Journal of Antimicrobial Agents

Quantitative Methods for Testing Antiviral Activities of Textile Fabrics

Abstract

Yasuo Imoto, Satoshi Seino, Takashi Nakagawa and Takao A Yamamoto

Objective: In recent years, antiviral products modified with various antiviral agents are now widely studied and developed. The establishment of appropriate antiviral testing methods for such products is necessary to discuss the efficiency of antiviral agents in the products. In this study, quantitative antiviral testing methods for textile fabrics were studied under several test conditions.

Method: Influenza virus and feline calicivirus were used as model viruses. A cotton fabric and a 100% polyester fabric were used as control samples and Ag nanoparticles were used as model antiviral agents. In testing the antiviral performance of a product with an antiviral treatment, a virus suspension is inoculated onto the product and subsequently washed out of the products. The virus infectivity titer in the washed-out suspension is then measured. The viral infectivity titer of the test suspension was determined by counting the plaque-forming units (PFU). In estimating the antiviral activity of textile products, the components of the virus suspension, the contact time, and the contact temperature were chosen as study points.

Results: The virus infectivity titer was significantly affected by experimental conditions such as the concentration of the medium of the virus suspension, the contact temperature, and the type of textile fabric support. To estimate the antiviral efficiency under stable conditions for viruses, a lower temperature and a lower Eagle’s minimal essential medium (EMEM) concentration appear to be appropriate. It was confirmed that Ag nanoparticles on textile fabrics have antiviral activity; however, this antiviral activity was suppressed in media of high concentrations.

Conclusions: It was shown that inactivation of antiviral agent might be caused by components of the virus suspension, as well as by other experimental conditions. Furthermore, the viruses can be deactivated by contact with textile fabrics, even in the absence of antiviral agents. These findings indicate that the antiviral performance testing conditions must be carefully chosen with due consideration of the field of application.

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