[Influence of different physical conditions on HIV infectivity]

To date it has been impossible to establish borderline physical conditions which prevent HIV from infecting human cells. Full inactivation of the virus is not necessary to lose its capacity for infection--often damage of the mechanisms concerning e.g. HIV entry into the cell or integration with host DNA is sufficient. The presence of HIV RNA in a sample under certain conditions does not mean that the virions are infectious. Viral infectivity under certain conditions depends on temperature, humidity, sunlight, atmospheric pressure, pH of the environment, disinfectants, coagulation inhibitors, and the kind and amount of infectious biological material, especially HIV viremia in it. At present the influence of high temperature on HIV infectivity, inactivation or HIV RNA level is the best known phenomenon, while the influence of low temperature on the above parameters has been examined in less detail. In the paper the authors present the influence of various parameters on HIV infectivity, especially temperature variation.