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. 2001 Sep;67(9):3904-7.
doi: 10.1128/AEM.67.9.3904-3907.2001.

Potential role of fomites in the vehicular transmission of human astroviruses

F X Abad  1 , C Villena, S Guix, S Caballero, R M Pintó, A Bosch
Affiliations

Potential role of fomites in the vehicular transmission of human astroviruses

F X Abad et al. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2001 Sep.

Abstract

The persistence of human astroviruses dried on representative porous (paper) and nonporous (china) surfaces was investigated. Long-term astrovirus survival on fomites was monitored by an integrated cell culture-reverse transcription-PCR procedure. Viruses were applied to inanimate surfaces in the presence and absence of fecal material, and their survival was assayed at 4 and 20 degrees C with high relative humidity. Astroviruses exhibited a notable persistence when dried on porous and nonporous materials, particularly at low temperature. Short-term survival of astroviruses on fomites was compared to that of other enteric viruses significant for health, such as rotavirus, adenovirus, poliovirus, and hepatitis A virus. Overall, astroviruses persisted better than poliovirus and adenovirus, although they exhibited a shorter survival than rotavirus and hepatitis A virus. Astroviruses show a high level of persistence at the desiccation step, which is of major significance in determining the chance of subsequent virus survival dried on fomites. Astroviruses are able to survive on inert surfaces long enough to suggest that fomites may play a relevant role in the secondary transmission of astrovirus diarrhea.

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Figures

FIG. 1
FIG. 1
Reduction of the infectivity of human AsV, expressed as log10 (RT-PCRut/RT-PCRu0), during 90 days dried on china at 4 and 20°C at a relative humidity of 90% ± 5% (open circles, PBS suspension; solid circles, 20% fecal suspension). Error bars indicate standard deviations. Arrows indicate the limit of detection.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
Reduction of the infectivity of human AsV, expressed as log10 (RT-PCRut/RT-PCRu0), during 90 days dried on paper at 4 and 20°C at a relative humidity of 90% ± 5% (open circles, PBS suspension; solid circles, 20% fecal suspension). Error bars indicate standard deviations. Arrows indicate the limit of detection.
FIG. 3
FIG. 3
Comparative persistence of human enteric viruses suspended in PBS or in a 20% fecal suspension (FS) on china during the first 7 days after desiccation at 4 and 20°C (circles, AsV; triangles, HAV; inverted triangles, PV; squares, RV; diamonds, AdV). For the sake of clarity, error bars, which ranged from 0 to 1.2 log units, are not depicted.
FIG. 4
FIG. 4
Comparative persistence of human enteric viruses suspended in PBS or in a 20% fecal suspension (FS) on paper during the first 7 days after desiccation at 4 and 20°C (circles, AsV; triangles, HAV; inverted triangles, PV; squares, RV; diamonds, AdV). For the sake of clarity, error bars, which ranged from 0 to 1.2 log units, are not depicted.
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