Some disinfectants no good for norovirus

QUEBEC CITY, March 19 (UPI) -- Some 40 percent of commercial disinfectants used for surfaces are believed to be ineffective in eliminating noroviruses, Canadian researchers say.

Noroviruses are a group of viruses responsible for more than half of all foodborne gastroenteritis outbreaks.

Julie Jean, a professor at Laval University says noroviruses are a group of viruses responsible for more than half of all foodborne gastroenteritis outbreaks.

Jean tested the efficacy of three major categories of household disinfectants in eliminating noroviruses: bleach-based products, alcohol-based products and quaternary ammonium-based products.

The study, published in the Journal of Food Protection, found only bleach-based disinfectants drastically reduce the concentration of these viruses.

Laboratory tests showed that five minutes of contact with a bleach-based disinfectant reduced the concentration of noroviruses on a stainless steel surface by a factor of

1,000, while alcohol- and quaternary ammonium-based products proved 100 times less effective.

"Our results are of particular concern considering that some 40 percent of the commercial surface disinfectants on the market are alcohol or ammonium based," Jean says in a statement.