Synergistic inactivation of viruses by heat and ionizing radiation.

Viral inactivation by heat and/or ionizing radiation is analyzed in terms of a kinetic model. The phenomenon of synergistic viral inactivation observed when viruses are exposed to the simultaneous application of heat and ionizing radiation is interpreted within the framework provided by this three-term model. Data on the inactivation of T4 bacteriophage by heat and/or ionizing radiation is presented, and the kinetic model is used to provide a description of observed dose rate and temperature dependences. Extension of the model to other viral systems inactivated by heat and ionizing radiation is considered, and the general applicability of these analyses suggests that the kinetic model may well serve as an extension of target theory in describing the radiobiological effects of ionizing radiation.