AN IN-VITRO EVALUATION OF CONDOMS AS BARRIERS TO A SMALL VIRUS

Background: Because of the possible presence of small holes, the effec tiveness of condoms as barriers to virus transmission is controversial . Goals: To determine the proportion of condoms that allow virus penet ration and the amounts of virus that penetrate. Study Design: A sensit ive, static test was used to evaluate different condom types as barrie rs to a small virus, including brands with or without lubrication and ones of different materials. The test included some physiologic-based parameters and some parameters that exaggerated expected actual use co nditions. Results: Under test conditions, 2.6% (12 of 470) of the late x condoms allowed some virus penetration; the median level of penetrat ion was 7 x 10(-4) ml. Lubricated condoms performed similarly to nonlu bricated ones. Polyurethane condoms yielded results higher than but no t statistically different from those for latex condoms. Conclusions: F ew condoms allowed any virus penetration. The median amount of penetra tion for latex condoms when extrapolated to expected actual use condit ions was 1 x 10(-5) ml (volume of semen), Thus, even for the few condo ms that do allow virus penetration, the typical level of exposure to s emen would be several orders of magnitude lower than for no condom at all.