Effect of Two Disinfectant Treatments on Laboratory Analyses

Abstract

Inactivation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the retrovirus associated with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), can be achieved both by heating at 56 degrees C and by chemical disinfection with beta-propiolactone (BPL). Such treatment of specimens from patients with suspected AIDS or antibodies to HIV could reduce any occupational risk to laboratory staff. This study demonstrates the effects of these treatments on laboratory analyses. Heat treatment of plasma caused clinically insignificant alteration in the results of electrolyte, urea, creatinine, albumin and glucose concentration, but significant alteration to total protein estimation and the activities of many enzymes. Haemolysis and cell agglutination occurred in many specimens of whole blood, making them unsuitable for haematological analyses. BPL caused less reduction of enzyme activities, and assay of many analytes, including electrolytes, plasma proteins, haemoglobin, white cell and platelet counts, was not significantly affected.

Inactivation of rickettsiae

“…The handling of BPL might be harmful due to its carcinogenic effects as demonstrated in mice [12]. Working with BPL under the hood using nitryle gloves should be considered.…”

“…Working with BPL under the hood using nitryle gloves should be considered. However, hydrolyzed metabolites of BPL do not show these carcinogenic effects and hydrolysis occurs already during the inactivation process [12]. The metabolite 3-hydroxy-propanoic acid can even be degraded by mammalian cells [13].…”

“…Heat inactivation procedures require an equally high temperature in the whole sample tube [12], e.g., by diving after sealing the tube. Insuffi cient temperature maxima at the top of the sample tubes during the inactivation process in the heating device led to a loss of the inactivating effi cacy of this procedure in prior experiments (data not shown).…”

“…In particular, heat leads to an enhanced coagulation and precipitation of proteins [12]. In contrast, the mobility of proteins in SDS-polyacrylamid gels is not affected by BPL treatment [13].…”

“…The inactivating effect of antiviral lysozyme (AVL) buffer (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) was evaluated because of its suitability to inactivate rickettsiae prior to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses. A heat inactivation procedure with temperatures about 56 °C that is effi cient for the inactivation of many viruses [12] was tested as well. In addition, the inactivating potency of β-propiolactone (BPL) was analyzed.…”