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. 2020 Oct;106(2):226-231.
doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.07.009. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

Factors affecting stability and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2

K-H Chan  1 , S Sridhar  2 , R R Zhang  3 , H Chu  2 , A Y-F Fung  4 , G Chan  4 , J F-W Chan  2 , K K-W To  2 , I F-N Hung  5 , V C-C Cheng  6 , K-Y Yuen  7
Affiliations

Factors affecting stability and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2

K-H Chan et al. J Hosp Infect. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Background: In late 2019, a novel human coronavirus - severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) - emerged in Wuhan, China. This virus has caused a global pandemic involving more than 200 countries. SARS-CoV-2 is highly adapted to humans and readily transmits from person-to-person.

Aim: To investigate the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 under various environmental and pH conditions. The efficacies of various laboratory virus inactivation methods and home disinfectants against SARS-CoV-2 were investigated.

Methods: The residual virus in dried form or in solution was titrated on to Vero E6 cells on days 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 after incubation at different temperatures. Viral viability was determined after treatment with various disinfectants and pH solutions at room temperature (20-25oC).

Findings: SARS-CoV-2 was able to retain viability for 3-5 days in dried form or 7 days in solution at room temperature. SARS-CoV-2 could be detected under a wide range of pH conditions from pH 4 to pH 11 for several days, and for 1-2 days in stool at room temperature but lost 5 logs of infectivity. A variety of commonly used disinfectants and laboratory inactivation procedures were found to reduce viral viability effectively.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on environmental surfaces, and raises the possibility of faecal-oral transmission. Commonly used fixatives, nucleic acid extraction methods and heat inactivation were found to reduce viral infectivity significantly, which could ensure hospital and laboratory safety during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Keywords: High infection rate; Infectivity; Route of transmission; SARS-CoV-2; Stability.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Stability of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and SARS-CoV. (a) Stability of SARS-CoV-2 in dried form. (b) Stability of SARS-CoV-2 in solution. (c) Stability of SARS-CoV in dried form. (d) Stability of SARS-CoV in solution. Blue line, 4oC; orange line, 20–25 oC; grey line, 30 oC; yellow line, 37oC.
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