The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has declared the ongoing spread of monkeypox virus in the United States a Public Health Emergency, in response to the continued rapid transmission of the disease. Since May 2022, more than 7500 cases of monkeypox have been reported in the United States.
Monkeypox is transmitted through close contact with respiratory secretions, skin lesions of an infected person or recently contaminated objects. Transmission between patients and healthcare workers is rare, but has been reported.1
People with monkeypox can spread the disease from the time symptoms start until skin lesions have fully healed – a period that typically lasts 2-4 weeks. However, poxviruses are known to have long-lasting stability in the environment, and materials from infected patients or fomites may remain infectious for months to years.2
Monkeypox virus is an enveloped virus, and therefore within the group of pathogens most sensitive to inactivation by disinfectants.3 At this stage, the CDC recommends that healthcare workers follow standard environmental cleaning and disinfection procedures to prevent monkeypox transmission.
As a high-level disinfection system, trophon* inactivates enveloped and non-enveloped viruses, vegetative bacteria, fungi and mycobacteria.4-6 While trophon has not been directly tested against monkeypox virus, this pathogen falls into the category of enveloped viruses, the most susceptible category of pathogens to disinfectants. trophon has been demonstrated to be effective against enveloped and non-enveloped viruses as well as other organism groups showing even higher resistance to disinfectants.
*The trophon family includes the FDA cleared trophon EPR and trophon2 high level disinfection devices, which share the same core technology of sonically-activated hydrogen peroxide.
1. Petersen E, Kantele A, Koopmans M, Asogun D, Yinka-Ogunleye A, Ihekweazu C, et al. Human Monkeypox: Epidemiologic and Clinical Characteristics, Diagnosis, and Prevention. Infectious Disease Clinics. 2019.
2. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) Factsheet for health professionals on monkeypox. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/all-topics-z/monkeypox/factsheet-health-professionals
3. CDC 2008. Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/pdf/guidelines/disinfection-guidelines-H.pdf.
4. FDA 2000. Guidance for Industry and FDA Reviewers: Content and Format of Premarket Notification [510(k)] Submissions for Liquid Chemical Sterilants/High Level Disinfectants.
5. Vickery K, et al. Evaluation of an automated high-level disinfection technology for ultrasound transducers. J Infect Public Health. 2014;7(2):153-60.
6. Nanosonics. trophon Microbial efficacy. Available at: https://www.nanosonics.us/ultrasound-probe-reprocessing-solutions/trophon2-protection-by-design/introducing-trophon2/microbial-defense/https://www.nanosonics.us/clinical/microbial-efficacy/
