Effectiveness of common household cleaning agents in reducing the viability of human influenza A/H1N1.
BACKGROUND
In the event of an influenza pandemic, the majority of people infected will be nursed at home. It is therefore important to determine simple methods for limiting the spread of the virus within the home. The purpose of this work was to test a representative range of common household cleaning agents for their effectiveness at killing or reducing the viability of influenza A virus.


RESULTS
Plaque assays provided a robust and reproducible method for determining virus viability after disinfection, while a National Standard influenza virus RT-PCR assay (VSOP 25, www.hpa-standardmethods.org.uk) was adapted to detect viral genome, and a British Standard (BS:EN 14476:2005) was modified to determine virus killing.


CONCLUSIONS
Active ingredients in a number of the cleaning agents, wipes, and tissues tested were able to rapidly render influenza virus nonviable, as determined by plaque assay. Commercially available wipes with a claimed antiviral or antibacterial effect killed or reduced virus infectivity, while nonmicrobiocidal wipes and those containing only low concentrations (<5%) of surfactants showed lower anti-influenza activity. Importantly, however, our findings indicate that it is possible to use common, low-technology agents such as 1% bleach, 10% malt vinegar, or 0.01% washing-up liquid to rapidly and completely inactivate influenza virus. Thus, in the context of the ongoing pandemic, and especially in low-resource settings, the public does not need to source specialized cleaning products, but can rapidly disinfect potentially contaminated surfaces with agents readily available in most homes.
Greatorex
Jane S
JS
Health Protection Agency, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Page
Rosanna F
RF
Curran
Martin D
MD
Digard
Paul
P
Enstone
Joanne E
JE
Wreghitt
Tim
T
Powell
Penny P
PP
Sexton
Darren W
DW
Vivancos
Roberto
R
Nguyen-Van-Tam
Jonathan S
JS
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D038301:Virus Inactivation / Q000187:drug effects
D004202:Disinfectants; D012367:RNA, Viral