Freeze-dried vaccine against Rinderpest: Stability and activity study

A freeze-dried vaccine against Rinderpest was prepared from modified virus multiplied in calf kidney cell cutlure. Characteristics of the vaccine are as follows:

• —high titre after freeze-drying (10⁴ CCID₅₀/dose),

• —well-adapted freeze-drying stabiliser which ensures maintenance of the infective titre of the vaccinal virus, even under severe conditions (3.5 days at +45°C),

• —use of an appropriate solvent: magnesium sulphate molar solution or more simply physiological saline (for stability after reconstitution even at high temperatures—up to 4 h at +45°C).

The activity of the vaccine, tested in cattle by antibody titration and resistance to specific challenge perfectly satisfies requirements set by the WHO and OIE.