Iranian Study in 2009 shows DC current inactivates Herpes

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P-10-879-1

Low amperage direct electric current inactivates

HSV-1 & AdV-5

Marieh Azizi 1, Mostafa Rezaei-Tavirani 2, Taravat Bamdad 3,

Majid Roohandeh 4*

1- Islamic Azad University, Science & Research Branch, Iran,

2- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

3- Virology Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares

University, Tehran, Iran, 4- Biology Department, Faculty of Basic

Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of constant

direct electric current (DC) on the viral infectivity (Herpes Simplex

Virus type 1 & Adeno Virus type 5) without using antiviral agents or

other chemical disinfectants in vitro. It was found that direct current

(200 & #956;A in 10 minutes) fully inhibited viral infectivity. Probably due to

electrolysis and electro-osmotic processes affecting the genome

organization and capsid architecture, the viral particles lost their ability

to infect Vero cells. The applied current density in the above

experiments was 20 & #956;A/mm2 delivered from platinum electrodes. The

effect of DC on the viral infectivity was assessed by determination of

the 50% tissue culture infective dose (TCID50). In conclusion, such a

selective tool can be used to establish a proved technique for

decontaminating biological fluids (like blood) from viruses.