Prion diseases, notorious for their resilience, have long posed a biosafety challenge. Traditional methods struggle to inactivate prions, but chemical disinfectants like Environ LpH (eLpH) have shown promise. However, the discontinuation of eLpH left a void, recently filled by Wex-cide 128. This study compares the anti-prion efficacy of Wex-cide 128 and eLpH across various prion strains, unveiling nuanced insights into their effectiveness.

About the Study Authors: This study was conducted by a diverse team from the Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories.

Results:

1. Efficacy Against Hamster Prions:
   • Wex-cide 128 demonstrated high efficacy against hamster 263K prions, comparable to eLpH.
   • Shelf life experiments confirmed stability, with both agents reducing prion infectivity even after 8 months post-dilution.
2. Stainless-Steel Bound Prions:
   • Wex-cide 128 effectively inactivated prions bound to stainless-steel wires within 2 minutes, showcasing its practicality in disinfecting hard surfaces.
3. Human sCJD Prions:
   • Notably, sCJD prions exhibited resistance to both Wex-cide 128 and eLpH, emphasizing the need for prion-specific inactivation methods.
   • Wex-cide 128, however, excelled in removing prion infectivity from steel wires, outperforming eLpH.
4. Overall Comparative Efficacy:
   • Wex-cide 128, at a 4% working concentration, proved equal to or superior to eLpH in reducing infectious prions across multiple strains.
   • Stable shelf life, less corrosiveness, and reduced danger make Wex-cide 128 a valid replacement for eLpH, extending its applicability to diverse settings.