HIV is inactivated in the laboratory after a few minutes of sitting at room temperature, but the flu virus is still active after sitting for several hours. What are the practical consequences of these findings?
A) HIV can be transmitted more easily from person to person than the flu virus.
B) The flu virus can be transmitted more easily from person to person than HIV.
C) This property of HIV makes it more likely to be a pandemic than the flu virus.
D) Disinfecting surfaces is more important to reduce the spread of HIV than of the flu.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The practical consequence of HIV being inactivated after a few minutes at room temperature is that it is less likely to be transmitted from person to person through surfaces or objects. On the other hand, the flu virus being active after sitting for several hours means it can be more easily transmitted from person to person through contaminated surfaces. Therefore, choice B is the best answer as it reflects this difference in transmission potential between the two viruses.

HIV Is Inactivated in the Laboratory After a Few Minutes