Of masks and methylene blue-The use of methylene blue photochemical treatment to decontaminate surgical masks contaminated with a tenacious small nonenveloped norovirus.
Am J Infect Control
; 50(8): 871-877, 2022 08.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2000219
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
In the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, reuse of personal protective equipment, specifically that of medical face coverings, has been recommended. The reuse of these typically single-use only items necessitates procedures to inactivate contaminating human respiratory and gastrointestinal pathogens. We previously demonstrated decontamination of surgical masks and respirators contaminated with infectious SARS-CoV-2 and various animal coronaviruses via low concentration- and short exposure methylene blue photochemical treatment (10 µM methylene blue, 30 minutes of 12,500-lux red light or 50,000 lux white light exposure).METHODS:
Here, we describe the adaptation of this protocol to the decontamination of a more resistant, non-enveloped gastrointestinal virus and demonstrate efficient photodynamic inactivation of murine norovirus, a human norovirus surrogate.RESULTS:
Methylene blue photochemical treatment (100 µM methylene blue, 30 minutes of 12,500-lux red light exposure) of murine norovirus-contaminated masks reduced infectious viral titers by over four orders of magnitude on surgical mask surfaces. DISCUSSION ANDCONCLUSIONS:
Inactivation of a norovirus, the most difficult to inactivate of the respiratory and gastrointestinal human viruses, can predict the inactivation of any less resistant viral mask contaminant. The protocol developed here thus solidifies the position of methylene blue photochemical decontamination as an important tool in the package of practical pandemic preparedness.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Decontamination
/
Norovirus
/
Masks
/
Methylene Blue
Type of study:
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Am J Infect Control
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.ajic.2022.01.024
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