how does alcohol kill viruses?

[njmedstudent87]

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i've seen this question pop up many times on nbme's but since we don't get answers to them I never know for sure...i've tried searching on the internet and there is no article or legit clear cut answer on what alcohol does to viruses.

anyone know for sure the mechanism of action...like does it denature specific proteins

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I think the organic solvent dissolves the envelope. If there is something else going on, I can't think of what it might be.

 

[username456789]

I recall something about 70% penetrating something or other better than 90%, but for the life of me I can't remember why.

 

[pittnative]

i've seen this question pop up many times on nbme's but since we don't get answers to them I never know for sure...i've tried searching on the internet and there is no article or legit clear cut answer on what alcohol does to viruses.

anyone know for sure the mechanism of action...like does it denature specific proteins

I just took one of the tests, and I paid the extra to see what I got wrong, and that wasn't one of them. So I assume the right answer was it "prevents Virion fusion with cell membrane" or something along those lines.

So I think for enveloped viruses it disrupts the envelope.

 

[PokerDoc]

First off, I am assuming we're talking about hand sanitizers and not drinking alcohol.

secondly, my understanding was that it had to do with whether the virus had an encapsulated protein coat or not. Viruses with the coat (I.e. herpes) are affected because alcohol denatures the protein coat.

however, viruses like hep A which are nekkid are only made up of RNA and DNA and alcohol does nothing to them.

 

[DrTacoElf]

I recall something about 70% penetrating something or other better than 90%, but for the life of me I can't remember why.

90% evaporates too fast to work thats why 70% is better IIRC.

 

[jkhamlin]

Alcohol DOESN'T kill viruses. Non enveloped viruses are generally not affected by alcohol (or most other things for that matter). Enveloped viruses are killed by MANY things, so alcohol doesn't have a unique mechanism for killing these, just disruption of the lipid envelope. Other things that can do this: UV light, dessication, peppermint, soap, Lysol, etc.

This is one of the big false advertising claims of those hand sanitizers, and a pet peeve of mine, since it is my area of research in grad school.

 

[greg1184]

It gets them wasted and then stabs them in the back when they are vulnerable. /Thread