This study evaluated the inactivation of Francisella tularensis Schu S4 on
various materials (acrylic, glass, polyamide, polyethylene, polypropylene, silicone
rubber, and stainless steel) using hydrogen peroxide fumigation of a Class III Biological
Safety Cabinet (BSC III). A suspension of F. tularensis Schu S4 (7 ×
107 CFU) was dried on seven different types of test surfaces and exposed to
vaporous hydrogen peroxide (VHP) fumigation for a contact time of two hours. Qualitative
growth assessment showed that VHP exposure inactivated F. tularensis on all
replicates of the seven test materials up to four days post-exposure. The effectiveness of
VHP fumigation on the growth of biological indicators (Bacillus subtilis or
Geobacillus stearothermophilus) and spore strips (Bacillus
atrophaeus) was evaluated in parallel as a qualitative assessment of
decontamination. At one and four days post-exposure, decontaminated biological indicators
and spore strips exhibited no growth, while the non-decontaminated samples displayed
growth. This study provides information for using VHP fumigation as an alternative
approach for the decontamination of virulent F. tularensis when the current
accepted method of 10% household bleach followed by 70% alcohol may not be practical for
decontamination of a BSC III.
References
1.
AbdH., JohanssonT., GolovliovI., SandströmG., & ForsmanM. (2003). Survival and growth of Francisella
tularensis in Acanthamoeba castellanii. Applied and
Environmental Microbiology, 69, 600–606.
2.
AndaP., Segura del PozoJ., Díaz GarcíaJ. M., EscuderoR., García PeñaF.
J. & López VelascoM.
C. (2001).
Water-borne outbreak of tularemia associated with crayfish
fishing. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 7, 575–582.
3.
AndersenB. M., RaschM., HochlinK., JensenF. H., WismarP., & FredriksenJ.
E. (2006).
Decontamination of rooms, medical equipment and ambulances using an
aerosol of hydrogen peroxide disinfectant. Journal of Hospital
Infection, 62, 149–155.
4.
BakerC., HollisD., & ThornsberryC. (1985). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Francisella
tularensis with a modified Mueller-Hinton broth. Journal of
Clinical Microbiology, 22, 212–215.
5.
BrownS. D., KrisherK., & TraczewskiM.
M. (2004). Broth
microdilution susceptibility testing of Francisella tularensis: Quality control limits
for nine antimicrobial agents and three standard quality control
strains. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 42, 5877–5880.
6.
CanterD.
A. (2005). Addressing
residual risk issues at anthrax cleanups: How clean is safe?. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health A, 68, 1017–1032.
7.
ConlanJ.
W., & NorthR.
J. (1992). Early
pathogenesis of infection in the liver with the facultative intracellular bacteria
Listeria monocytogenes, Francisella tularensis, and Salmonella typhimurium involves
lysis of infected hepatocytes by leukocytes. Infection and
Immunity, 60(12), 5164–5171.
8.
DennisD. T., InglesbyT. V., HendersonD. A., BartlettJ. G., AscherM. S. & EitzenE. (2001). Tularemia as a biological weapon. Medical and public
health management. Journal of the American Medical
Association, 285, 2763–2773.
9.
EhrlichR., & MillerS. (1973). Survival of airborne Pasteurella tularensis at
different atmospheric temperatures. Applied
Microbiology, 25, 369–372.
10.
EllisJ., OystonP. C. F., GreenM., & TitballR.
W. (2002).
Tularemia. Clinical Microbiology
Reviews, 15, 631–646.
11.
FeldmanK.
A. (2003).
Tularemia. Journal of the American Veterinary
Association, 222, 725–730.
12.
FeldmanK. A., EnscoreR. E., LathropS. L., MatyasB. T., McGuillM. & SchrieferM.
E. (2001). An
outbreak of primary pneumonic tularemia on Martha's Vineyard. The New England Journal of Medicine, 345, 1601–1606.
13.
FichetG., ComoyE., DuvalC., AntlogaK., DehenC. & CharbonnierA. (2004). Novel methods for disinfection of prion-contaminated
medical devices. Lancet, 364, 521–526.
14.
FrenchG. L., OtterJ. A., ShannonK. P., AdamsN. M. T., WatlingD., & ParksM.
J. (2004). Tackling
contamination of the hospital environment by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA): A comparison between conventional terminal cleaning and hydrogen peroxide vapour
decontamination. Journal of Hospital Infection, 57, 31–37.
15.
HallL., OtterJ. A., ChewinsJ., & WengenackN.
L. (2007). Use of
hydrogen peroxide vapor for deactivation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a biological
safety cabinet and a room. Journal of Clinical
Microbiology, 45, 810–815.
16.
HeckertR. A., BestM., JordanL. T., DulacG. C., EddingtonD.
L., & SterrittW.
G. (1997). Efficacy of
vaporized hydrogen peroxide against exotic animal viruses. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 63, 3916–3918.
17.
HillmanD. (2004). Vapor phase hydrogen peroxide gas decontamination of
a BSC. Performance Review, 10, 10–11.
18.
InglesbyT. V., O'TooleT., HendersonD. A., BartlettJ. G., AscherM. S. & EitzenE. (2002). Anthrax as a biological weapon. Journal of the American Medical Association, 287, 2236–2252.
19.
JohnstonM. D., LawsonS., & OtterJ.
A. (2005). Evaluation of
hydrogen peroxide vapour as a method for the decontamination of surfaces contaminated
with Clostridium botulinum spores. Journal of Microbiological
Methods, 60, 403–411.
20.
KahnertA., SeilerP., SteinM., AzeB., McDonnellG., & KaufmannS. H.
E. (2005).
Decontamination with vaporized hydrogen peroxide is effective against
Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Letters in Applied
Microbiology, 40, 448–452.
21.
KlapesN.
A., & VesleyD. (1990). Vapor-phase hydrogen peroxide as a surface
decontaminant and sterilant. Applied and Environmental
Microbiology, 56, 503–506.
22.
KrauseJ., McDonnellG., & RiedeselH. (2001). Biodecontamination of animal rooms and
heat-sensitive equipment with vaporized hydrogen peroxide. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science, 40, 18–21.
23.
PetersonJ.
M., & SchrieferM.
E. (2005). Tularemia:
Emergence/re-emergence. Veterinary Research, 36, 455–467.
24.
RogersJ. V., ChoiY. W., RichterW. R., RudnickiD. C., JosephD. W. & SabourinC. L.
K. (2007).
Formaldehyde gas inactivation of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis,
and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surface materials. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 103, 1104–1112.
25.
RogersJ. V., SabourinC. L. K., ChoiY. W., RichterW. R., RudnickiD. C. & RiggsK.
B. (2005).
Decontamination assessment of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and
Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surfaces using a hydrogen peroxide gas
generator. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 99, 739–748.
26.
SaslawS., & CarlisleH.
N. (1969). Use of
subhuman primates in experimental infections. Annals New York
Academy of Sciences, 162, 568–586.
27.
SawyerW. D., JemskiJ. V., HoggeA. L., EigelsbachH. T., WolfeE. K. & DangerfieldH.
G. (1966). Effect
of aerosol age on the infectivity of airborne Pasteurella tularensis for Macaca mulatta
and man. Journal of Bacteriology, 91, 2180–2184.
28.
SigwarthV., & StarkA. (2003). Effect of carrier materials on the resistance of
spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus to gaseous hydrogen peroxide. PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, 57, 3–11.
29.
WilkinsonT.
R. (1966). Survival of
bacteria on metal surfaces. Applied Microbiology, 14, 303–307.
