Use of Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation Against Viral Infections
- PDF / 1,002,645 Bytes
- 12 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 43 Downloads / 200 Views
REVIEW ARTICLE
Use of Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation Against Viral Infections Alberto Boretti1 · Bimal Banik1 · Stefania Castelletto2 Accepted: 21 September 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Ultraviolet blood irradiation (UBI) was used with success in the 1930s and 1940s for a variety of diseases. Despite the success, the lack of understanding of the detailed mechanisms of actions, and the achievements of antibiotics, phased off the use of UBI from the 1950s. The emergence of novel viral infections, from HIV/AIDS to Ebola, from SARS and MERS, and SARS-CoV-2, bring back the attention to this therapeutical opportunity. UBI has a complex virucidal activity, mostly acting on the immune system response. It has effects on lymphocytes (T-cells and B-cells), macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and lipids. The Knott technique was applied for bacterial infections such as tuberculosis to viral infections such as hepatitis or influenza. The more complex extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is also being applied to hematological cancers such as T-cell lymphomas. Further studies of UBI may help to create a useful device that may find applications for novel viruses that are resistant to known antivirals or vaccines, or also bacteria that are resistant to known antibiotics. Keywords UV light · UBI · DNA repair · Blood cells · Antigen-presenting cells · Viral infections · Cytokines
Introduction The interaction of light with matter such as proteins, molecules, and atoms, as well as biological samples from viruses to bacteria and cells, is at the core of many fundamental sciences and methods currently used in diagnostics and therapeutics. The electromagnetic spectrum incorporates a large range of frequencies, wavelengths, and photon energies. Ultraviolet (UV) light covers a range of emission wavelengths from 10 to 400 nm, thus with energy higher than the visible light but below X-rays energy. Wavelength and frequency (photons energy) are related through the speed of light, λ·ν = c, where c = 299,792,458 m/s is the speed of light. Table 1 presents the spectral range, frequency, and energy properties of classified UV light. UV light in the range 240 to 280 nm wavelength is used for disinfection and decontamination of surfaces and water, and it is applied by germicidal lamps. DNA and * Alberto Boretti [email protected] 1
Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, 31952 Al‑Khobar, Saudi Arabia
RMIT University, VIC 3083 Bundoora, Australia
2
RNA absorption has a peak at 260 nm, and spectroscopy is commonly used to determine the average concentrations of the nucleic acids DNA or RNA present in a mixture, as well as their purity. The UV germicidal action is a wellknown method for killing or inactivating microorganisms by damaging their nucleic acids and unsetting their DNA. UV light is also used in food preparation. UV light of 300 to 320 nm wavelength is used for light therapy in medical applications. Ultraviolet B (UVB) 311 nm narrowband lamp
Data Loading...
