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Behrendt P, Friesland M, Wißmann JE, Kinast V, Stahl Y, Praditya D, Hueffner L, Nörenberg PM, Bremer B, Maasoumy B, Steinmann J, Becker B, Paulmann D, Brill FHH, Steinmann J, Ulrich RG, Brüggemann Y, Wedemeyer H, Todt D, Steinmann E. Hepatitis E virus is highly resistant to alcohol-based disinfectants. J Hepatol 2022; 76:1062-1069. [PMID: 35085595 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide and is mainly transmitted via the fecal-oral route or through consumption of contaminated food products. Due to the lack of efficient cell culture systems for the propagation of HEV, limited data regarding its sensitivity to chemical disinfectants are available. Consequently, preventive and evidence-based hygienic guidelines on HEV disinfection are lacking. METHODS We used a robust HEV genotype 3 cell culture model which enables quantification of viral infection of quasi-enveloped and naked HEV particles. For HEV genotype 1 infections, we used the primary isolate Sar55 in a fecal suspension. Standardized quantitative suspension tests using end point dilution and large-volume plating were performed for the determination of virucidal activity of alcohols (1-propanol, 2-propanol, ethanol), WHO disinfectant formulations and 5 different commercial hand disinfectants against HEV. Iodixanol gradients were conducted to elucidate the influence of ethanol on quasi-enveloped viral particles. RESULTS Naked and quasi-enveloped HEV was resistant to alcohols as well as alcohol-based formulations recommended by the WHO. Of the tested commercial hand disinfectants only 1 product displayed virucidal activity against HEV. This activity could be linked to phosphoric acid as an essential ingredient. Finally, we observed that ethanol and possibly non-active alcohol-based disinfectants disrupt the quasi-envelope structure of HEV particles, while leaving the highly transmissible and infectious naked virions intact. CONCLUSIONS Different alcohols and alcohol-based hand disinfectants were insufficient to eliminate HEV infectivity with the exception of 1 commercial ethanol-based product that included phosphoric acid. These findings have major implications for the development of measures to reduce viral transmission in clinical practice. LAY SUMMARY Hepatitis E virus (HEV) showed a high level of resistance to alcohols and alcohol-based hand disinfectants. The addition of phosphoric acid to alcohol was essential for virucidal activity against HEV. This information should be used to guide improved hygiene measures for the prevention of HEV transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Behrendt
- Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, A Joint Venture between the Medical School Hannover (MHH) and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Hannover, Germany; Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Martina Friesland
- Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, A Joint Venture between the Medical School Hannover (MHH) and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Hannover, Germany
| | - Jan-Erik Wißmann
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Volker Kinast
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Yannick Stahl
- Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, A Joint Venture between the Medical School Hannover (MHH) and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Hannover, Germany
| | - Dimas Praditya
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Lucas Hueffner
- Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, A Joint Venture between the Medical School Hannover (MHH) and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Hannover, Germany
| | - Pia Maria Nörenberg
- Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, A Joint Venture between the Medical School Hannover (MHH) and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Hannover, Germany
| | - Birgit Bremer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Germany
| | - Benjamin Maasoumy
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany; Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CIIM), Hannover, Germany
| | - Jochen Steinmann
- Dr. Brill + Partner GmbH Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Britta Becker
- Dr. Brill + Partner GmbH Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Dajana Paulmann
- Dr. Brill + Partner GmbH Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Florian H H Brill
- Dr. Brill + Partner GmbH Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Joerg Steinmann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; Institute for Clinical Hygiene, Medical Microbiology and Infectiology, Clinic Nuernberg, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany and German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Yannick Brüggemann
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Daniel Todt
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; European Virus Bioinformatics Center (EVBC), Jena, Germany
| | - Eike Steinmann
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), External Partner Site, Bochum, Germany.
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