This study evaluated bacteriophages 1)X174, T7, PRD1, and 4)6 as possible surrogates for pathogenic human viruses to challenge barrier materials and demonstrated some important factors for their use. Chemical incompatibility with test material was demonstrated when lipid-enveloped 1)6 was inactivated by an aqueous eluate of vinyl gloves, but 0.5% calf serum protected (D6 from the eluate. Low concentrations (2%) of calf serum also prevented the exaggerated binding of the bacteriophages to filters. Recovery of viruses from surfaces decreased with increasing time before recovery. Penetration through punctures displayed different types of kinetics. The combined data indicate that (i) some bacteriophages may serve as surrogate viruses, (ii) experimental conditions determine whether a particular virus is appropriate as a challenge, and (iii) 1)X174 is an excellent choice as a surrogate virus to test barrier materials. The data further indicate that before barrier materials are challenged with viruses, adequate tests should be performed to ensure that the virus is compatible with the test material and test conditions, so that meaningful data will result.
Does the 1000 mL water leak test for medical gloves detect potential for virus penetration? Water leak and virus penetration were determined sequentially in hanging latex surgical gloves (4 brands) with 1000 ml of ΦX174-containing buffered saline (DPBS). Individual fingers (some punctured) were visually examined for water (DPBS) leaks for 2 minutes, then dipped into DPBS for 60 minutes for collection of virus that penetrated the latex barrier. Many punctured and a few non-punctured fingers leaked both water and virus. Some punctured fingers did not leak water nor virus. A few of the control and punctured fingers that did not leak water did allow very low-level virus penetration by 1 hour; 4–50 fold lower than virus penetration from barely-detectable water leaks. Thus, a few gloves with potential for very low-level virus penetration were not detected by the 1000 mL water leak test.
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