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Volume 21, Number 7—July 2015
Dispatch

Ebola Virus Stability on Surfaces and in Fluids in Simulated Outbreak Environments

Robert J. Fischer1, Seth D. Judson1, Kerri Miazgowicz, Trenton Bushmaker, Joseph B. Prescott, and Vincent J. MunsterComments to Author 
Author affiliations: National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA

Main Article

Table 1

Linear regression models for survival of Ebola virus on surfaces and in fluids at different environmental conditions*

Condition Temperature, °C Relative humidity, % Model† r2 Virus log reduction time, d‡
Stainless steel 27 80 Y = −2.240X + 6.729 0.9798 0.45
Stainless steel 21 40 Y = −0.7829X + 6.564 0.8544 1.3
Plastic 27 80 Y = −2.205X + 7.008 0.9745 0.45
Plastic 21 40 Y = −0.5445X + 6.188 0.8303 1.8
Tyvek 27 80 Y = −1.599X + 6.939 0.9713 0.63
Tyvek 21 40 Y = −0.4631X + 6.709 0.8878 2.2
Drying human blood 27 80 Y = −0.6806X + 4.951 0.8724 1.5
Drying human blood 21 40 Y = −0.6917X + 4.828 0.9037 1.5
Liquid human blood 27 NA Y = −0.1148X + 4.651 0.2892 8.7
Liquid human blood 21 NA Y = −0.05000X + 4.231 0.05293 20
Water 27 NA Y = −1.133X + 4.483 0.9607 0.88
Water 21 NA Y = −0.5694X + 4.201 0.9139 1.8

*NA, not applicable.
†Y, log10 50% tissue culture infectious dose/mL; X, days.
‡In hospital conditions, virus titer on steel was reduced significantly faster than on plastic (p = 0.004) and on Tyvek (p<0.0001), but there was no significant difference in reduction between Tyvek and plastic (p = 0.13). In tropical conditions, there was no significant difference in virus titer reduction on steel and on plastic (p = 0.78). However, virus decayed more slowly on Tyvek than on steel (p<0.0001) and on plastic (p<0.0001). There was no significant difference in reduction rate in virus titer in drying human blood in hospital or tropical conditions (p = 0.92). Stability of virus in liquid blood did not fit a linear regression model. Virus was reduced significantly faster at 27°C than in water at 21°C (p = 0.0001).

Main Article

1These authors contributed equally to this article.

Page created: June 16, 2015
Page updated: June 16, 2015
Page reviewed: June 16, 2015
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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