%0 Journal Article
%T Evaluation of Virex£¿ II 256 and Virex£¿ Tb as Disinfectants of the Dimorphic Fungi Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii
%A D. Mitchell Magee
%A Douglas F. Lake
%A Natalie M. Mitchell
%A Thomas E. Grys
%J Applied Biosafety
%@ 2470-1246
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/1535676018818560
%X To date, limited published data exists regarding the efficacy of commonly used disinfectants in inactivating the Risk Group 3 dimorphic fungal pathogens, Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii. Newer generation quaternary ammonium compounds, like Virex£¿ II 256 and Virex£¿ Tb, have not been previously evaluated. Herein, these disinfectants are evaluated against 10% bleach and 70% ethanol, for their ability to inactivate 5 ¡Á 107 arthroconidial spores of C immitis RS or C posadasii strain Silveira within 2, 5, 10 or 20 minutes contact time in aqueous solution. Evidence is provided that both Virex£¿ II 256 and Virex£¿ Tb are highly effective alternatives to 10% bleach or 70% ethanol for the disinfection of 5 ¡Á 107 arthroconidia of Coccidioides spp. within 2 minutes of contact time. Both 70% ethanol and 10% bleach were seen as less effective than the other disinfectants, requiring a longer contact time to completely inactivate the same number of arthroconidia. A contact time of > 2minutes is adequate for the disinfection of 5 ¡Á 107Coccidioides spp. arthroconidia when using either the Virex£¿ II 256 and Virex£¿ Tb formulations
%K Coccidioides spp.
%K Virex II 256
%K Virex Tb
%K dimorphic fungal pathogens
%K disinfectant
%K BSL-3
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1535676018818560