Stability of enteroviruses on toys commonly found in kindergarten
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2023
Abstract
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a contagious childhood disease caused by enteroviruses including enterovirus A71 (EV -A71), coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) and CV-A16 transmitted via direct and indirect contact. Different types of toy surfaces can affect the stability of viruses. Understanding the stability of enteroviruses on toys provides insightful data for effective disinfection in kindergartens or homes. Porous (ethylene-vinyl acetate mat foam, paper, pinewood, polyester fabric, and squishy polyurethane foam) and non-porous (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic and stainless-steel coin) surfaces were inoculated with EV -A71 at 4, 24, and 35 degrees C, and coxsackieviruses at 24 degrees C. Infectious enteroviruses were recovered and titred in median tissue culture infectious dose assay (TCID50). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images were taken from surfaces to examine association of surface roughness with virus stability. Overall, infectious enteroviruses were persistent on all non-porous and porous surfaces. Virus persistence was longest at 4 degrees C followed by 24 degrees C and 35 degrees C. EV -A71 half-lives ranged between 6.4-12.8 hours at 4 degrees C, 2.4-6.7 hours at 24 degrees C, and 0.13-2.7 hours at 35 degrees C. At lower virus titres exposed to 24 degrees C, half-lives of enteroviruses ranged from 0.1-1.4 hours. Surface roughness values from AFM suggested smooth surfaces of non-porous surfaces were associated with better virus stability. Temperature, enterovirus concentration, and type of surface affected persistence and stability of enteroviruses. Our findings suggest both porous and non-porous surfaces in kindergartens allow enterovirus persistence and should be frequently disinfected to curb HFMD outbreaks in kindergartens.
Keywords
enterovirus A71, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, stability, kindergarten, fomites
Divisions
medbio,ortho
Funders
Universiti Malaya Impact Oriented Interdisciplinary Research (IIRG004-019HWB) ; (IIRG004B-019HWB)
Publication Title
Tropical Biomedicine
Volume
40
Issue
4
Publisher
Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine
Publisher Location
21-5-2, BLOCK, E, DIAMOND SQUARE, JALAN 3-50, OFF JALAN GOMBAK, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA