Home Physical Sciences Inactivation of Human Norovirus by Common Domestic Laundry Procedures
Article
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Inactivation of Human Norovirus by Common Domestic Laundry Procedures

  • Davina Lemm , Nadine Merettig , Ralf Lucassen and Dirk P. Bockmühl
Published/Copyright: July 22, 2014
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Author Information
Tenside Surfactants Detergents
From the journal Tenside Surfactants Detergents Volume 51 Issue 4

Abstract

Today, noroviruses (NoV) are the world's most common cause of human gastroenteritis. Because of its low infectious dose and its ability to persist in the environment, the virus can be easily transmitted from person-to-person. In addition, surfaces like toilet seats, door handles or clothes worn by infected patients might serve as transmission vectors. Although environmental contamination plays a big role in the spread of the virus, little is known about how contaminated surfaces and textiles can be cleaned efficiently to prevent infections. To estimate the lifelike situation, textiles were contaminated with NoV-containing stool and washed in a normal household machine using laundry detergents with or without activated oxygen bleach at different temperatures. The obtained results show that a sufficient inactivation of NoV-contaminated fabric requires a washing temperature of at least 60°C, even if a detergent with activated oxygen bleach is used.

Kurzfassung

Noroviren (NoV) sind heutzutage die häufigste Ursache für die humane Gastroenteritis. Aufgrund seiner geringen Infektionsdosis und seiner Überlebensfähigkeit in der Umwelt kann das Virus leicht von Mensch zu Mensch übertragen werden. Des Weiteren können Oberflächen wie Toilettensitze, Türgriffe oder Kleidung, die von infizierten Patienten benutzt bzw. getragen werden, als Übertragungsvektoren dienen. Obwohl die Übertragung in der Umwelt eine große Rolle bei der Verbreitung des Virus spielt, ist wenig darüber bekannt, wie kontaminierte Oberflächen und Textilien effizient gereinigt werden können, um so eine Infektion zu verhindern. Zur Einschätzung einer realistischen Situation wurden Textilien mit NoV-enthaltenem Fäzes kontaminiert und in einer normalen Haushaltwaschmaschine bei verschiedenen Temperaturen gewaschen. Dabei wurden Waschmittel verwendet, die keine oder aktivierte Sauerstoffbleichen enthielten. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass für eine ausreichende Inaktivierung der mit NoV kontaminierten Gewebe eine Waschtemperatur von wenigstens 60°C notwendig ist, selbst wenn man ein Waschmittel mit aktvierter Sauerstoffbleiche einsetzt.

Key words: Human norovirus; laundry; activated oxygen bleach; real-time RT-PCR
Stichwörter: humanes Norovirus; Wäsche; aktivierte Sauerstoffbleiche; Real-Time-RT-PCR
* Correspondence address Prof. Dr. Dirk Bockmühl, Hygiene and Microbiology, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Marie-Curie-Str.1, D-47533 Kleve, Tel.: +49282180673208, Fax: +4928218067344208, E-Mail:

Davina Lemm, Bachelor of Science, studied “BioScience and Health” at the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences in Kleve.

Dr. Nadine Merettig, born in 1975, Microbiologist, studied in Düsseldorf and Wuppertal and joined the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences in 2009, where she cares for microbiological and biochemical research projects.

Ralf Lucassen, born in 1971, Biological Technician, worked at the university of Düsseldorf and for biotechnology companies before joining the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences in 2011 as a research assistant at the Faculty of Life Sciences.

Prof. Dr. Dirk Bockmühl, born in 1972, Microbiologist, studied Biology in Düsseldorf and worked in different positions in the field of laundry and home care in a consumer goods company, before joining the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences in 2010 as a professor for Hygiene and Microbiology.

References

1. Patel, M. M., Hall, A. J., Vinjé, J. and Parasha, U. D.: Noroviruses: a comprehensive review. J. Clin. Virol.44 (1) (2009) 1–8. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2008.10.009Search in Google Scholar PubMed

2. Teunis, P. F. M., ??? Christine L.???Moe, C. L., Liu, P., Miller, S. E., Lindesmith, L., Baric, R. S., Le Pendu, J. and Calderon, R. L.: Norwalk virus: how infectious is it?J. Med. Virol.80 (8) (2008) 1468–1476. DOI: 10.1002/jmv.21237Search in Google Scholar PubMed

3. Tung, G., Macinga, D., Arbogast, J. and Jaykus, L.-A.: Efficacy of commonly used disinfectants for inactivation of human noroviruses and their surrogates. J. Food Prot.76 (7) (2013) 1210–1217. DOI: 10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-12-532.Search in Google Scholar

4. Barker, J., Vipond, I. B. and Bloomfield, S. F.: Effects of cleaning and disinfection in reducing the spread of Norovirus contamination via environmental surfaces. J. Hosp. Infect.58 (1) (2004) 42–49. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2004.04.021Search in Google Scholar PubMed

5. Gerhardts, A., Wilderer, C., Mucha, H. and Höfer, D.: Prüfung der Wirksamkeit desinfizierender Waschverfahren gegen Viren mittels Einsatz phagenhaltiger Bioindikatoren mit dem Surrogatvirus MS2 Teil 1: Niedertemperaturverfahren. Hygiene und Medizin34 (8) (2009) 277–281.Search in Google Scholar

6. Gerba, C. P. and Kennedy, D.: Enteric virus survival during household laundering and impact of disinfection with sodium hypochlorite. Appl. Environ. Microbiol.73 (14) (2007) 4425–4428. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00688-07Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

7. Heinzel, M., Kyas, A., Weide, M., Breves, R. and Bockmühl, D. P.: Evaluation of the virucidal performance of domestic laundry procedures. Int. J. Hyg. Environ. Health213 (5) (2010) 334–337. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2010.06.003Search in Google Scholar PubMed

Received: 2013-12-17
Revised: 2014-04-20
Published Online: 2014-07-22
Published in Print: 2014-07-15

© 2014, Carl Hanser Publisher, Munich

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Contents/Inhalt
  2. Contents
  3. Abstracts
  4. Abstracts
  5. Application
  6. Inactivation of Human Norovirus by Common Domestic Laundry Procedures
  7. Dispersion of Bioactive Glass using Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide
  8. Novel/“Green” Surfactants
  9. Amphiphilic Choline Carboxylates as Demulsifiers of Water-in-Crude Oil Emulsions
  10. Synthesis and Antitumor and Surface Activity of Novel Tetrachloro Metallate Complexes of Sulfaquinoxaline with Co(II), Cu(II), or Sn(II) Chlorides
  11. Micellar Chemistry
  12. Combination of Best Promoter and Micellar Catalyst for Cr(VI) Oxidation of Lactose to Lactobionic Acid in Aqueous Medium at Room Temperature
  13. Physical Chemistry
  14. Cloud Point Extraction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Aqueous Solution with Nonionic Surfactants
  15. Influence of Alcohols on Micellar and Release Balances of Cationic Surfactant – Carbethopendecinium Bromide (Septonex)
  16. Synthesis
  17. Synthesis and Characterization of Series of Soft-Template Agents for Mesoporous Materials
  18. The Role of Surface Active Agents in Sulfonation of Double Bonds
https://doi.org/10.3139/113.110311
Keywords for this article
Human norovirus; laundry; activated oxygen bleach; real-time RT-PCR

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Contents/Inhalt
  2. Contents
  3. Abstracts
  4. Abstracts
  5. Application
  6. Inactivation of Human Norovirus by Common Domestic Laundry Procedures
  7. Dispersion of Bioactive Glass using Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide
  8. Novel/“Green” Surfactants
  9. Amphiphilic Choline Carboxylates as Demulsifiers of Water-in-Crude Oil Emulsions
  10. Synthesis and Antitumor and Surface Activity of Novel Tetrachloro Metallate Complexes of Sulfaquinoxaline with Co(II), Cu(II), or Sn(II) Chlorides
  11. Micellar Chemistry
  12. Combination of Best Promoter and Micellar Catalyst for Cr(VI) Oxidation of Lactose to Lactobionic Acid in Aqueous Medium at Room Temperature
  13. Physical Chemistry
  14. Cloud Point Extraction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Aqueous Solution with Nonionic Surfactants
  15. Influence of Alcohols on Micellar and Release Balances of Cationic Surfactant – Carbethopendecinium Bromide (Septonex)
  16. Synthesis
  17. Synthesis and Characterization of Series of Soft-Template Agents for Mesoporous Materials
  18. The Role of Surface Active Agents in Sulfonation of Double Bonds
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 7.12.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.3139/113.110311/pdf
Scroll to top button