Antiviral activity of Ecasol against feline calicivirus, a surrogate of human norovirus

Human norovirus (NoV) is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in closed settings such as hospitals, hotels and cruise ships. The virus survives on inanimate surfaces for extended periods of time, and environmental contamination has been implicated in its transmission. The disinfection of contaminated areas is important in controlling the spread of NoV infections. Neutral solutions of electrochemically activated (ECA)-anolyte have been shown to be powerful disinfectants against a broad range of bacterial pathogens. The active chemical ingredient is hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which is registered as an approved food contact surface sanitizer in the United States by the Environmental Protection Agency, pursuant to 40 CFR 180.940. We evaluated the antiviral activity of Ecasol (an ECA-anolyte) against feline calicivirus (FCV), a surrogate of NoV. FCV dried on plastic surfaces was exposed to Ecasol for 1, 2, or 5min. After exposure to Ecasol, the virus titers were compared with untreated controls to determine the virus inactivation efficacy after different contact times. Ecasol was found to decrease the FCV titer by >5log₁₀ within 1min of contact, indicating its suitability for inactivation of NoV on surfaces.