Virucidal effect of certain chemical contraceptives on Type 2 herpesvirus.

The virucidal effect of several chemical contraceptives was investigated and the findings are rrported. The supension of Type 2 herpes simplex virus, containing 10(6) to 10(7) tissue culture infectious doses per 0.1 ml., was inactivated on exposure to five different chemical contraceptives. For quantitative estimates of virucidal effect, 10 per cent solutions of these chemical contraceptives were tested with an exposure time of 10 minutes at room temperature. The methods for determination of residual infectivity included both virus assays in cultures of Vero cells and human embryo fibroblasts, as well as the intracranial inoculation of mice. Virus infectivity decreased 1,000- to 10,000-fold after contact with chemical contraceptives, indicating a substantial virucidal effect.