Hepatitis E virus is highly resistant to alcohol-based disinfectants

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a leading cause of acute viral hepatitis globally.
• Transmission occurs via fecal-oral route or contaminated food.
• Limited data exist on HEV disinfectant sensitivity due to challenges in cell culture propagation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the virucidal activity of various alcohols and disinfectants against HEV.
• To determine the efficacy of hand disinfectants in inactivating HEV.
• To understand the impact of disinfectants on HEV particle structure.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a cell culture model for HEV genotype 3 and primary isolate Sar55 for genotype 1.
• Performed quantitative suspension tests to assess virucidal activity of alcohols and disinfectants.
• Employed iodixanol gradients to analyze the effect of ethanol on HEV quasi-envelopes.

Main Results:

• HEV (both naked and quasi-enveloped) demonstrated resistance to alcohols and WHO-recommended disinfectant formulations.
• Only one commercial hand disinfectant, containing phosphoric acid, showed significant virucidal activity against HEV.
• Ethanol and other alcohol-based disinfectants disrupted the HEV quasi-envelope but not the infectious naked virions.

Conclusions:

• Standard alcohols and alcohol-based hand sanitizers are largely ineffective against HEV.
• Phosphoric acid is a crucial component for achieving virucidal activity against HEV.
• Findings necessitate revised hygiene protocols to effectively prevent HEV transmission in clinical settings.