Contract Textile International

First System For Assessing The Antiviral Efficacy Of Textiles And Articles In Everyday Use

Volume 2 / May-August 2010

* Many microorganisms can be killed by using antibacterial or antimycotic textiles and everyday products

BÖNNIGHEIM – Researchers at the Institute for Hygiene and Biotechnology (IHB), part of the Hohenstein Institute in Bönnigheim, have developed the world's first system for assessing the efficacy of textiles and articles in everyday use against viruses. With the help of a new procedure to test antiviral effectiveness, more targeted work can now be carried out to develop products treated in this way, optimizing them to meet market requirements.

For over 14 years now, the IHB, which is accredited by DAP (German Accreditation System for Testing) and ZLG (Central Authority of the German Länder for Health Protection Regarding Medicinal Products and Medical Devices), has specialized in testing the antibacterial effect of textiles for compliance with various international standards. The Hygiene Department is now able to test the antimicrobial effectiveness not only of flexible materials (textiles and fibers) but also of liquids and solids, i.e. all kinds of products from varnish, paint and plaster coatings to plasticized and metallic surfaces.

According to reports from the World Health Organization, the WHO, viruses have been gaining ground for over 30 years. Every year, they are joined by new viruses (such as the swine flu virus A/H1N1), or else known viruses (noroviruses/rotaviruses) are found to be responsible for specific illnesses. In order to break the chain of infection, in certain public places products are given an antiviral treatment, for example roller towels in the toilets at public facilities, or articles used in hospitals. Although viruses do not have their own metabolism and cannot reproduce outside of the host cells, many scientific studies have shown that viruses, just like bacteria or fungi, can be transmitted via clothing and utensils. The aim of antiviral treatments is therefore to make the virus particles inactive, so that they no longer pose a risk of infection.

The technical principles on which researchers into the antiviral effectiveness of textiles and everyday articles base their work are international standards such as DIN EN ISO 20743 (modified to apply to testing antiviral textiles) and ISO 22196 (modified to apply to testing textile surfaces and products in everyday use). The virus chosen to use in testing for the effectiveness of treated textiles and surfaces was the harmless virus MS2, an apathogenic bacteriophage. Because of its particle structure and its environmental stability and disinfectability, this surrogate virus is similar to clinically relevant non-enveloped viruses. It is therefore suitable for using as a test virus for, for example, norovirus, polio, hepatitis A, enteroviruses etc. (caliciviruses and picornaviruses).

As well as antiviral treatments, everyday items are increasingly also being given antimicrobial treatments, to give long-term protection against being taken over by bacteria. The idea is that harmful bacteria and fungi should be killed where they pose a danger, either to prevent pathogens being transmitted, or to prevent the formation of unpleasant smells or permanent stains. These microorganisms can be killed by using antibacterial or antimycotic textiles and everyday products. In the past, the Hohenstein researchers have, for example, already successfully treated the surfaces of sanitary products to increase resistance to legionella and of dental products to resist caries-causing bacteria. Now that there is also a system for assessing antiviral effectiveness, the IHB should be regarded as the ideal expert partner for the development and testing of hygiene-related products.