Microbicidal actives with virucidal efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 and other beta- and alpha-coronaviruses: implications for future emerging coronaviruses and other enveloped viruses

Abstract

Mitigating the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 or other coronaviruses requires awareness of the survival of virus on high-touch environmental surfaces (HITES) and skin, and frequent use of targeted microbicides with virucidal efficacy. We evaluated the efficacies of formulated microbicidal actives against alpha- and beta-coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2.Infectious coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS-CoV-2, human coronavirus 229E, bovine coronavirus, murine hepatitis virus-1, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, were deposited on prototypic HITES or spiked into liquid matrices along with organic soil loads. Alcohol-, quaternary ammonium compound-, hydrochloric acid-, organic acid-, p-chloro-m-xylenol-, and sodium hypochlorite-based microbicidal formulations were evaluated per global standardized ASTM International and EN methodologies. All evaluated formulated microbicides inactivated SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses in suspension or on prototypic HITES. Virucidal efficacies ( ≥3 to ≥6 log10 reduction) were displayed within 30 s to 5 min. Coronaviruses, like other lipid-enveloped viruses, are susceptible to commonly used microbicides. We confirmed the virucidal efficacy of a variety of commercially available formulated microbicides against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses. These formulated microbicidal actives should be useful for targeted surface and hand hygiene and disinfection of liquids, as part of infection prevention and control for SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging enveloped viruses.

Disinfection and decontamination in the context of SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific data

“…49,80 Substances such as citric acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, and hydrochloric acid have been used in various disinfectant or germicidal products, and all of these are reported to have some antiviral effects. 81,82 In working dilutions, efficacy may trail that of alcohol-based products or those with quaternary ammonium compounds, but the details of pH, working concentrations, temperature of use, exposure times, and product combinations, among other features, have not been explored in sufficient detail.…”

“…As for other coronaviruses, neat or working dilutions of common household bleach are very effective anti-SARS-CoV-2 treatments and have been commonly touted in international infection control standards. 49,77,81 Efficacy is achieved in 1-5 min exposures. Some difference in efficacy for various chlorine agents has been proposed.…”

“…Variant compositions of products inclusive of chloroxylenol have been assessed. 49,77,81,82 Concentrations ranging from 0.05% to 0.12% have antiviral properties, but may not achieve comparative efficacy with alcohol-based preparations or working bleach dilutions. 77 Depending on the experiment, efficacy for high viral loads can be found in short time periods.…”

SARS-CoV-2 mutational variants may represent a new challenge to society, but not to the virucidal armamentarium

“…transmission from contaminated fomites to susceptible oral, nasal, and ocular mucous membranes)? Will those targeted hygiene approaches that are effective for original SARS-CoV-2 [5] be effective for the new variants?…”

“…A wide range of formulated microbicidal actives incorporated into hygiene agents have been found to be effective against different members of the Coronaviridae [5]. In addition, efficacy of microbicides tested in hard surface inactivation studies and in suspension inactivation studies have demonstrated that there is little difference in efficacy for any given agent against different alpha-and beta-coronaviruses [5]. Taken together, these results provide a high degree of confidence that a hygiene agent effective for original SARS-CoV-2 will be equally effective against newly emerging mutational variants of the pandemic virus.…”