The photodynamic action of methylene blue on certain viruses

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Abstract
Viruses of vaccinia, herpes, fowl-plague, louping-ill, Borna disease, Fujinami''s tumor and canine distemper, as they exist in filtrates or other fluids devoid of living cells, are highly sensitive to the photodynamic action of methylene blue[long dash]a concentration of 1 part in 100,000 inactivating each within a few min., under suitable illumination. Viruses of foot-and-mouth disease and of infectious ectromelia are more resistant. This inactiva-tion appears to be an oxidative process, as in exps. with viruses of herpes and vaccinia no inactivation took place in absence of free O. Viruses of herpes, Borna disease and fowl-plague, as they exist in freshly prepared suspensions of living cells from infected animals, are very much more resistant to the photodynamic action of the dye than in cell-free filtrates. This "protection" of the viruses is only exercised by living cells[long dash]dead cells being without effect. No such "protection" by the living animal cell was observed for the virus of louping-ill, and for that of vaccinia the amount of protection obtained was very small. Development of specific lesions of vaccinia and herpes on the surface of the skin or cornea can be prevented by suitable treatment with methylene blue and light; but, to be effective, the treatment must take place within 12-24 hrs. after inoculation.

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