Inactivation of surrogate coronaviruses on hard surfaces by health care germicides.
BACKGROUND
In the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak, finding viral nucleic acids on hospital surfaces suggested surfaces could play a role in spread in health care environments. Surface disinfection may interrupt transmission, but few data exist on the effectiveness of health care germicides against coronaviruses on surfaces.


METHODS
The efficacy of health care germicides against 2 surrogate coronaviruses, mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), was tested using the quantitative carrier method on stainless steel surfaces. Germicides were o-phenylphenol/p-tertiary amylphenol) (a phenolic), 70% ethanol, 1:100 sodium hypochlorite, ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA), instant hand sanitizer (62% ethanol), and hand sanitizing spray (71% ethanol).


RESULTS
After 1-minute contact time, for TGEV, there was a log(10) reduction factor of 3.2 for 70% ethanol, 2.0 for phenolic, 2.3 for OPA, 0.35 for 1:100 hypochlorite, 4.0 for 62% ethanol, and 3.5 for 71% ethanol. For MHV, log(10) reduction factors were 3.9 for 70% ethanol, 1.3 for phenolic, 1.7 for OPA, 0.62 for 1:100 hypochlorite, 2.7 for 62% ethanol, and 2.0 for 71% ethanol.


CONCLUSIONS
Only ethanol reduced infectivity of the 2 coronaviruses by >3-log(10) after 1 minute. Germicides must be chosen carefully to ensure they are effective against viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
Rachel L
RL
Hulkower
Institute of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA. Electronic address: lcasanova@gsu.edu.
Lisa M
LM
Casanova
Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
William A
WA
Rutala
Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
David J
DJ
Weber
Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
Mark D
MD
Sobsey
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004203:Disinfection; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D006517:Murine hepatitis virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000494:pharmacology; D005760:Transmissible gastroenteritis virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D038301:Virus Inactivation; D009764:o-Phthalaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D010636:Phenols; D000431:Ethanol; D009764:o-Phthalaldehyde; C019566:p-tert-amylphenol; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite; D005976:Glutaral
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