Using Bleach to Clean HIV-1 Contaminated Syringes

Robert Heimer and colleagues from Yale University have been investigating the effectiveness of washing used syringes and needles with bleach to prevent HIV-1 transmission (Abdala et al.2001ab). Experiments in the laboratory replicated injection behaviours and used bleach with the shortest possible contact times with blood inside the syringe, a conservative approach that gave the bleach the best chance of failing as a disinfectant. The study demonstrated that undiluted thin bleach is highly effective in destroying HIV-1 even after minimal contact time. It was also noted that washing syringes three times with water was nearly as effective as a single rinse with undiluted bleach in reducing the likelihood that contaminated syringes harboured viable HIV-1. References Abdala N., Gleghorn A., Carney J.M. and Heimer R. (2001a) Can HIV-1-contaminated syringes be disinfected? Implications for transmission among injection drug users. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 28: 487-494.

Abdala N., Gleghorn A., Carney J.M. and Heimer R. (2001b) Use of bleach to disinfect HIV-1 contaminated syringes. American Clincial Laboratory 20(6):26-28.