Antiviral agent

Abstract

An antiviral agent is provided which can inactivate a wide range of viruses. Products that include such an antiviral agent are also provided. The present invention provides an antiviral agent that contains as an active ingredient a particle of at least one kind of iodide composed of iodine and an element shown in Period 4 to Period 6 and Group 8 to Group 15 of a periodic table or at least one kind of monovalent copper compound. The antiviral agent of the present invention can be designed at a higher degree of freedom in terms of its constituents as compared to conventional antiviral agents. In addition, the antiviral agent can readily exhibit and maintain its antiviral activity because it doesn't require any pretreatments or special washing processes.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method of inactivating a virus not being encapsulated in an envelope, which comprises immobilizing to an outer surface of an article a viral inactivating amount of an antiviral agent comprising particles of at least one kind of monovalent copper compound, wherein the monovalent copper compound is a chloride, an acetate, a sulfide, an iodide, a bromide, a peroxide, an oxide or a thiocyanide, and contacting the article having the immobilized antiviral agent with the virus, wherein the virus is inactivated. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the monovalent copper compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of CuCl, CuOOCCH 3 , CuBr, CuI, CuSCN, Cu 2 S and Cu 2 O. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the article has a fiber structure. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the article is a molded article. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the article is a film or sheet. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the average particle size of the particles of monovalent copper compound is 1 nm to 500 μm. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the virus is one virus or two or more viruses selected from the group consisting of rhinovirus, poliovirus, rotavirus, norovirus, enterovirus, hepatovirus, astrovirus, sapovirus, hepatitis E virus, human parvovirus, human polyomavirus, human papilloma virus and adenovirus.