Download Mrs. Paparella September 11, 2015 Lemon Juice Disinfects Against

Lemon Juice Disinfects
Against Human Norovirus
Image Credit: Charles D. Humphrey/CDC
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Where: University
of Heidelberg,
Germany
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When Published:
August 2015
3D print of Norwalk virus, a type of norovirus.
Credit: NIAID [National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Disease]
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Norovirus is a virus
that causes severe
gastrointestinal
illness
Symptoms include:
nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea
It is transmitted by
the “fecal-oral
route” ; improper
hand washing;
contaminated foods.
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Since you can’t grow
human noroviruses
in cell cultures, they
had to test the
effect of citric buffer
on novovirus viruslike particles which
have the same
surface
characteristics as
the real virus.
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Food- born
outbreaks in the US
lead to economic
losses of around $2
billion per year.
THE CDC reports
that 19-21 million
Americans (1 in
15)are infected each
year with up to 800
dying.
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In UK hospitals the
cost of treating
outbreaks is
estimated at over
£100 million a year.
overall cost in US is
$5.5 billion
Outbreaks occur in
schools, nursing
homes, cruise ships
and in the military.
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Citric acid, found
in lemons, could
prevent the very
contagious
norovirus from
infecting humans.
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The citrate binds
with the virus at the
“binding pocket on
the particle that is
involved in attaching
to the host – the so
called histo-blood
group antigens”
The citrate changes
the shape of the
virus particle so it
can’t infect the host.
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According to
Hansman, “ a few
drops of lemon juice
on contaminated food
or surfaces may
prevent the
transmission of these
viruses”
outbreaks could be
prevented by using
citric acid in food
preparation.
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They are going to
study whether the
citric acid could
reduce symptoms in
people already
infected with
noroviruses.
Citrate disinfectants
could be routinely
used to prevent
spread of the
disease.
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Researchers have studied a
connection between
antibiotics and the virus. In
mice pre-treated with
antibiotics, the virus can’t
establish a persistent
infection. The norovirus
needs a “bacterial
collaborator” to spread
through the host’s system.
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Scientists working with the
mice also discovered that a
receptor protein called
interferon lambda was
needed for antibiotics to
prevent norovirus infection.
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When they gave the
interferon to mice
without immune cells, it
prevented the norovirus
from taking hold in the
mice and eliminated
persistent infections.
Researchers are
working on Norovirus
vaccines that could
prevent outbreaks in
schools and the
military.
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German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ).
"Lemon juice disinfects against human norovirus." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25
August 2015. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150825103120.htm
University of Cambridge. "Norovirus stomach bug: Scientists take step towards
drug to treat." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 October 2014.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141021101144.htm
Washington University in St. Louis. "Possible treatments identified for highly
contagious stomach virus." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 14 January 2015.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150114090813.htm
Infectious Diseases Society of America. "Norovirus vaccine reduces symptoms of
illness by more than half." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 4 October 2013.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131004125012.htm