RADIATION STERILIZATION OF BONE AND THE H IV VIRUS

An experimental study was performed to investigate the efficacy of irr adiating HIV-contaminated allografts. Irradiation was achieved using a n accelerator delivering 6.3 MeV electrons, and the viral strain was H IV-1/LAV-1. At an activity equivalent to 600.000 counts of reverse tra nscriptase activity per minute and per millilitre, irradiation permitt ed total inactivation of HIV. In the light of present data concerning plasma viremia in HIV-infected patients, this experiment suggested tha t irradiation minimizes as far as possible the risk of transmitting HI V infection through bone transplantation from a seronegative, contamin ant donor. However, in view of the relative imprecision of viral sensi tivity curves, irradiation does not authorize bone transplantation fro m a seropositive patient, even though the bone has been irradiated.