2 PARAMETERS LIMITING THE SENSITIVITY OF LABORATORY TESTS OF CONDOMS AS VIRAL BARRIERS

The practical limits of a laboratory test for evaluating condoms as vi rus barriers were characterized by determining virus penetration throu gh small punctures in latex condoms. The test quantifies virus penetra tion through a pressurized, restrained condom filled with challenge vi rus. Estimation of the minimum-detectable hole (narrow slit) dimension s indicated that a limiting factor in virus transmission through such a puncture is fluid flow. The virus penetration rates decreased with t ime, apparently caused by the hole closing or being blocked, indicatin g that extending the test duration to allow more virus penetration was of limited value. Further, it was found that adsorption of virus part icles during passage through a hole may limit the useful sensitivity o f the test. With bacteriophage phi X174 as the challenge virus, the pr actical limit for detecting virus penetration may be approximately 2 x 10(-6) mL; with more adsorptive viruses, the test would be less sensi tive.