Study reveals an optimal decontamination solution for Coronavirus

Study reveals an optimal decontamination solution for Coronavirus
Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour technology can eliminate Coronavirus from contaminated surfaces

A coronavirus is a virus that occurs in the nose, sinuses or upper throat. Whilst most coronaviruses are not dangerous, in early January 2020, the World Health Organisation identified the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China. Novel means it has never been encountered before. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle Easter Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) were both caused by coronaviruses originating from animals.

With the Chinese authorities acknowledging more than 17,205 cases and 361 deaths up to 2 February 2020, Bioquell is highlighting the suitability of its Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour for the successful disinfection of coronavirus contaminated surfaces.

A study on the viricidal efficacy of Bioquell’s Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour was published in the April 2014 issue of The Journal of Hospital Infection. *www.elsevierhealth.com/journals/jhin

Surface contamination has been implicated in the transmission of certain viruses, including coronavirus, and surface decontamination as an effective measure to interrupt the spread of these agents.

The study evaluated the in-vitro efficacy of Bioquell Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour for the inactivation of a number of structurally distinct viruses of importance in the healthcare, veterinary and public sectors. The viruses studied were feline calicivirus (FCV); human adenovirus type 1; transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus of pigs (TGEV: a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV surrogate); avian influenza virus (AIV) and swine influenza virus (SwIV).

The findings showed that after exposure to Bioquell’s Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour, no viable viruses were identified. This is not surprising, as the same technology has a history of use during other public health emergencies. It was used in Singapore during 2003 to decontaminate SARS infected hospitals, as well as implemented in MECCA as a proactive measure to control MERS-CoV infections during the Hajj. Bioquell was also extensively deployed to decontaminate western hospitals whom treated ebola patients during the 2014 outbreak, and hospital facilities post-patient treatment for Lassa and monkeypox.

Respiratory viruses can contaminate and survive for significant periods on environmental surfaces. This plays a key role in their spread making effective disinfection essential for stopping transmission from the environment, especially as many of these viruses have a very low infective dose.

However, this is not always achieved by conventional cleaning and disinfection techniques. Bioquell’s Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour is a vapour-phase disinfection method that is virucidal on structurally distinct viruses dried on surfaces.

It achieves a level of efficacy unmatched by standard cleaning practices and other disinfection technologies. It is uniform across the entire target area and not limited to line-of-sight or easy-to-reach spaces. Biodecontamination cycles are validated through the use of 6-log spore based biological indicators – the same challenge as used to validate autoclaves.

For countries around the world, Bioquell can be rapidly deployed through the use of Bioquell Rapid Bio-Decontamination Service (RBDS). This is a fully inclusive and managed decontamination process using Bioquell Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour technology. Bioquell RBDS can be quickly called upon to eradicate microorganisms from the environment, stop escalated incidents and handle emergency response situations.

For further information on Bioquell’s RBDS visit

https://www.bioquell.com/healthcare/systems-and-services/rapid-bio-decontamination-service-rbds/

ENDS

*Evaluating the virucidal efficacy of hydrogen peroxide vapour

S.M. Goyal a, *, Y. Chander a, S. Yezli b, J.A. Otter b, c

a Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA

b Bioquell UK Ltd, Andover, UK

c Centre for Clinical Infection and Diagnostics Research (CIDR), Department of Infectious Diseases, King’s College London School

of Medicine and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, UK