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

Abstract

Mitigating the risk of acquiring coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2 requires awareness of the survival of virus on high-touch environmental surfaces (HITES) and skin, and frequent use of targeted microbicides with demonstrated efficacy. The data on stability of infectious SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces and in suspension have been put into perspective, as these inform the need for hygiene. We evaluated the efficacies of formulated microbicidal actives against alpha- and beta-coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. The coronaviruses SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, human coronavirus 229E, murine hepatitis virus-1, or MERS-CoV 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 ASTM International and EN standard 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. The virucidal efficacy of a variety of commercially available formulated microbicides against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses was confirmed. These microbicides 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 emerging mutational variants, and other emerging enveloped viruses.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Activity of Surgical Masks Infused with Quaternary Ammonium Salts

“…Together, these data suggest that compounds placed on PPE can be used to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in a rapid and safe manner. Quaternary ammonium salts are used to inactivate a wide range of viruses, bacteria and fungi [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Therefore, this technology should be tested for applicability to other pathogens.…”

Soap, water, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): an ancient handwashing strategy for preventing dissemination of a novel virus

“…Respiratory and enteric viruses, such as influenza viruses, rhinoviruses, noroviruses, rotaviruses, adenoviruses, and coronaviruses, have been reported to persist (remain infectious) on HITES and prototypic surfaces for varying lengths of time ( Scott et al, 2020 ). The persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on various types of surfaces may range from minutes to days ( Aboubakr, Sharafeldin & Goyal, 2020 ; Ijaz et al, 2021b ). This is also true for coronaviruses in general ( Wolff et al, 2005 ; Aboubakr, Sharafeldin & Goyal, 2020 ; Kampf et al, 2020 ; Ren et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine, and chloroxylenol are effective against coronaviruses, in general ( Kampf et al, 2020 ; Dev Kumar et al, 2020 ; Lin et al, 2020 ), and SARS-CoV-2, in particular ( Chin et al, 2020 ). A liquid hand wash containing salicylic acid as active ingredient and a bar soap containing chloroxylenol have been reported to inactivate ≥ 3.0 log 10 of SARS-CoV-2 in 60 s ( Ijaz et al, 2020b ; 2021b ). The addition of such agents to plain soap, in formulating antimicrobial soaps, should therefore add synergistic inactivation of an enveloped virus such as SARS-CoV-2 during hand washing.…”

“… Notes: * FBS, fetal bovine serum; HCoV-229E, human coronavirus strain 229E; PCMX, p -chloro- m -xylenol; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, w/w, weight-to-weight. † Tested according to ASTM E1052-20 ( ASTM International, 2020 ) at Accuratus Lab Services (HCoV-229E) or Microbac Laboratories (SARS-CoV-2); data are from Ijaz et al, 2020b ; 2021b . ‡ Tested in suspension method within the limit of detection.…”

“… † Tested according to ASTM E1052-20 ( ASTM International, 2020 ) at Accuratus Lab Services (HCoV-229E) or Microbac Laboratories (SARS-CoV-2); data are from Ijaz et al, 2020b ; 2021b . …”