Survival of human immunodeficiency virus in blood culture systems

The survival of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in three blood culture systems was examined. Cells of a continuous T-cell line (CEM) infected with HIV were inoculated into either Columbia or Middlebrook 7H12 broths, or a combination of an Isolator tube/Middlebrook broth. Virus viability studies were done by removing aliquots from these media at 0, 1, 2, and 7 days and cocultivating them with uninfected CEM cells. The HIV was still viable after two days' incubation in Middlebrook broth and after seven days in Columbia broth. When HIV-infected cells were held in the Isolator blood culture tube for 30 minutes before processing in Middlebrook broth, viable virus was detected only after two and seven days' incubation. However, if infected cells were held in the Isolator tube for 60 or 120 minutes, no virus could be detected after Middlebrook broth incubation. These data suggested that the Isolator system will inactivate HIV if blood from infected patients is held in it for 60 minutes or longer.