RAPID Proposal: Ebola virus stability in the environment - Implications for outbreak control

这项研究将测试埃博拉病毒在各种材料表面、环境设置和生物样本类型上的持久性，并测试普通家用消毒剂对这些材料的去污效果。了解病原体如何在表面和环境中生存对于最大限度地减少和阻止传染病的传播至关重要。被埃博拉病毒污染的无生命物品，如床上用品、家具和衣服，可能在疾病传播中发挥重要作用，但令人惊讶的是，关于埃博拉病毒在宿主生物体外的稳定性，我们所知甚少。这项研究将对2014年埃博拉病毒爆发产生直接影响。它可以揭示以前未知的感染源，从而提供预防病毒暴露的新策略。 研究人员将利用他们以前开发的生物控制的埃博拉病毒模型系统。 在这个模型系统中，埃博拉病毒已经被修改，缺乏编码一种必需病毒蛋白的基因。由此产生的修饰病毒在形态上与真实病毒无法区分，但它对小鼠，豚鼠和非人类灵长类动物等动物无致病性，因此研究可以在生物安全等级3的防护设施中进行。这项研究将确定病毒在常见的家庭表面，如玻璃，金属和塑料，环境材料，如水，土壤和污水，以及生物材料，如粪便，尿液，血液和呕吐物上的持久性。研究人员将评估不同潜伏期以及不同温度和湿度水平的病毒持久性。此外，将在模型系统中测试常用消毒剂的功效。这项研究的结果将为目前的埃博拉病毒爆发提供关键信息，并将有助于在未来遏制埃博拉病毒的传播。

This research will test the persistence of the Ebola virus on various material surfaces, environmental settings and types of biological samples, as well as test the efficacy of common household disinfectants in decontaminating these materials. Understanding how a pathogen survives on a surface and in the environment is critical to minimizing and stopping the spread of an infectious disease. Inanimate items contaminated with Ebola virus, such as bedding, furniture, and clothing, could play a major role in the spread of disease and yet there is surprisingly very little information known about the stability of the Ebola virus outside of a host organism. This research will have immediate impacts on the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak. It may reveal previously unknown sources of infection and in turn, offer new strategies to prevent viral exposure. The investigators will utilize a biologically contained Ebola virus model system that they have previously developed. In this model system, the Ebola virus has been modified and lacks the gene that encodes for an essential viral protein. The resulting modified virus is morphologically indistinguishable from the authentic virus, yet it is non-pathogenic to animals such as mice, guinea pigs and nonhuman primates so that the research can be conducted in a biosafety level-3 containment facility. The research will determine the viral persistence on common household surfaces such as glass, metal and plastic, environmental materials such as water, soil, and sewage, as well as biological materials such as stool, urine, blood and vomit. Researchers will assess the viral persistence for different incubation periods, as well as for variable levels of temperature and humidity. Furthermore, the efficacy of common disinfectants will be tested in the model system. Results from this research will provide critical information for the current Ebola virus outbreak and will help curtail the spread of Ebola virus in the future.