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Abstract
Influenza virus has been found to persist in the environment for hours to days, allowing for secondary transmission of influenza via inanimate objects known as fomites. We evaluated the efficacy of heat and moisture for the decontamination of surfaces for the purpose of preventing of the spread of influenza.
Aqueous suspensions of influenza A virus were deposited onto stainless-steel coupons, allowed to dry at ambient conditions and exposed to temperatures of 55 degrees C, 60 degrees C or 65 degrees C and relative humidity (RH) of 25%, 50%, or 75% for up to one hour. Quantitative virus assays were done on the solution used to wash the viruses from these coupons and compared with the solution used to wash coupons treated similarly but left at ambient conditions.
Inactivation of influenza virus on surfaces increased with increasing temperature, RH and exposure time. Greater than 5-log reduction of influenza virus quantities on surfaces was achieved at temperatures of 60 and 65 degrees C, exposure times of 30 and 60 minutes and RH of 50 and 75%. Our data also suggest that absolute humidity AH is a better predictor of surface inactivation than RH and allows the prediction of survival using two parameters rather than three.
Modest amounts of heat and adequate moisture can provide effective disinfection of surfaces while not harming surfaces, electrical systems or mechanical components, leaving no harmful residues behind after treatment and requiring a relatively short amount of time.
McDevitt J, Rudnick S, First M, Spengler J.
Influenza virus has been found to persist in the environment for hours to days, allowing for secondary transmission of influenza via inanimate objects known as fomites. We evaluated the efficacy of heat and moisture for the decontamination of surfaces for the purpose of preventing of the spread of influenza.
Aqueous suspensions of influenza A virus were deposited onto stainless-steel coupons, allowed to dry at ambient conditions and exposed to temperatures of 55 degrees C, 60 degrees C or 65 degrees C and relative humidity (RH) of 25%, 50%, or 75% for up to one hour. Quantitative virus assays were done on the solution used to wash the viruses from these coupons and compared with the solution used to wash coupons treated similarly but left at ambient conditions.
Inactivation of influenza virus on surfaces increased with increasing temperature, RH and exposure time. Greater than 5-log reduction of influenza virus quantities on surfaces was achieved at temperatures of 60 and 65 degrees C, exposure times of 30 and 60 minutes and RH of 50 and 75%. Our data also suggest that absolute humidity AH is a better predictor of surface inactivation than RH and allows the prediction of survival using two parameters rather than three.
Modest amounts of heat and adequate moisture can provide effective disinfection of surfaces while not harming surfaces, electrical systems or mechanical components, leaving no harmful residues behind after treatment and requiring a relatively short amount of time.
McDevitt J, Rudnick S, First M, Spengler J.
