Environmental Persistence and Disinfection of Lassa Virus

Lassa Fever, caused by Lassa virus (LASV), is endemic to West Africa, where approximately 300,000 illnesses and 5,000 deaths occur annually. LASV is primarily spread by infected multimammate rats via urine and fomites, highlighting the importance of understanding the environmental fate of LASV. This study evaluated the persistence of LASV strains on surfaces in aqueous solutions and with sodium hypochlorite disinfection. LASV strains (Josiah and Sauerwald) were more stable in DI water (k = 0.23 and 0.34 days-1) than primary influent wastewater (k = 1.3 and 1.9 days-1). The decay rates of LASV on HDPE (k = 4.3 and 2.3 days-1) and Stainless Steel (k = 5.3 and 2.7 days-1) were not significantly different for either strain. Sodium hypochlorite was highly effective at inactivating both strains of LASV. This work presents data for the environmental persistence of LASV to inform future risk assessment and management efforts.