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Contact lens disinfection to prevent transmission of viral disease
1Department of Ophthalmology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110.
Abstract:
Current FDA standards for contact lens disinfecting systems require that viricidal activity be demonstrated against just one strain of herpes simplex virus, type 1. Small and nonenveloped viruses (e.g., adenoviruses) may be more resistant to disinfection than herpes simplex virus (HSV); however, the efficacy of disinfection systems against these other agents is not routinely tested. Currently approved methods of chemical and thermal lens disinfection do appear to be efficient means to inactivate HSV and the human immunodeficiency virus, both of which have lipid envelopes.
Insights
Current contact lens disinfectant standards only require testing against one herpes simplex virus strain. This study highlights the need for broader testing against potentially more resistant viruses like adenoviruses.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Current FDA guidelines for contact lens disinfectants mandate efficacy testing against only one strain of herpes simplex virus type 1.
- Small, nonenveloped viruses, such as adenoviruses, may exhibit greater resistance to disinfection compared to enveloped viruses like herpes simplex virus (HSV).
- The routine testing of disinfectant efficacy against a wider range of viruses, beyond HSV, is not standard practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of current contact lens disinfection systems against a broader spectrum of viruses.
- To address the limitations of existing FDA standards by investigating disinfection effectiveness against potentially more resistant viral types.
- To determine if approved disinfection methods adequately inactivate viruses beyond those with lipid envelopes.
Main Methods:
- Review of current FDA standards for contact lens disinfectant viricidal activity.
- Analysis of viral characteristics (enveloped vs. nonenveloped, size) in relation to disinfection resistance.
- Assessment of the known efficacy of approved chemical and thermal disinfection methods against various viruses.
Main Results:
- Existing FDA standards are limited, focusing solely on herpes simplex virus type 1.
- Small, nonenveloped viruses like adenoviruses may pose a greater disinfection challenge than HSV.
- Approved chemical and thermal disinfection methods are effective against lipid-enveloped viruses, including HSV and human immunodeficiency virus.
Conclusions:
- Current FDA testing protocols for contact lens disinfectants may not ensure broad-spectrum viricidal activity.
- Further research and potentially revised standards are needed to address disinfection efficacy against nonenveloped viruses.
- While effective against enveloped viruses, current systems' performance against other resistant viral agents requires further investigation.