SARS-CoV-2 infection: the environmental endurance of the virus can be influenced by the increase of temperature.

Abstract Objectives The goal of the current study is to evaluate whether the increase of temperature can influence the environmental endurance of SARS-CoV-2. Methods The virus was inoculated on plastic surface and harvested at predefined time-points in parallel at 20-25°C (RT) and at 28°C (JT). Samples collections were tested by TCID50 titers on Vero cells. Samples collections were tested by TCID50 titers on Vero cells. Results Our results confirm that fomite transmission of the emerging SARS-CoV2 is possible: the virus reserved its ability to infect cells up to 84 hours at both RT and JT on plastic surface, with a TCID50 viral titre of 0,67 and 0,25 log10 respectively. At RT, an important reduction in the viral titre, from 4 log10 to 3 log10 TCID50 was observed during the first 24-36 hours. At JT the same decay was observed more rapidly (between 8 and 12 hours), The rate of viral inactivation by D-value was 24.74 at RT and 12,21 hours at JT. Conclusions This remarkable difference between the two temperatures suggests that virus vitality can be influenced by the environmental temperature and that the hot season could reduce the probability of COVID-19 transmission.