Inactivation of HIV by application of heat and radiation - Implication in bone banking with irradiated allograft bone

We developed methods for inactivating the human immunodeficiency virus by h eat and ionizing radiation and tested the effects of these treatments on th e mechanical strength of bone. Simultaneous use of heat and radiation cause d a considerably greater inactivation of HIV than the additive effects of t he two separate treatments, but also caused a significant reduction in the maximum load sustained by the bone specimens tested with an Instrom machine . Application of the same doses but given in the sequential fashion of radi ation followed by heat also caused marked inactivation of HN and had less e ffect on the mechanical strength of the bone.