EFFECT OF FORMALIN ON THE VIRUS OF VESICULAR STOMATITIS OF HORSES.
Abstract: The virus of vesicular stomatitis is not readily killed by formalin. This chemical is one of a group which coagulates the proteins of the medium in which the virus is usually contained. It has already been found(7) that other reagents of the protein-coagulating group are not actively virucidal) and the effect of formalin in this instance is therefore characteristic of the group. The so called formalinized vaccines which give rise to immunity can be shown to have done so because of the presence of living virus. A single injection of such so called "vaccine," or of other material containing living virus, is capable of inducing immunity in guinea pigs. No protection, however, follows a single injection of dead virus. Furthermore, repeated inoculations of virus killed by formalin likewise fail to induce resistance against subsequent injections of the living virus. It is concluded, with respect to the virus of vesicular stomatitis, that the use of formalin has failed to solve the problem of active immunization with dead virus.
Publication Date: 1928-05-31 PubMed ID: 19869448PubMed Central: PMC2131438DOI: 10.1084/jem.47.6.835Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research paper investigates the effect of formalin on the vesicular stomatitis virus in horses, concluding that while formalin can preserve the virus without killing it, it does not significantly contribute to active immunity when used in vaccines.
Study Background and Hypothesis
- The study arises from the observation that the virus responsible for vesicular stomatitis in horses is not easily inactivated by formalin, a chemical known to coagulate proteins in the medium where the virus typically thrives.
- The researchers hypothesized that since other protein-coagulating agents aren’t actively virucidal (virus-killing), the action of formalin on this virus isn’t surprising and would probably be representative of the group.
Role of Formalin in Vaccines
- The supposed ‘formalinized’ vaccines, which are believed to contribute to immunity, were investigated in this study.
- By experimenting with these vaccines, the researchers found that the induced immunity was due to the presence of living viruses, not due to the formalin treatment.
- The immune response was observed in guinea pigs following a single injection of the ‘vaccine’ that contained the living virus.
- However, dead virus (even with formalin treatment) failed to induce immunity.
Repetitive Injections and Immune Response
- The paper sought to understand if multiple injections could enhance the immune response of a body to vesicular stomatitis virus.
- The researchers found that multiple inoculations with the virus killed by formalin still failed to stimulate resistance to subsequent exposure to the live virus.
Conclusion
- The researchers concluded that formalin, at least for the vesicular stomatitis virus, has failed to meet the challenges of active immunization with dead viruses.
- The implication is that the pursuit of a successful inactive vaccine continues and formalin is not the solution based on this study.
Cite This Article
APA
Olitsky PK, Long PH.
(1928).
EFFECT OF FORMALIN ON THE VIRUS OF VESICULAR STOMATITIS OF HORSES.
J Exp Med, 47(6), 835-841.
https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.47.6.835 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Laboratories of The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research.
References
This article includes 1 references
- J Exp Med. 1927 May 31;45(6):969-81
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Olitsky PK, Long PH. RELATION OF VACCINAL IMMUNITY TO THE PERSISTENCE OF THE VIRUS IN RABBITS. J Exp Med 1929 Aug 31;50(3):263-72.
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