tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Hosp Infect
. 2020 Jul 8;S0195-6701(20)30339-X.
doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.07.009. Online ahead of print.
Factors Affecting Stability and Infectivity of SARS-CoV-2
Kwok-**** Chan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Siddharth Sridhar[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ricky Ruiqi Zhang[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Hin Chu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Agnes Yim-Fong Fung[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Gabriella Chan[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Kelvin Kai-Wang To[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ivan Fan-Ngai ****[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Kwok-Yung Yuen[SUP] 7 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: In late 2019, a novel human coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in Wuhan, China. This virus has caused a global pandemic involving more than 200 countries. SARS-CoV-2 is highly adapted to humans and readily transmits from person-to-person.
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 under various environmental factors, disinfectants and different pH conditions. The efficacy of a variety of laboratory virus inactivation methods and home disinfectants against SARS-CoV-2 were investigated.
Methods: The residual virus in dried form or in solution was titrated on Vero E6 cell line at day 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 after incubation at different temperatures. The viability of virus was determined after treatment with different disinfectants and pH solutions at room temperature (20∼25[SUP]o[/SUP]C).
Findings: SARS-CoV-2 was able to retain viability for 3-5 days in dried form or 7 days in solution at room temperature. SARS-CoV-2 could be detected under a wide range of pH conditions from pH4 to pH11 for several days and 1 to 2 days in stool at room temperature but lost 5 logs of infectivity. A variety of commonly used disinfectants and laboratory inactivation procedures were found to reduce viral viability effectively.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on environmental surfaces and raises the possibility of faecal-oral transmission. Commonly used fixatives, nucleic acid extraction methods and heat inactivation were found to significantly reduce viral infectivity that could ensure hospital and laboratory safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; high infection rate; infectivity; route of transmission; stability.
. 2020 Jul 8;S0195-6701(20)30339-X.
doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.07.009. Online ahead of print.
Factors Affecting Stability and Infectivity of SARS-CoV-2
Kwok-**** Chan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Siddharth Sridhar[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ricky Ruiqi Zhang[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Hin Chu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Agnes Yim-Fong Fung[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Gabriella Chan[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Kelvin Kai-Wang To[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ivan Fan-Ngai ****[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Kwok-Yung Yuen[SUP] 7 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32652214
- DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.07.009
Abstract
Background: In late 2019, a novel human coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in Wuhan, China. This virus has caused a global pandemic involving more than 200 countries. SARS-CoV-2 is highly adapted to humans and readily transmits from person-to-person.
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 under various environmental factors, disinfectants and different pH conditions. The efficacy of a variety of laboratory virus inactivation methods and home disinfectants against SARS-CoV-2 were investigated.
Methods: The residual virus in dried form or in solution was titrated on Vero E6 cell line at day 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 after incubation at different temperatures. The viability of virus was determined after treatment with different disinfectants and pH solutions at room temperature (20∼25[SUP]o[/SUP]C).
Findings: SARS-CoV-2 was able to retain viability for 3-5 days in dried form or 7 days in solution at room temperature. SARS-CoV-2 could be detected under a wide range of pH conditions from pH4 to pH11 for several days and 1 to 2 days in stool at room temperature but lost 5 logs of infectivity. A variety of commonly used disinfectants and laboratory inactivation procedures were found to reduce viral viability effectively.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on environmental surfaces and raises the possibility of faecal-oral transmission. Commonly used fixatives, nucleic acid extraction methods and heat inactivation were found to significantly reduce viral infectivity that could ensure hospital and laboratory safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; high infection rate; infectivity; route of transmission; stability.