A heat-resistant mutant poliovirus was isolated that does not require feces for stability at most temperatures but remains susceptible to inactivation by bleach.
The identification of a heat-resistant poliovirus mutant provides insights into the mechanisms by which viral particles maintain infectivity in the environment.
Viruses spread by the fecal-oral route need to maintain viability in the environment to ensure transmission. Previous work indicated that bacteria and bacterial surface polysaccharides can stabilize viral particles and enhance transmission. To explore factors that influence viral particle stability, we isolated a mutant poliovirus that is heat resistant. This mutant virus does not require feces for stability at most temperatures but can be stabilized by feces at very high temperatures. Even though the mutant virus is heat resistant, it is susceptible to inactivation by treatment with bleach. This work provides insight into how viral particles maintain infectivity in the environment.
N’Guyen et al. (2018) studied Poliovirus stability. Heat-resistant poliovirus capsid mutant was evaluated on Viral particle stability (heat resistance and susceptibility to bleach). A heat-resistant mutant poliovirus was isolated that does not require feces for stability at most temperatures but remains susceptible to inactivation by bleach.