The Microbiological Validation of a New Containment Level 4 Cabinet Line

Journal of Applied Microbiology

Steward

et al. 2010

128

185

Aims: Filoviruses are associated with high morbidity and lethality rates in humans, are capable of human‐to‐human transmission, via infected material such as blood, and are believed to have low infectious doses for humans. Filoviruses are able to infect via the respiratory route and are lethal at very low doses in experimental animal models, but there is minimal information on how well the filoviruses survive within aerosol particles. There is also little known about how well filoviruses survive in liquids or on solid surfaces which is important in management of patients or samples that have been exposed to filoviruses. Methods and Results: Filoviruses were tested for their ability to survive in different liquids and on different solid substrates at different temperatures. The decay rates of filoviruses in a dynamic aerosol were also determined. Conclusions: Our study has shown that Lake Victoria marburgvirus (MARV) and Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) can survive for long periods in different liquid media and can also be recovered from plastic and glass surfaces at low temperatures for over 3 weeks. The decay rates of ZEBOV and Reston ebolavirus (REBOV) plus MARV within a dynamic aerosol were calculated. ZEBOV and MARV had similar decay rates, whilst REBOV showed significantly better survival within an aerosol. Significance and Impact of the Study: Data on the survival of two ebolaviruses are presented for the first time. Extended data on the survival of MARV are presented. Data from this study extend the knowledge on the survival of filoviruses under different conditions and provide a basis with which to inform risk assessments and manage exposure to filoviruses.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The survival of filoviruses in liquids, on solid substrates and in a dynamic aerosol

Piercy

Journal of Applied Microbiology

Steward

et al. 2010

128

185

“…Prior to use in challenge studies, animals were surgically implanted intraperitoneally with a Remo 200 telemetry device to record core body temperature (Remo Technologies Ltd) (Lever et al . ,b). Animals also had Remo 210 Actimeters attached to their identification collars.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Marmosets were anaesthetized intramuscularly with 25 mg/kg ketamine prior to exposure and were challenged in pairs by the inhalational route (Lever et al . ,b; Nelson et al . ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Experimental respiratory Marburg virus haemorrhagic fever infection in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)

Int J Experimental Path

Nelson

Eastaugh

et al. 2013

Self Cite

Marburg virus causes a highly infectious and lethal haemorrhagic fever in primates and may be exploited as a potential biothreat pathogen. To combat the infection and threat of Marburg haemorrhagic fever, there is a need to develop and license appropriate medical countermeasures. To determine whether the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) would be an appropriate model to assess therapies against Marburg haemorrhagic fever, initial susceptibility, lethality and pathogenesis studies were performed. Low doses of virus, between 4 and 28 TCID50 , were sufficient to cause a lethal, reproducible infection. Animals became febrile between days 5 and 6, maintaining a high fever before succumbing to disease between 8 and 11 days postchallenge. Typical signs of Marburg virus infection were observed including haemorrhaging and a transient rash. In pathogenesis studies, virus was isolated from the animals' lungs from day 3 postchallenge and from the liver, spleen and blood from day 5 postchallenge. Early signs of histopathology were apparent in the kidney and liver from day 3. The most striking features were observed in animals exhibiting severe clinical signs, which included high viral titres in all organs, with the highest levels in the blood, increased levels in liver function enzymes and blood clotting times, decreased levels in platelets, multifocal moderate-to-severe hepatitis and perivascular oedema.

“…Survival on plastic and glass substrates and in tissue culture media and blood has been reported [8], and as expected for enveloped viruses, the filoviruses survive quite well, particularly at lower temperatures. Survival and stability in aerosols has been studied by two different methods.…”

Section: Researchmentioning

confidence: 83%

A Review of Filovirus Work and Facilities at The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Porton Down

Lever²

2012

Viruses

Self Cite

Porton Down houses two separate sites capable of conducting high containment research on ACDP (Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens) Hazard Group 4 agents: the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and the Health Protection Agency (HPA), and filovirus research has been performed at Porton Down since the first Marburg virus disease outbreak in 1967. All work is conducted within primary containment either within cabinet lines (for in vitro work) or large rigid half-suit isolators (for in vivo work). There are extensive aerobiological facilities at high containment and the use of these facilities will be reported. Research at Dstl is primarily focused on assessing and quantifying the hazard, and testing the efficacy of medical countermeasures against filoviruses. Fundamental research directed to the study and understanding of the infectious and pathogenic nature of the filoviruses, particularly in aerosols, will be reported.