Stability and Inactivation of Monkeypox Virus on Inanimate Surfaces

The spread of nonzoonotic monkeypox virus (MPXV) infections necessitates the reevaluation of hygiene measures. Evaluation of MPXV stability at different temperatures and interfering substances revealed increased persistence with decreasing temperature. MPXV was efficiently inactivated by alcohol- and aldehyde-based surface disinfectants. The spread of nonzoonotic monkeypox virus (MPXV) infections necessitates the reevaluation of hygiene measures. To date, only limited data are available on MPXV surface stability. Here, we evaluate the stability of infectious MPXV on stainless steel stored at different temperatures, while using different interfering substances to mimic environmental contamination. MPXV persistence increased with decreasing temperature. Additionally, we were able to show that MPXV could efficiently be inactivated by alcohol- and aldehyde-based surface disinfectants. These findings underline the stability of MPXV on inanimate surfaces and support the recommendations to use alcohol-based disinfectants as prevention measures or in outbreak situations.

Automated summary

The spread of nonzoonotic monkeypox virus (MPXV) infections requires a reevaluation of hygiene measures. Evaluation of MPXV stability at different temperatures and interfering substances showed increased persistence at lower temperatures. MPXV can be efficiently inactivated by alcohol- and aldehyde-based surface disinfectants.