Purification and concentration of rabies virus by chromatography on chemically modified porous silicates

Tissue culture rabies virus was purified by gel chromatography on chemically modified macroporous glasses (MPG). Modification of the MPG surface by egg or human albumin prevented rabies virions from interaction with the glass surface so that all purified virus was eluted from the column. Chemically modified MPG could be used on a preparative scale for the purification of both infectious and inactivated rabies virus, the immunogenicity of the latter having been preserved. Protein content of the purified virus fractions was up to 4 microgram/ml, of which virus protein represented up to 5%.