Viral leakage risk differences in latex condoms.

Through use of a new bacteriophage assay capable of detecting a single viral plaque-forming unit (PFU), viral leakage through multiple replicates of several types of latex condoms has been evaluated. Stocks were used that had been preserved from a previous large study in which viral leakage had been assessed preliminarily in several brands. In the present research, much larger numbers of replicates--on the order of magnitude of 100 condoms per brand--were used.