Vinegar and its active component acetic acid inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and ex vivo

Isabel Pagani,Mario Bussi,Silvia Ghezzi,Massimo Clementi,Guido Poli,Elisa Vicenzi,Matteo Trimarchi,Luca Pianta

doi:10.15761/jts.1000423

Abstract

Abstract Effective and economical measures are needed to either prevent or inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, in the upper respiratory tract. As fumigation of vinegar at low concentration (0.34%) ameliorated the symptoms of mild SARS-CoV-2 infection, we tested in vitro the potential antiviral activity of vinegar and of its active component, acetic acid. We here demonstrate that both vinegar and acetic acid indeed strongly inactivate SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in Vero cells. Furthermore, vinegar treatment caused a 90% inhibition of the infectious titer when directly applied to a nasopharyngeal swab transfer medium of a COVID-19 patient. These effects were potentiated if conduced at a temperature of 45 °C vs. 37 °C, a condition that is transiently generated in the upper respiratory tract during fumigation. Our findings are consistent and extend the results of studies performed in the early and mid-20th century on the disinfectant capacity of organic acids and can provide an affordable home-made aid to prevent or contain SARS-CoV-2 infection of the upper respiratory tract.

Highlights

IntroductionAt the end of 2019, a novel severe respiratory disease (coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China and has since become pandemic in a few months, with ca. 11 million people infected worldwide as of today
At the end of 2019, a novel severe respiratory disease emerged in Wuhan, China and has since become pandemic in a few months, with ca. 11 million people infected worldwide as of today
COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) CoV-2 to distinguish it from SARS-CoV that emerged in Guangdong province in China in 2003 and caused the severe clinical condition known as SARS

Summary

Introduction

At the end of 2019, a novel severe respiratory disease (coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China and has since become pandemic in a few months, with ca. 11 million people infected worldwide as of today. At the end of 2019, a novel severe respiratory disease (coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China and has since become pandemic in a few months, with ca. COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) CoV-2 to distinguish it from SARS-CoV that emerged in Guangdong province in China in 2003 and caused the severe clinical condition known as SARS. Like SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 causes severe pneumonia that can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and death [1]. Unlike SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 can causes on the one hand a multiorgan disease and hypercoagulation and, on the other hand, mild symptoms limited to the infection of the upper respiratory tract [2]. Improvement of symptoms such as coughing and fever was observed in >90% of individuals [8]

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Conclusion