Virus Inactivation in Hemoglobin Solutions by Heat

Abstract

To determine the feasibility of heat treating hemoglobin solutions to inactivate viruses, we performed experiments on the thermal stability of this protein and found that the structure and function of deoxyhemoglobin are well preserved during incubation at 60°C for 10 hours at a pH of 7.5. Model viruses and the human immunodeficiency virus were rapidly inactivated under these conditions. The results imply that incubation at 60°C is a practical method for inactivating viruses in hemoglobin solutions.