Antiviral Activity of a Continuously Active Disinfectant Against the Human Coronavirus 229E

BACKGROUND: Background: Contaminated hospital room environmental surfaces and noncritical medical devices are a potential source of transmission of healthcare pathogens including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Technologies that provide continuous decontamination between episodes of manual cleaning and disinfection could reduce the risk for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from surfaces in rooms of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate a continuously active disinfectant (CAD) that is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to kill microbes (including viruses) on surfaces for >24 hours. METHODS: Methods: We investigated the CAD against the human coronavirus, 229E, using the EPA “Protocol for Residual Self-Sanitizing Activity of Dried Chemical Residuals on Hard, Non-Porous Surfaces”. The method simulates contact and touches by incorporating “wear” of the test surface as well as re-inoculations of the test and control surfaces over at least 24 hours. The test surfaces were inoculated with ≥5-log10 per carrier, treated with the novel disinfectant, allowed to dry, and then abraded using a standardized abrasion machine under multiple alternating wet and dry wiping conditions (6 dry cycles, 6 wet cycles, total 12 cycles [2 passes per cycle=24 passes] each 24 hours) interspersed with 6 re-inoculations (or 12 re-inoculations in 48 hours) with ≥3.75-log10 of the test pathogen. After 24 or 48 hours, the surface was reinoculated with ≥5-log10 a final time, and the ability of the CAD to kill >99.9% of 229E with 1- or 5-minute contact times was measured on glass. RESULTS: Results: The CAD studied demonstrated excellent sustained antiviral activity (>4.0-log10 reduction) against 229E with 1- and 5-minute contact times after 24 and 48 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Conclusion: Based on our data using 229E, CAD may reduce or eliminate the role of contaminated environmental surfaces and noncritical equipment in transmission of SARS-CoV-2.