Inactivation of bacterial and viral biothreat agen

Authors: Pauline Bleichert Christophe Espírito Santo Matthias Hanczaruk Hermann Meyer Gregor Grass

Publish Date: 2014/08/07

Volume: 27, Issue: 6, Pages: 1179-1189

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Abstract

In recent years several studies in laboratory settings and in hospital environments have demonstrated that surfaces of massive metallic copper have intrinsic antibacterial and antiviral properties Microbes are rapidly inactivated by a quick sharp shock known as contact killing The underlying mechanism is not yet fully understood however in this process the cytoplasmic membrane is severely damaged Pathogenic bacterial and viral highconsequence species able to evade the host immune system are among the most serious lethal microbial challenges to human health Here we investigated contactkilling mediated by copper surfaces of Gramnegative bacteria Brucella melitensis Burkholderia mallei Burkholderia pseudomallei Francisella tularensis tularensis and Yersinia pestis and of Grampositive endosporeforming Bacillus anthracis Additionally we also tested inactivation of monkeypox virus and vaccinia virus on copper This group of pathogens comprises biothreat species or their close relatives classified by the Center for Disease and Control and Prevention CDC as microbial select agents posing severe threats to public health and having the potential to be deliberately released All agents were rapidly inactivated on copper between 30 s and 5 min with the exception of B anthracis endospores For vegetative bacterial cells prolonged contact to metallic copper resulted in the destruction of cell structureThe authors thank Holger Scholz InstMikroBioBw München Wolf Splettstößer InstMikroBioBw München and Birgit Strommenger RKI Werningerode for sharing bacterial strains Thanks are due to Daniela Horenkamp and Jutta Brohl for assistance in BSL3work This work was supported by a research grant from the International Copper Association ICA/Copper Development Association CDA and CES by a graduate fellowship of the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia Portugal

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