What does "....10000 units per 15 min (quick reduction)" mean?

In summary, the term "10000 units per 15 min (quick reduction)" from the WHO refers to a solution of a virus containing 10,000 infectious viruses being heated at 56°C for 15 minutes, resulting in no infectious viruses remaining. This is determined by measuring the number of infected cells on a plate, known as viral titering. The term may also refer to a logarithmic scale reduction of 104 in the number of viruses after treatment. The context and source of this information can be found at https://www.who.int/csr/sars/survival_2003_05_04/en/.
  • #1
mesa
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Hello, looking to find out what the term "10000 units per 15 min (quick reduction)" from the WHO means in terms of using heat to kill a virus.
 
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  • #2
It would help if you post a link to the source where the info comes from so that we can see the context of the quote.
 
  • #3
  • #4
mesa said:

Thanks. Later in the document, they clarify that the amount refers to "10 000 infectious virus units in 15 min." So basically, they had a solution of the virus containing 10,000 infectious viruses, heated it at 56°C for 15 min, and found no infectious viruses remaining after heat treatment (meaning the heat had inactivated all of the viruses in solution).

One can measure the number of infectious viruses in a solution by applying that solution to a plate of cultured cells, and measuring the number of cells that become infected (a process called viral titering).
 
  • #5
I would tend to think that the 10000 units refers to a plotting of before and after on a logarithmic scale, base 10, since if the studies are dealing with a large number of items ( viruses in this case ) before the application of the treatment to the much smaller number if items after the treatment.
In other words a 10000 unit reduction is a 104 reduction of the items in the original sample.
 

1. What does "10000 units per 15 min (quick reduction)" mean?

"10000 units per 15 min (quick reduction)" refers to a measurement of the rate at which a substance is decreasing in a given time period. In this case, it means that 10000 units of the substance are reducing in 15 minutes at a fast pace.

2. How is the rate of reduction calculated?

The rate of reduction is calculated by dividing the change in quantity of the substance by the time period in which the change occurred. In this case, it would be 10000 units divided by 15 minutes, resulting in a rate of 666.67 units per minute.

3. What is the significance of the units in this measurement?

The units in this measurement represent the amount of substance being reduced. This could be in terms of mass, volume, or any other unit of measurement depending on the substance being studied.

4. How does "quick reduction" differ from a regular reduction?

"Quick reduction" indicates that the substance is decreasing at a faster rate than usual. This could be due to external factors such as temperature, pressure, or catalysts that are accelerating the reduction process.

5. Can this measurement be applied to all substances?

No, this measurement is specific to the substance being studied and the conditions in which it is being reduced. The rate of reduction can vary greatly depending on the properties of the substance and the environment in which it is being observed.

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