Addressing Agricultural Biorisk Evidence Base Gaps with Applied Research

Recently, we developed a model system to assess the fomite transmission risk of non-enveloped Bovine Rhinitis B virus (BRBV), a surrogate for the Foot and Mouth disease virus (FMDV), during decontamination procedures. We used this system to test the inactivation capability of shampoos and rinse procedures on straight synthetic hair, commonly used in biocontainment facilities during shower-out procedures. We propose to use this system to evaluate the chemical inactivation of shampoos and the mechanical removal by water of virus particles from various human hair textures and to determine the effectiveness of silicone and neoprene hair covers as an alternative to many hair washes during the day in protecting against fomite transmission.