Virus transmission through compromised synthetic barriers: Part II - Influence of pore geometry

When stressed during normal use, synthetic barriers such as gloves and cond oms can develop tears that are undetectable by the user. It is of considera ble public-health importance to estimate the quantity of virus transmitted through the tear in the event of viral contamination of the fluid medium. A mathematical model that accounts for virus adsorption to the barrier mater ial was used to compute the quantity of virus transmitted through defects o f various geometries. Slits were modeled as cylinders of elliptic cross sec tion, and upper and lower bounds for the transmission rate of HIV and Hepat itis B virus (HBV) were calculated for barrier-use scenarios such as coitus and gripping of surgical instruments. For a 1-mum high slit, HIV transmiss ion was found to be negligible for all likely use scenarios. HIV transmissi on became potentially significant for a 5-mum slit. Due to its high titer H BV transmitted at potentially important levels even through the 1-mum slit. The dependence of the transmission rate upon pore aspect ratio was determi ned and found to be very strong for high-adsorption situations and near-cir cular pores. Numerical predictions of virus transport through a laser-drill ed hole in a condom matched experimental measurements well, even when the t apered nature of the geometry is ignored.