Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of in vitro laboratory studies on viral persistence and chemical disinfection (CEBM level 5)
PubMed 32035997 · doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2020.01.022
What was done
The authors reviewed 22 published studies evaluating the persistence of human (e.g., SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, endemic human coronaviruses) and veterinary coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces, as well as the efficacy of various biocidal agents for chemical surface disinfection.
What was found
Human coronaviruses persisted on inanimate surfaces (metal, glass, or plastic) for up to 9 days. Surface disinfection with 62–71% ethanol, 0.5% hydrogen peroxide, or 0.1% sodium hypochlorite inactivated the viruses within 1 minute. Other agents, such as 0.05–0.2% benzalkonium chloride or 0.02% chlorhexidine digluconate, were reported as less effective.
Why it matters
This review synthesized laboratory evidence on coronavirus environmental survival and identified common, rapid-acting chemical disinfectants relevant for healthcare and community containment.
Limits
The review relies on laboratory surrogate data from other coronaviruses rather than direct experimental testing on SARS-CoV-2. In vitro persistence and chemical inactivation in controlled bench settings do not measure real-world transmission risk or clinical infection rates via fomites.
Cited by
- context Alcohol works as a disinfectant against coronavirus as long as its concentration is greater than 70%.