professionals at the Student Health Care Center (SHCC) to determine potential health risks to you and whether further clinical interaction or preventive steps may be necessary to protect your health.

 

  1. All individuals working with, or in  proximity to sheep and goats will be required to give a sample of blood for serum storage (serum banking). This should be done at the SHCC.

 

  1. Depending on the location, frequency, and type of work you do with sheep and goats, you may be required to complete the filtering face piece respirator medical questionnaire (http://www.ehs.ufl.edu/OCCMED/N95.pdf) and obtain clearance from the SHCC for a filtering face piece respirator. To wear this type of respirator, you must be fit tested by EH&S Occupational Medicine (http://www.ehs.ufl.edu/OCCMED/default.asp). Fit tests are required on an annual basis.

 

  1. If a Q fever positive animal is identified in a particular area, all potentially exposed individuals from that area shall undergo further medical evaluation that may include Q fever titer testing.

 

Persons with a high risk for developing Q fever

 

Individuals identified by way of the risk assessment as being  at an increased risk for developing Q fever shall be scheduled for a medical consultation/assement at the SHCC. They will be advised that it is not recommended that they work under conditions that may expose them to Q fever. The reasons for this will be thoroughly explained during the health consultation.

 

The following conditions indicate an increased risk for developing Q fever or complications from Q fever:

 

Valvular heart disease

Pregnancy

Prosthetic heart valves

Liver disease

Altered immune system

 

 

 

 

Requirements for Entry into Biomedical Research/Surgical Areas for Sheep and Goats

And Requirements for Participation in Biomedical Research/Surgical Procedures with Sheep and Goats

EH&S Biosafety Office, October 2005

 

 

  1. Sheep and goats will be required to have a second Q fever negative test prior to being housed indoors or used for biomedical research or invasive surgical procedures.

 

  1. Indoor housing, research, and/or surgery areas for sheep and goats will be confined to areas having no recirculation of air to other rooms. These rooms will be posted with a biohazard sign.

 

  1. All individuals working with, or in proximity to, sheep and goats and those entering indoor housing, research, and/or procedure areas are required to have completed the Animal Contact Medical Monitoring Program requirements.

 

  1. Awareness training for Q fever, found in the Animal Contact Program Handbook (http://www.ehs.ufl.edu/Bio/Animal/achand.htm), and methods to reduce Q fever exposure must be completed before an individual is allowed to work with sheep and goats.

 

  1. The following personal protective equipment (PPE) will be required for access to indoor housing and research areas for sheep and goats:

 

                                                              i.      Disposable or onsite-laundered coveralls

                                                            ii.      Booties or dedicated footwear

                                                          iii.      Gloves

                                                          iv.      Safety glasses

                                                            v.      Disposable surgical mask or HEPA/N95 (recommended)

 

  1. The following PPE will be required for access to indoor housing and research areas where pregnant sheep and goats and/or newborn animals are located:

 

                                                              i.      Disposable or onsite-laundered coveralls

                                                            ii.      Booties or dedicated footwear

                                                          iii.      Gloves

                                                          iv.      Safety glasses

                                                            v.      HEPA/N95

                                                          vi.      Hair cover

 

  1. The following PPE will be required for sheep and goat surgical/necropsy procedures:

 

                                                              i.      Onsite-laundered scrubs

                                                            ii.      Leak proof/moisture repellant surgical gown

                                                          iii.      Booties or dedicated footwear

                                                          iv.      Goggles

                                                            v.      Surgical mask or HEPA/N95 (HEPA/N95 required for surgery on pregnant animals or obstetrical procedures)

                                                          vi.      Hair cover

 

  1. All disposable PPE shall be left onsite in biohazard bags. All reusable PPE shall be appropriately disinfected. Surgical scrubs and gowns shall be autoclaved prior to laundering.

 

  1. Biosafety Level 2 practices will be followed for sheep and goat research, including research with sheep and goat tissues.

 

  1. Special care shall be taken to properly contain and inactivate materials or tissue having contact with amniotic fluid.

 

  1. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in the rescinding of an investigator’s animal use approval and ability to procure animals.

 

 

 

Disinfectants Appropriate for Sheep and Goat Work

EH&S Biosafety Office, October 2005

 

Surfaces in surgical and laboratory areas:

  1. 10% solution of household bleach
  2. 10% solution of H2O2
  3. 5-10% solution of Lysol concentrate

 

Large contaminated items that cannot be autoclaved:

  1. 10% solution of bleach plus detergent

Housing facilities:

  1. 5% solution of household bleach
  2. 5% solution of H2O2
  3. 5% solution of Lysol concentrate
  4. Paraformaldehyde fumigation of facilities may be performed by a trained professional, after approval from the EH&S Biosafety Office.

 

The following are NOT appropriate disinfectants:

  1. Ethanol
  2. 1% phenol
  3. 1% formalin
  4. Quartenary ammonium compounds
  5. Wexcide®
  6. Broadcide®