The virucidal effect against murine norovirus and feline calicivirus as surrogates for human norovirus by ethanol-based sanitizers

This study examined the virucidal effects of five types of alcohol-based sanitizers including malic acid and sodium malate, or monoethanolamin, in 58 vol % ethanol (pH 4.0, pH 7.1, pH 11.8), 65 vol % ethanol (pH 4.2), and 75 vol % ethanol (pH 4.4) against murine norovirus (MNV) and feline calicivirus (FCV). The virus titer of MNV was reduced in an ethanol dose-dependent manner under the same pH (about 4.0) condition. Virucidal effect against MNV was correlated with pH when the concentration of ethanol was constant (58 vol %). All the ethanol-based sanitizers provided sufficient virucidal effects against FCV. In conclusion, the virucidal effect of the ethanol-based sanitizer at low concentration of ethanol against norovirus (NoV) is increased when the pH is adjusted to a neutral state.