Photoinactivation of measles virus

Measles virus in the fluid state is rapidly inactivated by exposure to visible light. Vaccinia and poliovirus exposed under the same conditions retained their infectivity. There is a relationship between the rate of inactivation, the intensity of illumination, and the wavelength. It appears that the shorter the wavelength, the more rapid is virus destruction. Certain proteinaceous materials had a protective effect on the irradiated virus and reducing substances also decreased the photoinactivation. It is suggested that flavoproteins, possibly derived from the cell substrate, may serve as the sensitizing agents for measles virus.