# how long can a virus survive outside the body? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2005, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-can-a-virus-survive-outside-the-body/313098 "2005-07-19T03:19:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sayhuh78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@sayhuh78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sayhuh78)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-can-a-virus-survive-outside-the-body/313098/1 "2005-07-19T03:19:44Z")
just a quick question ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-can-a-virus-survive-outside-the-body/313098/2 "2005-07-19T03:47:12Z")
Depends on the virus. IANAV (virologist), but was told by an AIDS researcher once that HIV could survive for a relatively short time (on the order of an hour) while the herpes virus (or maybe hepatitis, it’s been awhile) could survive for a day or two outside its host. So, what virus did you have in mind? ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-can-a-virus-survive-outside-the-body/313098/3 "2005-07-19T04:37:12Z")
What he said, depends on the virus. There have been viral distillations sitting in vials in crystalline form for several decades that are still infective. In contrast others become denatured almot immediately on removal from water. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-can-a-virus-survive-outside-the-body/313098/4 "2005-07-19T04:42:13Z")
Again, depends on the virus. The rule of thumb is if the virus is enveloped(has a plasma membrane around its capsid) then it will last about a day without water. If the virus only has a capsid then it can last much much longer. If you’re wondering what the evolutionary advantage of an envelope is, I believe it is because it can penetrate a cell much easier. ---
**Author:** ![sayhuh78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@sayhuh78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sayhuh78)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-can-a-virus-survive-outside-the-body/313098/5 "2005-07-19T04:51:39Z")
i cut my finger at work today, dont think i got any viruses, but i was just wonderin how dangerous that napkin i was usin was and also if its safe to be pickin up trash for a livin HA ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-can-a-virus-survive-outside-the-body/313098/6 "2005-07-19T05:11:21Z")
not very unless someone spilled their blood on it earlier. People who pick up trash wear gloves! ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-can-a-virus-survive-outside-the-body/313098/7 "2005-07-19T12:40:25Z")
Hepatitis B can survive outside the body for more than a week. That’s the longest I’ve heard of. From [the CDC](http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/b/faqb.htm) > [@](#): > > How long can HBV survive outside the body? > HBV can survive outside the body at least 7 days and still be capable of causing infection. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-can-a-virus-survive-outside-the-body/313098/8 "2005-07-19T15:42:18Z")
The canine parvovirus is extremely hardy and can continue to be infective for about 6 or 7 months in the environment. Even freezing temperatures won’t kill it. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-can-a-virus-survive-outside-the-body/313098/9 "2005-07-19T15:57:24Z")
How about smallpox? ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-can-a-virus-survive-outside-the-body/313098/10 "2005-07-19T16:26:09Z")
> [@Wile E](#): > > The canine parvovirus is extremely hardy and can continue to be infective for about 6 or 7 months in the environment. Even freezing temperatures won’t kill it. Agree. That time line stretches even longer if there is significant organic material present. Feline leukemia virus OTOH dies as soon as any moisture around it dries. The rhabdovirus that causes rabies has been recovered alive from deep below packed snow, it loves cold environs.