The survival of filoviruses in liquids, on solid substrates and in a dynamic aerosol

Abstract

Aims: Filoviruses are associated with high morbidity and lethality rates in humans, are capable of human‐to‐human transmission, via infected material such as blood, and are believed to have low infectious doses for humans. Filoviruses are able to infect via the respiratory route and are lethal at very low doses in experimental animal models, but there is minimal information on how well the filoviruses survive within aerosol particles. There is also little known about how well filoviruses survive in liquids or on solid surfaces which is important in management of patients or samples that have been exposed to filoviruses. Methods and Results: Filoviruses were tested for their ability to survive in different liquids and on different solid substrates at different temperatures. The decay rates of filoviruses in a dynamic aerosol were also determined. Conclusions: Our study has shown that Lake Victoria marburgvirus (MARV) and Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) can survive for long periods in different liquid media and can also be recovered from plastic and glass surfaces at low temperatures for over 3 weeks. The decay rates of ZEBOV and Reston ebolavirus (REBOV) plus MARV within a dynamic aerosol were calculated. ZEBOV and MARV had similar decay rates, whilst REBOV showed significantly better survival within an aerosol. Significance and Impact of the Study: Data on the survival of two ebolaviruses are presented for the first time. Extended data on the survival of MARV are presented. Data from this study extend the knowledge on the survival of filoviruses under different conditions and provide a basis with which to inform risk assessments and manage exposure to filoviruses.

Neurological Complications of Ebola Virus Infection

“…As Ebola virus can remain viable in liquid or dried material for many days, transmission can occur from dead patients with EVD or from improper handling of waste materials from patients with EVD [12]. Given these factors, people at highest risk for contracting EVD tend to be the people who are actively taking care of patients with EVD such as healthcare workers or other caretakers, people who are in close contact with patients with EVD in later stages of infection, and people who come into direct contact with dead patients with EVD, through burial or funeral practices [2,13].…”

Temporal Characterization of Marburg Virus Angola Infection following Aerosol Challenge in Rhesus Macaques

“…It was previously thought that filoviruses would not remain viable for long in an uncontrolled environment if there was ever a purposeful release. However, both EBOV and MARV can be detected for up to 90 min in a dynamic aerosol spray (11).…”

Ebola Virus: a Clear and Present Danger

“…No virus could be recovered from metal surfaces at any time (8). Virus can remain viable in organic debris but is very sensitive to drying.…”

“…Virus can remain viable in organic debris but is very sensitive to drying. The theoretical half-life (the time for 50% of the initial virus concentration to decay) for Ebola virus is 15 min, and the decay time for 99% of the initial virus concentration is 104 min (8). Ebola virus is able to survive in guinea pig sera and tissue culture media for over 46 days, with a more rapid decrease in viability when stored at room temperature than at 4°C (8).…”

“…Laboratory studies done under environmental conditions that favor the persistence of virus found that Ebola virus titers on contaminated solid surfaces decrease rapidly at room temperature but that viability can persist for several days at 4°C (8). No virus could be recovered from metal surfaces at any time (8).…”