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Antiviral activity of copper contact surfaces against MS2 coliphage and hepatitis a virus

Juan C Camacho1, Y Carol Shieh1, Benjamin W Redan1

  • 1Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 6502 S. Archer Rd, Bedford Park, IL 60501, USA.

Journal of Applied Microbiology
|July 29, 2023
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Copper surfaces effectively inactivate MS2 bacteriophage, especially in acidic conditions and simple media. However, MS2 may not accurately represent Hepatitis A virus (HAV) inactivation on copper.

Area of Science:

  • Food safety
  • Microbiology
  • Materials science

Background:

  • Viral cross-contamination from non-food contact surfaces to food products is a significant public health concern.
  • Understanding virus-metal interactions is crucial for developing effective strategies to mitigate transmission risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the inactivation of MS2 bacteriophage and Hepatitis A virus (HAV) on metal surfaces, specifically copper.
  • To evaluate factors influencing viral inactivation on copper, including environmental conditions and media composition.
  • To assess the suitability of MS2 as a surrogate for HAV in copper inactivation studies.

Main Methods:

  • MS2 bacteriophage and HAV were exposed to 99.9% copper surfaces.
  • Viral stability and inactivation rates were measured under various conditions (pH, media composition, food matrices).
  • FRhK-4 cell infectivity assays were used to determine HAV survival.

Main Results:

  • MS2 was stable on stainless steel but inactivated on copper (0.95 log10 PFU min-1).
  • Copper demonstrated greater MS2 inactivation in acidic (pH 3.5) and simple media (PBS) compared to protein-rich media.
  • HAV exhibited longer survival on copper than MS2 under tested conditions (0.17 log10 PFU min-1 reduction).

Conclusions:

  • Copper surfaces enhance viral inactivation, particularly in acidic environments and simple solutions.
  • The effectiveness of copper for viral inactivation is influenced by the surrounding medium.
  • MS2 may not be a reliable surrogate for HAV when evaluating viral inactivation on copper surfaces.
Keywords:
MS2 coliphageantiviralcontact surfacecopperhepatitis A virus

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