Virucidal efficacy of hydrogen peroxide vapour disinfection

Tuladhar, E.; Terpstra, P.; Koopmans, M.; Duizer, E.

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2011.10.012

« Previous Next »Journal of Hospital Infection
Volume 80, Issue 2 , Pages 110-115, February 2012

Virucidal efficacy of hydrogen peroxide vapour disinfection

E. Tuladhar
- Laboratory for Infectious Diseases and Screening, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
P. Terpstra
- Consumer Technology Knowledge Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
M. Koopmans
- Laboratory for Infectious Diseases and Screening, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
E. Duizer
- Laboratory for Infectious Diseases and Screening, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Corresponding author. Address: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 302744142; fax: +31 302744418.

Received 13 April 2011; accepted 11 October 2011. published online 09 December 2011.

by J.A. Child

Summary

Background

Viral contamination of surfaces is thought to be important in transmission. Chemical disinfection can be an effective means of intervention, but little is known about the virucidal efficacy of hydrogen peroxide vapour (HPV) against enteric and respiratory viruses.

Aim

To measure the virucidal efficacy of HPV against respiratory and enteric viruses on materials representing those found in institutions and homes.

Methods

Poliovirus, human norovirus genogroup II.4 (GII.4), murine norovirus 1, rotavirus, adenovirus and influenza A (H1N1) virus dried on to stainless steel, framing panel and gauze carriers were exposed to HPV 127ppm for 1h at room temperature in an isolator. Poliovirus was also exposed to HPV at different locations in a room. The virucidal effect was measured by comparing recoverable viral titres against unexposed controls. Polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate the effect of HPV on viral genome reduction.

Findings

HPV disinfection resulted in complete inactivation of all viruses tested, characterized by >4 log₁₀ reduction in infectious particles for poliovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus and murine norovirus on stainless steel and framing panel carriers, and >2 log₁₀ reduction for influenza A virus on stainless steel and framing panel carriers, and for all viruses on gauze carriers. Complete inactivation of poliovirus was demonstrated at several locations in the room. Reductions in viral genomes were minimal on framing panel and gauze carriers but significant on stainless steel carriers; human norovirus GII.4 genome was most resistant to HPV treatment.