A vaccine prepared from the 22 nm particles of surface hepatitis B antigen (HBsAg)

A method for obtaining a subunit inactivated vaccine preparation from the 22-nm particles of HBsAg is proposed. For inactivation of the residual infectious hepatitis B virus (HBV) the preparations were successively treated with 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and nucleases. In addition, thermal denaturation and ultraviolet irradiation of HBV DNA were used. As a control the biologic activity of a reference virus (SV40) was tested after the same treatment. The effectiveness of DNA inactivation was monitored by adding 3H-thymidine labeled reference virus to the vaccine preparations. The purified and inactivated HBsAg was adsorbed on Al2O3. Antigenicity was calculated on the basis of the determination of antibody in guinea pigs immunized with various doses of the vaccine, and the release of 125I- HBsAg from blood and kidneys in immunized and control mice was analyzed. Possible methods of inactivation and control of HBV vaccine is discussed.