Effect of Disinfectants on SARS-CoV-2 RNA Detection in Swabs from Various Surfaces

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly around the world, and some countries have introduced controls on imported products, including testing for viral nucleic acids. In this work, the influence of disinfectants for treatment of various SARS-CoV-2-contaminated surfaces on the detection of viral RNA fragments in swabs from these surfaces was analyzed using quantitative RT-PCR. The effect of disinfectants based on quaternary ammonium salt, hydrogen peroxide, 1-propanol, sodium salt of dichloroisocyanuric acid and ultraviolet radiation was investigated. Our results show that without the exposure to disinfectants, viral RNA can be detected on the surface of all examined materials for at least three days. UV irradiation or irrigation with a disinfectant containing 0.2% active chlorine had the greatest effect on the decontamination of non-porous surfaces as measured by RT-PCR of swabs from these surfaces. Irrigation of porous surfaces (cardboard) with disinfectants had practically no effect on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-PCR. Key words: SARS-CoV-2, viral RNA, RT-PCR, disinfectants, UV irradiation, surface swabs Funding - This work was supported by the Federal Service of Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor).

Use of Disinfectants, Registered in Russia, by the NBC Protection Troops in Biological Emergencies

Disinfection measures in the event of an outbreak of epidemics created by natural and artificial causes are connected with high consumption of disinfectants, especially in anthrax foci. This does not exclude the situation, when the stock of authorized disinfectants may turn out to be insufficient. So it will be necessary to use non-authorized disinfectants. The aim of this paper is to reveal among the disinfectants, registered in Russia, the most convenient to use by the NBC Protection Troops in epidemic emergencies. 770 such disinfectants have been analyzed. It is established, that the disinfectants of the group of cationic surfactants (CPAS) based on quaternary ammonium compounds, amines, polyguanidines and compositions of these active substances in various combinations have been introduced into practice of Russian medical institutions for almost two decades. The analysis of the scientific literature and the results of our own experiments show that the solutions of these disinfectants, recommended for high-level sterilization and disinfection of medical devices, do not have any sporicidal effect. Because of that, only disinfectants based on chlorine-containing and oxygen-containing active substances can be interesting for the NBC Protection Troops and may be used as non-authorized disinfectants. The solutions of such agents have a wide range of antimicrobial action and provide complete death of not only bacteria, viruses and fungi, but also spores of various bacilli, at temperatures below 0 oС as well. The most convenient in use by the NBC Protection Troops are the products in the form of instant tablets based on sodium dichloroisocyanuric acid, as well as in the form of liquid concentrates based on hydrogen peroxide or peracetic acid. Because of that the above mentioned agents should be used by the NBC Protection Troops in cases of biological emergencies according to the regimes of standard approved disinfectants

In vitro tissue culture initiation from potted and garden Hydrangea macrophylla explants

The effect of sterilisation treatments on the initiation of the culture of three Hydrangea macrophylla genotypes in vitro was studied. The results indicated difference among different disinfection treatment; the consequence of treatments with dichloroisocyanuric acid, in combination with silver nitrate, was a significantly higher survival rate comparing to treatments based on NaOCl. Success of sterilisation was significantly influenced by studied genotypes. Two potted hydrangea genotypes (G2 and G3) showed higher survival rate (45.00 %, 55.00 %, respectively) comparing to the genotype 1 (originated from a local garden), which exhibited the highest percentage of contamination rate (58.75 %). Culturing the explants on a McCown woody plant medium supplemented with BAP at 2 mg/L and NAA at 0.005 mg/L produced the highest number of shoots with multiplication rate of 1.31 in 5 weeks. The highest rooting percentage (100.00 %) was obtained with the genotype 2 on a McCown woody plant medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L IBA.