To investigate the stability of monkeypox virus (MPXV) on various surfaces in clinical settings and assess its potential for fomite-mediated transmission, highlighting its significance in infection control.
Key Findings:
MPXV stability is influenced by surface type and temperature; nonporous surfaces and lower temperatures support longer virus viability, which has critical implications for infection control.
Infectious MPXV was detected for up to 21 days on intravenous tubing and nitrile gloves at 4 °C, underscoring the need for stringent decontamination protocols.
Porous materials like cotton showed rapid loss of infectivity, especially at room temperature, indicating a lower risk of transmission from these surfaces.
Viral DNA presence did not correlate with infectious virus, indicating molecular assays may overestimate transmission risks, which is crucial for risk assessment.
Interpretation:
The findings highlight the importance of stringent decontamination protocols in clinical settings to mitigate the risk of MPXV transmission from contaminated surfaces, with broader implications for public health.
Limitations:
Limited data on MPXV persistence in actual clinical environments may affect the generalizability of the findings.
Study conducted under controlled laboratory conditions may not fully replicate real-world scenarios, introducing potential biases.
Conclusion:
Understanding MPXV's persistence on surfaces can inform infection prevention strategies in healthcare settings, emphasizing the need for comprehensive risk assessment methods, especially in light of ongoing outbreaks.
