Despite not having visited any areas where the virus is most prevalent, monkeypox is spreading to people in many different nations. Therefore, monkeypox is categorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a public health emergency of global concern.
A research team from the virology departments of Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, and the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany, has investigated whether the virus can be inactivated by two disinfectants recommended by the WHO. They found that both disinfectants efficiently inactivate the virus during a 30-second application. The researchers published their findings in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases on November 17, 2022.
Alcohol-based disinfectants are effective against enveloped viruses
Infected hands can potentially spread the pox virus, in addition to direct contact with bodily fluids. Therefore, it is crucial to practice proper hand hygiene, according to the main author Dr. Toni Meister.
The researchers exposed the viruses to one of the WHO-recommended formulations as well as to their primary ingredients, ethanol, and isopropanol, separately, to examine the efficacy of the disinfectants. They calculated the number of virus particles that remained infectious compared to the baseline value after a 30-second exposure interval. Professor Eike Steinmann claims, “We could demonstrate that both WHO disinfectants sufficiently inactivate the pathogen.”
Since the majority of commercial disinfectants also include ethanol or isopropanol, they ought to render the virus inactive.
Since the majority of commercial disinfectants also include ethanol or isopropanol, they ought to render the virus inactive. The concentration of the chemicals is crucial, but you can typically see this on the box, according to Toni Meister. Monkeypox can be treated with disinfectants that include 40 to 60 percent ethanol by volume or 40 percent or more isopropanol.
80% ethanol by volume, 1.45% glycerol by volume, and 0.125% hydrogen peroxide by volume make up the WHO-recommended disinfectant I. Isopropanol makes up 75% of Disinfectant II’s volume, along with glycerol (1.45%) and hydrogen peroxide (0.125%).
