Stability of Feline Coronavirus in aerosols and dried in organic matrices on surfaces at various environmental conditions

Abstract

Enveloped respiratory viruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can be transmitted through aerosols and contact with contaminated surfaces. The stability of these viruses outside the host significantly impacts their transmission dynamics and the spread of diseases. In this study, we investigated the tenacity of Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) in aerosols and on surfaces under varying environmental conditions. We found that airborne FCoV showed different stability depending on relative humidity (RH), with higher stability observed at low and high RH. Medium RH conditions (50–60%) were associated with increased loss of infectivity. Furthermore, FCoV remained infectious in the airborne state over 7 h. On stainless-steel surfaces, FCoV remained infectious for several months, with stability influenced by organic material and temperature. The presence of yeast extract and a temperature of 4 °C resulted in the longest maintenance of infectivity, with a 5 log10 reduction of the initial concentration after 167 days. At 20 °C, this reduction was achieved after 19 days. These findings highlight the potential risk of aerosol and contact transmission of respiratory viruses, especially in enclosed environments, over extended periods. Studying surrogate viruses like FCoV provides important insights into the behavior of zoonotic viruses like SARS-CoV-2 in the environment.

The Influence of Simulated Organic Matter on the Inactivation of Viruses: A Review

“…Ottawa sand (OS) No clay fraction, and an organic carbon content of 0 mg [20] Loamy sand (TLS) 6.7 mg of organic carbon, 4.5% clay Greenfield sandy loam (GSL) 9.21 mg of organic matter, 9.5% clay Heavy organic load 5% w/v garden soil [17] Others Peptide and protein A peptide and protein mixture [17] Synthetic organic load 31.2 g sebum base, 2.4 g triethandamine, and 3.78 g gelatin [15] Another study done by Reissner et al [41] investigated the overall infectivity of Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) in the presence of yeast-based organic matrices under environmental conditions. The first organic load model used in the study consisted of yeast extract and Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), and the second consisted of defibrinated sheep blood and BSA.…”