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Survival of selected pathogens
Please note that apparent presence of a pathogen as determined by molecular biology methods (such as PCR) does not indicate that the pathogen preserved its infectivity. So, the data below are for very rough reference only.
BacteriaFungi (yeast)
Viruses
Bacteria
| Species | Disease/symptoms | Surface | Duration of persistence | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acinetobacter spp. | pneumonia, wound-associated infections, meningitis | dry inanimate surface | 3 days to 5 months | 1 |
| Bordetella pertussis | "whooping cough" | dry inanimate surface | 3-5 days | 1 |
| Campylobacter jejuni | enteritis, "food poisoning" | dry inanimate surface | up to 6 days | 1 |
| Clostridium difficile (spores) | pseudomembranous colitis | dry inanimate surface | 5 months | 1 |
| Chlamydia pneumoniae | various respiratory ailments | dry inanimate surface | less than 30 hours | 1 |
| Corynebacterium diphtheriae | diphtheria | dry inanimate surface | 7 days-6 months | 1 |
| Escherichia coli | gastrointestinal infection | dry inanimate surface | 1.5 hours-16 months | 1 |
| Helicobacter pylori | chronic stomach or duodenal ulcers | dry inanimate surface | less than 1.5 hours | 1 |
| Mycobacterium bovis | tuberculosis | dry inanimate surface | more than 2 months | 1 |
| Neisseria gonorrhoeae | gonorrhea | inanimate surface | 1-3 days | 1 |
| Proteus vulgaris | urinary tract and wound infections | dry inanimate surface | 1-2 days | 1 |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | various severe infections (wound, blood, etc.) | dry inanimate surface | 5 weeks on dry floor | 1 |
| Salmonella typhi | typhoid fever | dry inanimate surface | 6 hours - 4 weeks | 1 |
| Staphylococcus aureus | skin, respiratory infections, endocarditis, toxic shock syndrome | dry inanimate surface | 7 days - 7 months | 1 |
| Vibrio cholerae | cholera | dry inanimate surface | 1-7 days | 1 |
Fungi (yeast)
| Species | Disease/symptoms | Surface | Duration of persistence | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candida albicans | hospital-associated infections, "yeast infection", "thrush" | dry inanimate surface | 1-120 days | 1 |
| Candida parapsilosis | wound and tissue infections in immunocompromised patients | dry inanimate surface | 14 days | 1 |
| Torulopsis glabrata | wound and tissue infections in immunocompromised patients | dry inanimate surface | 102-150 days | 1 |
Viruses
| Type of virus | Disease/symptoms | Surface | Duration of persistence | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adenovirus | infections range from the common cold syndrome to pneumonia, croup, and bronchitis | dry inanimate surface | 7 days - 3 months | 1 |
| Astrovirus | gastroenteritis accompanied by diarrhea, fever, vomiting, etc. | dry inanimate surface | 14 days | 1 |
| Coronavirus | SARS, gastroenteritis, common colds | dry inanimate surface | 3 hours | 1 |
| Coxsackie virus | wide range of infections (common cold, herpangina, hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, etc) | dry inanimate surface | more than 2 weeks | 1 |
| Cytomegalovirus | asymptomatic, fever, hepatitis | dry inanimate surface | 8 hours | 1 |
| HIV | AIDS | dry inanimate surface | more than 7 days | 1 |
| Influenza virus | influenza, "flu" | dry inanimate surface | 1-2 days | 1 |
| Papillomavirus 16 | asymptomatic, tumors, cancer | dry inanimate surface | more than 7 days days | 1 |
| Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) | from commom cold to severe respiratory distress | dry inanimate surface | up to 6 hours | 1 |
| Rhinovirus | sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing and cough; sometimes accompanied by muscle aches, fatigue, malaise, headache | dry inanimate surface | 2 hours-7 days | 1 |
| Rotavirus | vomiting, watery diarrhoea, and low-grade fever | dry inanimate surface | 6-60 days | 1 |
References
- Kramer A et al. How long do nosocomial pathogens persist on inanimate surfaces? A systematic review. BMC Infect Dis. 2006 Aug 16;6:130. (Open Access review)
