Inactivation of viruses using pulsed high electric field

The effect of pulsed high electric field on viruses in liquid was studied. Swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV) and equine herpes virus-1 (EHV-1) were used in the experiment. Pulsed high voltage was applied repetitively to the converged electric field type electrode, which had an insulating plate with pinholes between parallel-plate electrodes. A pulsed high electric field was formed at the pinhole through which the virus suspension was continuously transported. SVDV in deionized water or in bovine serum could be inactivated effectively when the pulsed electric field (crest value of 30 kV/cm, exponential-decay waveform) was applied 60 to 120 times. or the input electrical energy was 43.6 to 87.2 cal/cm/sup 3/. After inactivation by the pulse application, the shape of the protein shell of SVDV did not change, but RNA contained in the core of SVDV disappeared, and hollow particles were observed. EHV-1 in minimum essential medium (MEM) could also be inactivated effectively when the pulse application number exceeded 45, or the input electrical energy was more than 32.7 cal/cm/sup 3/. Apparent damage to the envelope around EHV-1 and to the core of EHV-1 consisting of DNA could be observed.<>