INACTIVATION OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 BY ALCOHOLS

Alcohols are commonly used as disinfectants for skin, surfaces and imm ersion of some medical instruments. Measurement of the activity of alc ohols against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) must take ac count of the compatibility of neutralizers used to stop the disinfecta nt reaction, and of toxicity to the cell line used to detect residual virus. We have developed protocols to measure the efficacy of alcohols against HIV in suspension and dried onto surfaces in the presence of high and low protein concentrations. High titres of HIV in suspension were rapidly inactivated by 70% ethanol, independent of the protein lo ad. When virus was dried onto a glass surface, the rate of inactivatio n decreased when high levels of protein were present. Due to its rapid evaporation, a spray or a wipe with alcohol cannot be guaranteed to d isinfect a surface contaminated with blood or other body fluids withou t preliminary cleaning.