We have been trying to get rid of pathogens for a long time. In the 1860s we began heating milk through a pasteurizing process to kill off harmful bacteria. In 1948, pasteurization techniques were adapted and used to inactivate viruses in serum albumin in the blood. More recently, and with the advent of new nanotechnology, we have been able to create minuscule filters that can filter out pathogens that are too big to pass through them.

Current pathogen-inactivation, or PI, methods target pathogens more directly, by killing or inactivating them before they can replicate and cause havoc. Broadly speaking, PI methods today work though two main strategies: either by targeting the pathogens’ lipid membranes or by interfering with their nucleic acids.

Pathogens such as HIV or the hepatitis C virus are enveloped by a membrane, much like a cell is. Specially formulated liquid solvents and detergents can help disrupt or destroy these membranes and kill the pathogen.

A different approach targets nucleic acids found in the DNA or RNA of viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa (such as those causing malaria). Use of specialized chemicals can inactivate the pathogen by damaging or destroying its genetic material.

 
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September 12, 2008

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