埃博拉病毒可以通过感染体液的接触在人与人之间传播，但是这种病毒在玻璃表面或者台面上可以存活多久?以及当患者的液体废物排入污水系统后其可以存活多久?近日，发表在Environmental science & Technology Letters杂志上的一篇研究报告中，来自匹兹堡大学等处的研究者就给予了详尽的解答。

助理教授Bibby表示，世界卫生组织表示可以将患者的废物扔进粪坑或普通下水道中，埃博拉病毒会自然死亡，但是这种理论缺乏相应的证据来支撑，或许这是正确的，但是如何证明呢?

文章中，研究者表示，致死性病原体在物体表面、水中和液滴中存活的时间对于开发有效的消毒策略来抑制疾病的传播至关重要，当前世界卫生组织指导方针规定医院和保健诊所中来自病人的液体废物可以冲进马桶中活在厕所中进行处理;然而利用病人液体废物进行埃博拉病毒研究的实验室的研究人员却认为，在这些液体废物进入污水系统之前应当对其进行消毒。

研究者翻阅了很多研究病毒在环境中存活时间的研究论文，他们发现在这方面缺少相关充足的研究论文，这就意味着没人知道，也没有人可以确保是否病毒会在物体表面上存活，甚至是引发感染或者斌胆固在水中、废弃物中是否会依然保持活性，埃博拉病毒在机体外的持续性需要更多的研究才能证明。

研究者Bibby最近赢得了美国国家科学基金会11万美元的资助用于该领域的研究，他们计划鉴别出在生理特性上和埃博拉病毒非常相似的替代病毒，并且研究这种病毒在水中及废水中的存活率，相关的研究或可帮助政策制定者们及时有效地制定出水处理及废物处理的方法。

原文链接：Ebola Virus Persistence in the Environment: State of the Knowledge and Research Needs

原文摘要：In March 2014, an outbreak of Ebola virus (Ebola) arose in western Africa. Since then, there have been more than 10000 cases reported with a mortality rate of approximately 70% in clinically confirmed cases. A significant unanswered question has arisen for the scientific and engineering communities, as well as the general public, surrounding Ebola virus persistence in the environment and the potential for an environmental route of Ebola virus exposure. Here, the authors review the state of knowledge of Ebola virus environmental persistence and highlight future research needs. In general, there are limited data on the environmental persistence or disinfection of Ebola virus available in the open literature. The available evidence suggests that Ebola virus is inactivated at a rate more rapid than or comparable to those of typically monitored enteric viruses. Additionally, while environmental exposure is not the dominant exposure route, available data suggest that it is imprudent to dismiss the potential of environmental transmission without further evidence. A significant research effort, including environmental persistence studies and microbial risk assessment, is necessary to inform the safe handling and disposal of Ebola virus-contaminated waste, especially liquid waste in the wastewater collection and treatment system.

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