HPV may be transmitted non-sexually: study

Popular disinfectants fail to kill human papillomavirus (HPV) - one of the most common sexually transmitted disease - making non-sexual transmission of the virus possible, a new study has claimed.
Since it is difficult to produce infectious HPV particles for research, little has been known about HPV susceptibility to disinfection, said Craig Meyers, Distinguished Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Penn State College of Medicine.
Use of disinfectants on HPV in health care settings has been based on what works on other viruses or what is thought should be effective, researchers said.
Meyers collaborated with Richard Robison, an expert in microbial disinfectants at Brigham Young University.

HPV is estimated to be among the most common sexually transmitted diseases and is linked to cervical cancers.
For this study, researchers grew HPV16, a specific strain that is responsible for up to 60 per cent of HPV-associated cancers. They then used 11 common disinfectants on the virus.

These disinfectants included ones made of ethanol and isopropanol because these are common ingredients in surface disinfectants and hand sanitisers used in both public and health care settings.
Study of these hand sanitisers is important because other research has shown high levels of HPV DNA on fingers of patients with current genital infections.

While HPV is susceptible to certain disinfectants, including hypochlorite and peracetic acid, it is resistant to alcohol-based disinfectants.
"Chemical disinfectants in hand sanitiser are commonly used in the general population to prevent the spread of infectious diseases," Meyers said.
"For flu or cold viruses they are very effective. But the data shows that they do nothing for preventing the spread of human papillomavirus," said Meyers.
They also tested other common disinfectants, including glutaraldehyde, which is used for sterilisation in medical and dental facilities. Results show that glutaraldehyde is not effective at inactivating the HPV virus.
Other research has suggested that HPV could be transmitted non-sexually. The current study shows that medical instruments considered sterile could pose a risk for transmission.

"Chemical disinfectants used in the hospitals and other health-care settings have absolutely no effect on killing human papillomavirus," Meyers said.
"So unless bleach or autoclaving is used in the hospital setting, human papillomavirus is not being killed and there is a potential spread of HPV through hospital acquired or instrument or tool infection," said Meyers.
Meyers said the results suggest a need for a change in disinfectant use policies.
The study was published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.