[Studies on HIV inactivation in allogeneic bone transplants using chemical disinfection and radioactive irradiation]

In our study we examined bone disinfection by ethanol and by irradiation. A 70% aqueous ethanol solution diffused through a 3 mm and a 6 mm slice of human cancellous bone against 2 ml of a HIV-sample (RTA: 300,000 cpm/ml) for 24 hours. In both cases HIV could not be inactivated. Infected T-lymphocyte cultures showed specific morphological cell changes. The Abbott HIV-antigen-EIA proved the treated HIV-samples to be infectious after cultivation in macrophage-cultures. Additional gas chromatography measurements of ethanol diffusion through 3 mm and 6 mm of human cancellous bone supported these observations: a 70% aqueous ethanol solution achieved a concentration of 25.6% (18.0%) in median after 24 hours and a thickness of 3 mm (6 mm). The effect of different doses of irradiation on HIV-samples (RTA:300,000 cpm/ml) was examined. The samples were irradiated with 2, 7, 10, 15 and 25 kGy to determine the appropriate dose for inactivation. Irradiation with 15 kGy caused HIV inactivation since no virus production could be detected in the macrophage culture (Abbott HIV-antigen-EIA). The samples irradiated with 2, 7 and 10 kGy were still infectious.