Inactivation of the coronavirus that induces severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS-CoV

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a life-threatening disease caused by a novel coronavirus termed SARS-CoV. Due to the severity of this disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that manipulation of active viral cultures of SARS-CoV be performed in containment laboratories at biosafety level 3 (BSL3). The virus was inactivated by ultraviolet light (UV) at 254 nm, heat treatment of 65 degrees C or greater, alkaline (pH > 12) or acidic (pH < 3) conditions, formalin and glutaraldehyde treatments. We describe the kinetics of these efficient viral inactivation methods, which will allow research with SARS-CoV containing materials, that are rendered non-infectious, to be conducted at reduced safety levels.

Inactivated virus vaccines from chemistry to prophylaxis: merits, risks and challenges

“…The virus could not be inactivated at a low temperature of 4°C even after 3 days. However, when using a higher temperature of 25 or 37°C, formaldehyde could inactivate most of the virus after 1 day [30]. Although not investigated in this particular study, in addition to temperature, the pH during inactivation can play a major role, as is further illustrated in this review (see 'pH' section).…”

“…It is also possible that the safety testing was not sufficient and that a higher concentration of formaldehyde is necessary to inactivate these viruses properly. Darnell et al examined formaldehyde inactivation of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARSCoV) [30]. They showed that formaldehyde can inactivate the virus in a temperaturedependent manner.…”

“…When SARS-CoV is treated with 0.05% formaldehyde for 48 h, it could be inactivated properly [31]. Vaccines based on formaldehyde-inactivated SARS-CoV are shown to induce virus-specific and virus-neutralizing antibodies [32,33]; however, some virus still remained infectious on day 3 of inactivation [30].…”

“…The virus could not be inactivated by glutaraldehyde at 4°C even after 3 days. However, when a higher temperature of 25 or 37°C was used, the virus could be inactivated in 2 and 1 days, respectively [30].…”

“…However, inactivation kinetics were performed for SARS-CoV [30]. The infectivity of SARS-CoV is sensitive to pH extremes, as moderate pH variations from 5 to 9 could not inactivate the virus, whereas extremely alkaline (pH 12 and 14) or acidic (pH 1 and 3) conditions could inactivate the virus (Table 7).…”