The Inactivation of the Virus of Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis by Soaps

The capacities of certain compounds at pH 7.3-7.5 to inactivate the virus of lymphocytic choriomeningitis have been demonstrated. Among the more effective substances were the fatty acids chaulmoogric, linolic, linolenic, myristic, oleic, and ricinolic, and the detergents zephiran, duponol LS, and aerosol OT. Upon the oleic acid inactivation of the virus, studies have been made of such variables as pH, rate of inactivation, and relative amounts of virus and oleate for removal of the infectivity. The rôle of oxidation in the process was determined as negligible. Attempts to recover infectious virus from oleate-inactivated mixtures have been unsuccessful. It has been found that neither oleate nor ether-inactivated virus was capable of producing immunity in mice under the experimental conditions in which untreated virus induced a moderate immunity.