[Evaluation of the effectiveness of group-A and -C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccines by molecular parameters]

Chromatographic properties of meningococcal polysaccharides and vaccines of serogroups A and C prepared at the G. N. Gabrichevskiĭ Moscow Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology were studied during determination of their molecular parameters by gel filtration on sepharose 4B. It was shown that the character of the polysaccharide elution was not affected by the composition of the eluent and pH changes within the ranges of 6.5-8.5. The ionic strength of the solvent should be at least 0.2 mol/l. Immunochemical methods such as countercurrent and rocket immunoelectrophoresis were standardized and recommended for quantitative evaluation of the content of meningococcal polysaccharides of groups A and C in the eluates. Rocket immunoelectrophoresis was shown to be more accurate and reproducible.