Potential role of fomites in the vehicular transmission of human astroviruses

The persistence of human astroviruses dried on representative porous (paper ) and nonporous (china) surfaces was investigated. Long-term astrovirus sur vival on fomites was monitored by an integrated cell culture-reverse transc ription-PCR procedure. Viruses were applied to inanimate surfaces in the pr esence and absence of fecal material, and their survival was assayed at 4 a nd 20 degreesC with high relative humidity. Astroviruses exhibited a notabl e persistence when dried on porous and nonporous materials, particularly at low temperature. Short-term survival of astroviruses on fomites was compar ed to that of other enteric viruses significant for health, such as rotavir us, adenovirus, poliovirus, and hepatitis A virus. Overall, astroviruses pe rsisted better than poliovirus and adenovirus, although they exhibited a sh orter survival than rotavirus and hepatitis A virus. Astroviruses show a hi gh level of persistence at the desiccation step, which is of major signific ance in determining the chance of subsequent virus survival dried on fomite s. Astroviruses are able to survive on inert surfaces long enough to sugges t that fomites may play a relevant role in the secondary transmission of as trovirus diarrhea.