Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39657619›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of infectious diseases2025

Efficacy of Laundry Practices in Eliminating Mpox Virus From Fabrics.

Ana K Pitol, Siobhan Richards, Patrick Mirindi, Hibak O Mahamed, April Baller, Grant L Hughes, Sara E Beck

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ana K PitolDepartments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-7265-5677
Siobhan RichardsDepartments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0001-9001-3902
Patrick MirindiDepartment of Civil Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-2478-3965
Hibak O MahamedInfection Prevention and Control and Water Sanitation and Hygiene Team, Country Readiness Strengthening Department, World Health Organization Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
April BallerInfection Prevention and Control and Water Sanitation and Hygiene Team, Country Readiness Strengthening Department, World Health Organization Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-8207-8423
Grant L HughesDepartments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-7567-7185
Sara E BeckDepartment of Civil Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-2568-0076

Funding

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation INV-048598Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council BB/T001240/1Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council V043811/1Institute for HealthNIHR NIHR200907Pandemic Institute TPIMPX01Royal Society RSWF\R1\180013Social Care ResearchUK Research and Innovation 20197Wolfson FoundationWorld Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern highlights the need for interventions to interrupt virus transmission, including transmission via fabrics. Current World Health Organization (WHO) guidance on clothes washing is based on a general consensus of virus inactivation; however, there is uncertainty about the efficacy of laundry detergents and disinfectants or the reduction of risk achieved by washing clothes for mpox virus (MPXV) specifically.

methodsThis study investigates the efficacy of manual washing for inactivating MPXV from clothes. Using a simulated washing method, we evaluated the efficacy of commonly used laundry products and high temperature water for inactivating MPXV on fabrics. Cotton and polyester fabrics were inoculated with MPXV for 1 minute, placed in a microcentrifuge tube containing water or water with test product for 20 minutes, with agitation every 5 minutes to simulate manual washing.

resultsSodium hypochlorite, liquid sanitizer, and 2 powdered laundry detergents dissolved in room temperature water, as well as 70°C water alone, completely inactivated MPXV (>3 log10 reduction or >99.9% inactivation) on both cotton and polyester fabrics.

conclusionsGiven the expected concentrations of MPXV on fabrics, the low transfer rate of viruses from porous surfaces to skin, the effective inactivation of laundry processes, and the expected doses required for infection, we expect the risk of transmission after laundering contaminated fabrics to be low. This study provides evidence to support WHO guidance for MPXV inactivation, reducing the viral load on fabrics to prevent the spread of mpox in both health care and household settings.

Indexed as

DisinfectantsDisinfectionLaunderingLevivirusTextilesVirus InactivationDetergentsHumansMpox, MonkeypoxDetergentsDisinfectantsfabric disinfectionhealth care-associated infectionlaundrympoxorthopoxvirus

Identifiers

PMID39657619
PMCPMC11998565

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.