21-century the new Pandemic Age
As many biology scientists will say, humanity is just a step, a second, a blink in the microbiology history book. These days the world is looking for something that can give a solution, a fightback the new Coronavirus – the COVID19. However, it is nothing new in the last decade. We saw new Influenza viruses, MERS, MRSA, SARS, EBOLA, Noroviruses, superbugs that are resistant to antibiotics. Furthermore, even alcohol-based sanitizers are not helping. Infection prevention is important for our society.
As it looks today, It will take at least 12-18 months to find and make commercially available a proper vaccine.
However, meanwhile, we should use all of the tools that are available to live through that time. According to the CDC, the best way is to practice good hands washing hygiene.
The main question that we should ask ourselves if we have the knowledge and the technology to fight Coronavirus through prevention by hand wash? Back in December, before the Covid19 became a world problem, our R&D team used another virus as a model in our battle. This TMV virus considered to be one of the most problematic viruses that are known to science. It can survive the heat of 93 Celcius degrees (199 Fahrenheit). We were looking to find the best combination of a life science and 21st-century high-tech. Our result shows the right level of confidence that there is a simple way to fight viruses that are much stronger and resistant than the Coronavirus. Infection prevention is important for our society.
A glance into The Science
The scientific experiment that took back in December 2019 was supported by Dr. Aviv Dombrovsky, a virology and virus transfer expert from the Hebrew University. The experiment was conducted with TMV that is considered to be one of the most resistant viruses known to science. Since November 2019, the EU Commission has established emergency measures to prevent the introduction into and the spread within the EU territory even though it is not affecting humans like the Covid19.
Infection prevention is important for our society. We used this virus as a model for developing a proper hand wash process that increases reagent effectiveness through Computer Vision and the Internet of Things analytics supported methodology. TMV is transmitted by contact as also many viruses, including the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) does.
The specific TMV that we have used is spreading fast across the globe because of human-assisted spread mechanisms.
The experiment
Our study was performed at Volcani center, with the help of Dr. Aviv Dumbrovsky, Aviv is leading Pathology Researcher with expertise in virus transmission. The experiment was conducted in a few phases. In each phase, three transmission agents were involved.
Phase 1 – Touching infected sample, followed by touching twelve sterile media for virus growth – without using any sanitation tools.
The results: 6 out of 12 media appeared to be infected (50% percent infection).
Phase 2 – Touching infected sample, followed by the hands washing with no soap added and touching twelve sterile media for virus growth
The results: 4 out of 12 media appeared to be infected (33.33 % percent infected).
Phase 3 – Touching infected sample, followed by the hands washing with a plain soap added and touching thirty-six (36) sterile media for virus growth.
The results: 10 out of 36 media appeared to be infected (27.77 % percent infected).
Phase 4 – Touching infected sample, followed by the hands washing with a 2 special formulation soap added and touching thirty-six (36) sterile media (each formulation) for virus growth.
The results: 0 out of 36 and 0 out of 36 media appeared to be infected (0 % percent infected). Special soap washed and killed the virus with 100% efficacy.
Results
Conclusions
TMV is transmitted by contact as also Coronavirus does. It is very hard to stop it from infecting others in line and to identify the disease in its early stage, the same as with the Covid19. Our result proves that a combination of the right reagent with a controlled and user-supportive hand hygiene stations can efficiently fight with even the toughest viruses. “The TMV is much more resistant than most of the know viruses to science. Much more resistant to disinfection agents than the Influenza virus, Norovirus or the new Coranovirus (COVID19), this is why this new technology is a game-changer”.
The Coronavirus transmission mechanics show similar behavior. While the development of the vaccine will take time, it is our responsibility to use all working methods to stop the spread of this new disease. Infection prevention is important for our society
“The most simple way to avoid infection today is through hands washing with soap and the right hygiene policy”
CDC
