Risk of occupational exposure to potentially infectious nonhuman primate materials and to simian immunodeficiency virus

Abstract

Five hundred fifty persons who worked with nonhuman primates (NHP) or with NHP material in 13 North American research institutions were surveyed for potential occupational exposures and tested for antibodies to simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Needlesticks and mucocutaneous exposures were reported more frequently among persons who handled SIV‐negative or SIV‐status‐unknown (SIV‐N/U) animals (36% and 35%) or who worked with SIV‐N/U material in the laboratory (18% and 17%) than among persons who handled SIV‐positive NHP (SIV‐P) (9% and 4%) or worked with SIV‐P material (6% and 8%). The risk for needlesticks when working with both SIV‐N/U and SIV‐P animals and the risk for mucocutaneous exposures from SIV‐N/U animals increased with the number of years working with NHP. Persons who performed invasive tasks (e.g., obtaining blood samples, performing surgery/autopsies) were more likely than others to sustain needlesticks (adjusted OR = 3.55, 95%CI = 1.40–9.02). Two (0.4%) of 550 persons had antibodies to SIV. One appears to be infected with SIV, as previously reported. These data suggest that persons who work with NHP or with NHP material are at risk for occupational exposure to potentially infectious materials including SIV. Prevention strategies are needed to reduce the risk for needlesticks and mucocutaneous exposures around all NHP, and safety guidelines should emphasize prevention options for invasive tasks performed with animals.