Virucidal effect of ozone treatment of laboratory animal viruses.

An ozonization method was used to inactivate the viral pathogens of laboratory animals. Ozone at a concentration of over 100 ppm with high humidity was highly virucidal against 4 RNA viruses: HVJ, Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV), Reo type 3 virus (RV) and murine hepatitis virus (MHV). For the ozone tests, 0.1 ml of a virus suspension in deionized water or saline and was placed in 35-mm dishes. The titer of 10(6) plaque-forming units of TMEV in a liquid-phase, which was highly stable against physical treatments, was reduced within 1 hr to a level of 0 by 300 ppm of ozone at 80% humidity and 22-25 degrees C. HVJ and MHV were more susceptible than TMEV to the ozone treatment. RV was the most resistant of the 4 viruses. The ozonization method may be a good way to disinfect not only for the laboratory animal RNA-viruses (both of enveloped and unenveloped viruses) but also animal rooms, clean rooms and even safety cabinets.