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Public Health Microbiology

Survival of Influenza Virus on Banknotes

Yves Thomas, Guido Vogel, Werner Wunderli, Patricia Suter, Mark Witschi, Daniel Koch, Caroline Tapparel, Laurent Kaiser
Yves Thomas
1Central Laboratory of Virology, Division of Infectious Diseases, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
2Swiss National Reference Center for Influenza, Central Laboratory of Virology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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  • For correspondence: yves.thomas@hcuge.ch
Guido Vogel
3Kantonales Laboratorium Basel-Stadt, Kontrollstelle für Chemie und Biosicherheit, Basel, Switzerland
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Werner Wunderli
1Central Laboratory of Virology, Division of Infectious Diseases, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
2Swiss National Reference Center for Influenza, Central Laboratory of Virology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Patricia Suter
2Swiss National Reference Center for Influenza, Central Laboratory of Virology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Mark Witschi
4Federal Office of Public Health, Division of Communicable Diseases, Bern, Switzerland
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Daniel Koch
4Federal Office of Public Health, Division of Communicable Diseases, Bern, Switzerland
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Caroline Tapparel
1Central Laboratory of Virology, Division of Infectious Diseases, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Laurent Kaiser
1Central Laboratory of Virology, Division of Infectious Diseases, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
2Swiss National Reference Center for Influenza, Central Laboratory of Virology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00076-08
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ABSTRACT

Successful control of a viral disease requires knowledge of the different vectors that could promote its transmission among hosts. We assessed the survival of human influenza viruses on banknotes given that billions of these notes are exchanged daily worldwide. Banknotes were experimentally contaminated with representative influenza virus subtypes at various concentrations, and survival was tested after different time periods. Influenza A viruses tested by cell culture survived up to 3 days when they were inoculated at high concentrations. The same inoculum in the presence of respiratory mucus showed a striking increase in survival time (up to 17 days). Similarly, B/Hong Kong/335/2001 virus was still infectious after 1 day when it was mixed with respiratory mucus. When nasopharyngeal secretions of naturally infected children were used, influenza virus survived for at least 48 h in one-third of the cases. The unexpected stability of influenza virus in this nonbiological environment suggests that unusual environmental contamination should be considered in the setting of pandemic preparedness.

  • Copyright © 2008 American Society for Microbiology
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Survival of Influenza Virus on Banknotes
Yves Thomas, Guido Vogel, Werner Wunderli, Patricia Suter, Mark Witschi, Daniel Koch, Caroline Tapparel, Laurent Kaiser
Applied and Environmental Microbiology May 2008, 74 (10) 3002-3007; DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00076-08

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Survival of Influenza Virus on Banknotes
Yves Thomas, Guido Vogel, Werner Wunderli, Patricia Suter, Mark Witschi, Daniel Koch, Caroline Tapparel, Laurent Kaiser
Applied and Environmental Microbiology May 2008, 74 (10) 3002-3007; DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00076-08
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KEYWORDS

environmental microbiology
Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype
Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype
Influenza B virus
Microbial Viability

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