Inactivation of human immunodeficiency virus in serum specimens as a safety measure for diagnostic immunoassays.

Since the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may be transmitted accidentally to laboratory personnel analyzing patient sera, the efficiency of a non-ionic detergent, Triton X-100, in inactivation of HIV in human serum as a safety measure was studied. Semliki Forest virus, an enveloped toga virus, was used as a model virus to create optimal treatment conditions. In the presence of 50% serum, complete inactivation (i.e. no residual virus detected, greater than 7 log reduction of virus titre) was achieved by incubation with 0.2% Triton X-100 for 1 h at 37 degrees C. Under these conditions HIV was also completely inactivated (i.e. no residual infectious virus detected, greater than or equal to 5 log reduction of virus titre). Both treated and untreated serum specimens were also tested with several enzyme immunoassays used in virological laboratories to determine whether the inactivation treatment interfered with the assays. The treated specimens, further diluted as recommended for each assay, were subjected to 15 enzyme immunoassays for microbial antibodies and antigens (HIV IgG, hepatitis A IgG and IgM, hepatitis B s, c, and e antigens and antibodies, cytomegalovirus IgG, mumps virus IgG, poliovirus IgG, rubellavirus IgM, toxoplasma IgG, and chlamydia IgG). Clearly decreased sensitivity was found only with two hepatitis B tests (e antigen and antibody to the surface antigen). It is concluded that safe inactivation of HIV in serum is achieved by 0.2% Triton X-100, but the treatment may decrease the sensitivity of some tests in which low specimen dilution is used.