THE USE OF BETA-PROPIOLACTONE FOR THE PREPARATION OF VIRUS VACCINES: I. SELECTION OF REACTION CONDITIONS

Abstract

The use of beta-propiolactone (BPL) for the destruction of infectivity of influenza, mumps, and poliomyelitis virus suspensions has been investigated. It was found that: (1) the infectivity was destroyed more rapidly as the pH was increased from 6 to 8, and (2) the hemagglutination titers of influenza and mumps virus suspensions were most stable to BPL treatment at pH 7. Since the pH of the medium decreases with the hydrolysis of BPL, it was found desirable to use a buffered medium for BPL treatment. Influenza and mumps vaccines prepared with BPL have been lyophilized successfully for stable storage by the addition of 5% arginine or 5% peptone prior to lyophilization. Vaccines prepared from chick allantoic fluid, which had not been frozen, required dialysis of the virus concentrate prior to BPL treatment. Reaction conditions have been selected which render the virus suspensions non infective while preserving most of the in vitro serological activity. Antigenicity tests of the virus suspensions treated with BPL are discussed in the second section (II) of this paper.