Can laser diodes treat viruses
Different studies reported that photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT), employing laser light at various wavelengths can counteract viral infections. Laser light in the red range has been described as an effective tool to fight herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV‐1) in infected patients. This work describes a laser device able to rapidly sterilize aerosol containing infectious viruses and bacteria, including Legionella pneumophila and SARS-CoV-2, when aerosolized by a novel system able to mimic droplet formation during human speech. Long before the global outbreak of the coronavirus that led to the covid-19 pandemic, a team of physicists at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) began exploring whether shorter wavelengths of ultraviolet (UV) light could kill harmful microbes—without harming people. Irradiation with ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) represents a promising method for viral inactivation, but a detailed understanding of the wavelength-dependent action spectra remains limited, particularly across different viral components. The findings could lead to new ways to sterilize wounds and blood products without damaging human cells.
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