Open AccessEvaluating the Environmental Persistence and Inactivation of MS2 Bacteriophage and the Presumed Ebola Virus Surrogate Phi6 Using Low Concentration Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor
Author(s) -
Joseph P. Wood,
William R. Richter,
Michelle Sunderman,
M. Worth Calfee,
Shan Serre,
Leroy Mickelsen
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
environmental science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.851
H-Index - 397
eISSN - 1520-5851
pISSN - 0013-936X
DOI - 10.1021/acs.est.9b06034
Subject(s) - hydrogen peroxide , human decontamination , ebola virus , persistence (discontinuity) , bacteriophage , virus , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , outbreak , biology , medicine , geotechnical engineering , biochemistry , escherichia coli , gene , engineering , organic chemistry , pathology
Ebola virus (EBOV) disease outbreaks, as well as the ability of EBOV to persist in the environment under certain conditions, highlight the need to develop effective decontamination techniques against the virus. We evaluated the efficacy of hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) to inactivate MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophages, the latter a recommended surrogate for EBOV. The phages were inoculated onto six material types with and without the presence of whole human blood. The inoculated materials were then exposed to either a high or low concentration of HPV for various elapsed times. The phages were also recovered from positive controls at these same elapsed times, to assess environmental persistence and decontamination efficacy. Low concentration hydrogen peroxide vapor (LCHP; 25 ppm) was effective against both phages on all materials without the presence of blood at 2 h. LCHP was ineffective against the phages in the presence of blood, on all materials, even with a 3-day contact time. Higher concentrations of HPV (>400 ppm) with contact times of 24-32 h achieved approximately 2-6 log reduction of the phages in the presence of blood.