DEVELOPMENT OF A CANDIDATE VACCINE AGAINST ROSS-RIVER-VIRUS INFECTION

Ross River virus is a mosquito-borne alphavirus which causes several t housand cases of arthritis (epidemic polyarthritis) each year. in this study, binary ethylenimine (BEI) was used to destroy the infectivity of this vir us without abolishing the antigenicity or immunogenicity o f the virion. Mice immunized intramuscularly with BEI-inactivated viru s, with or without Alhydrogel adjuvant, produced antibody which neutra lized Ross River virus in vitro, and the mice also failed to develop v iraemia when challenged intravenously with live virus. Serum neutraliz ation and in vivo protection were greatest when BEI-inactivated virus was administered without adjuvant.