EFFICACY OF VAPORIZED HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE AGAINST EXOTIC ANIMAL VIRUSES

The efficacy of vapor-phase hydrogen peroxide in a pass-through box fo r the decontamination of equipment and inanimate materials potentially contaminated with exotic animal viruses was evaluated. Tests were con ducted,vith a variety of viral agents, which included representatives of several virus families (Orthomyxoviridae, Reoviridae, Flavivirinak, Paramyxoviridae, Herpesviridae, Picornaviridae, Caliciviridae, and Rh abdoviridae) from both avian and mammalian species, with particular em phasis on animal viruses exotic to Canada, The effects of the gas on a variety of laboratory equipment were also studied, Virus suspensions in cell culture media, egg fluid, or blood were dried onto glass and s tainless steel, Virus viability was assessed after exposure to vapor-p hase hydrogen peroxide for 30 min, For all viruses tested and under al l conditions (except one), the decontamination process reduced the vir us titer to 0 embryo-lethal doses for the avian viruses (avian influen za and Newcastle disease viruses) or less than 10 tissue culture infec tive doses for the mammalian viruses (African swine fever, bluetongue, hog cholera, pseudorabies, swine vesicular disease, vesicular exanthe ma, and vesicular stomatitis viruses), The laboratory equipment expose d to the gas appeared to suffer no adverse effects, Vapor-phase hydrog en peroxide decontamination can be recommended as a safe and efficacio us way of removing potentially virus-contaminated objects from biocont ainment level III laboratories in which exotic animal disease virus ag ents are handled.