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Persistence of viable MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophages on carpet and dust

Nicholas Nastasi1,2,3, Nicole Renninger2, Ashleigh Bope1,2,3

  • 1Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.

Indoor Air
|December 9, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Viruses like MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophages can survive on household dust and carpets for days. Effective cleaning methods to reduce viral load include steam and disinfectants, unlike standard vacuuming.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental microbiology
  • Virology
  • Public health

Background:

  • Household dust and carpets are reservoirs for microbial contaminants.
  • Human exposure to viruses via dust resuspension is a significant concern.
  • Limited data exists on viral persistence and inactivation on indoor surfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the viability of MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophages on carpet and dust over time.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of common cleaning methods in reducing viral load.
  • To understand the implications for human exposure to airborne viruses.

Main Methods:

  • MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophages were aerosolized onto cut carpet, looped carpet, and house dust samples.
  • Viral viability was measured at various time points (0-48 hours).
  • Cleaning efficacy was tested using vacuuming, steam cleaning, hot water extraction, and disinfection.

Main Results:

  • MS2 bacteriophages exhibited slower decay rates than Phi6 bacteriophages across all surfaces.
  • Significant reductions in viable viral concentrations were achieved with steam cleaning and disinfection (p < 0.05).
  • Vacuuming and hot water extraction did not significantly alter viral concentrations compared to uncleaned samples (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

  • MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophages can remain viable on carpet and dust for extended periods.
  • Heat-based (steam) and chemical (disinfection) cleaning methods are more effective for viral inactivation.
  • Findings highlight the importance of appropriate cleaning strategies to mitigate virus transmission in indoor environments.
Keywords:
built environmentflooringindoor environmentparticulate matterresuspensionvirus

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