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Prions are deadly pathogens resistant to standard microbial disinfection protocols. Currently recommended inactivation regimens for prions include strongly basic sodium hypochlorite bleach or 1 N sodium hydroxide, with or without prolonged autoclaving. In most medical, agricultural, and environmental applications, such treatments are unsuitable.
A team of U.S. and Italian researchers now present data from an industry-sponsored investigation into the prion inactivation properties of a weakly acidic, synthetic, aqueous formulation of hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a reactive oxygen species disinfectant known to have antimicrobial activity against various pathogens including Bacillus subtilis spores.
Using real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuI…