Study Shows Zoono ULTRA GermFree24 Hand Sanitizer Effective Against Human Norovirus Strain

SHREWSBURY, N.J., July 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- New data presented today at the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) 2018 Annual Meeting suggests that ULTRA GermFree24 Hand Sanitizer containing a unique antimicrobial nanotechnology, developed by Zoono USA, is immediately effective against the human norovirus (HuNoV) GII.4 Sydney strain on fingerpad tests, with ongoing, residual efficacy for up to eight hours after application. ULTRA GermFree24 also was significantly more effective than 60 percent ethanol solution, one of three common ingredients in most hand sanitizers. The multi-phased study, "Evaluation of a Hand Sanitizer for Evidence of Residual Activity against Human Norovirus (P1-104)," was presented during Poster Session 1 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City.

"This study points to the value of innovative hand-sanitizing technology such as ULTRA GermFree24, which provides a long-lasting, defensive barrier against germs even after it dries, for at least up to eight hours," says Thomas French, Chief Executive Officer, Zoono USA.

Norovirus is the leading cause of illness from contaminated food in the U.S. and about 70 percent of these infections are caused by infected food service workers. One in five food service workers have reported working while sick with vomiting and diarrhea.  Approximately 20 million people are sickened by the norovirus each year through close contact with infected people or by eating contaminated food.  Common symptoms of acute gastroenteritis include vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.  Highly contagious, it takes only a few norovirus particles from the hands of an infected food worker to spread infection.  Effective hand hygiene, including hand sanitizers, can help interrupt HuNoV transmission.

"With better hand hygiene not only do we reduce risk of germ exposure, but we also cut down on the transfer of germs," adds Charles Gerba (a.k.a. "Dr. Germ"), microbiologist and professor at the University of Arizona. "Handwashing remains the gold standard; however, when it is not done properly for 15-20 seconds, recontamination continues. Sanitizing technologies help to deliver persistent and residual efficacy that are crucial to killing germs immediately and are an added insurance policy for hands."

About the Study
The multi-phased study assessed the immediate and residual antiviral efficacy of ULTRA GermFree24 against human norovirus. The hand sanitizer was benchmarked against 60 percent ethanol solution. Results were expressed as mean + standard deviation of log₁₀ reduction of human norovirus genome equivalent copies (GEC).

Methodology
Phase I in vitro studies were conducted by suspension assay (ASTM E1052) and in vivo studies using the fingerpad method (ASTM E1838) on human volunteers (n=5). Exposure time was up to 60 seconds. Five to six volunteers were used for phases I, II and III for ULTRA GermFree24. The fingerpad method was modified in Phases II-IV to evaluate residual antiviral activity. Briefly, sanitizer was applied to hands, allowed to dry, and then fingerpads were inoculated with a 20 percent suspension of the epidemic human norovirus GII.4 Sydney strain at five minutes, four hours, or eight hours post-application. All suspension assays were repeated in triplicate. For the fingerpad studies, both hands of the volunteers were used and considered as duplicates.

Statistically Significant Findings

• In Phase I in vitro assays, ULTRA GermFree24 was more effective than ethanol, producing 2.5±0.02 log GEC versus 0.9±0.04 log GEC reduction, respectively (P<0.05).
• ULTRA GermFree24 was also more efficacious compared to ethanol in in vivo fingerpad assays (2.8±0.4 log GEC versus 1.7±0.5 log GEC reduction; P<0.05).
• For Phase II (residual activity of sanitizer post-application), a 1.3±0.4, 0.9±0.3, and 0.7±0.04-log GEC reduction was observed 5 minutes, 4 hours, and 8 hours after product application, respectively. These numbers represented an additional 0.25- to 1.0-log GEC reduction compared to the dry (no product pre-treatment) control.

"Preserving an elevated state of hand hygiene following the removal of gross contamination and rapid bio-load reduction achieved by traditional "instant kill" hand sanitizer technology, such as alcohol, triclosan, or Benzalkonium Chloride (BZK), can also result in reduced infection risk from later contamination events," says Andrew Alexander, Chief Scientific Officer, Zoono USA. "After 99.9 percent of organisms have been killed or inactivated with traditional sanitizer technology, the challenge becomes one of maintenance versus gross log reduction. Continuing to mitigate the presence of microorganisms on human skin long after the sanitizer has dried, in this case continuing to deliver 0.9 and 0.7 log reductions four and eight hours post-application is significant and is evidenced using ULTRA GermFree24."

Full study results available upon request.

About Zoono USA
Zoono USA specializes in the development, manufacture and distribution of a suite of proven, long-lasting, highly effective, and non-toxic antimicrobial solutions based on a unique, antimicrobial nanotechnology that bonds to any surface and kills and inhibits the growth of a broad spectrum of microbial life including: bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi and mold. This technology remains actively antimicrobial for extended periods of time (24 hours on human skin and 30 days on surfaces) making it superior to currently available alternatives. GermFree24 is our line of FDA-compliant personal hygiene products which range from hand sanitizers to acne medication and Microbe Shield is our EPA-registered line of antimicrobial surface products. Zoono USA is committed to providing the best defense against germs on the market with products that are made in the USA and rigorously tested for effectiveness, efficacy, and safety. Zoono is committed to breaking the cycle of infection through persistent efficacy. Your protection is our mission. For more information visit www.zoonousa.com.

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Caren Begun
Green Room Communications
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SOURCE Zoono USA

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