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Review
. 2021 Feb 9;9(2):343.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9020343.

Persistence of Pathogens on Inanimate Surfaces: A Narrative Review

Jan Erik Wißmann  1 , Lisa Kirchhoff  2 , Yannick Brüggemann  1 , Daniel Todt  1   3 , Joerg Steinmann  2   4 , Eike Steinmann  1
Affiliations
Review

Persistence of Pathogens on Inanimate Surfaces: A Narrative Review

Jan Erik Wißmann et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

For the prevention of infectious diseases, knowledge about transmission routes is essential. In addition to respiratory, fecal-oral, and sexual transmission, the transfer of pathogens via surfaces plays a vital role for human pathogenic infections-especially nosocomial pathogens. Therefore, information about the survival of pathogens on surfaces can have direct implications on clinical measures, including hygiene guidelines and disinfection strategies. In this review, we reviewed the existing literature regarding viral, bacterial, and fungal persistence on inanimate surfaces. In particular, the current knowledge of the survival time and conditions of clinically relevant pathogens is summarized. While many pathogens persist only for hours, common nosocomial pathogens can survive for days to weeks under laboratory conditions and thereby potentially form a continuous source of transmission if no adequate inactivation procedures are performed.

Keywords: bacteria; fungi; inanimate surfaces; stability; viruses.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

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