Understanding Inactivated Virus Vaccines: Preparation and Administration

How are inactivated virus vaccines made?

Inactivated virus vaccines are grown in cells, then extracted and treated with killing agents.

Inactivated virus vaccines are made by growing large quantities of the virus in culture and then treating it with chemicals or heat to kill or inactivate the virus.

The first step in making an inactivated virus vaccine is to grow the virus in large quantities in a lab. Once enough virus has been produced, it is then inactivated using chemicals or heat. Chemicals such as formaldehyde or beta-propiolactone are typically used to inactivate the virus. This process kills the virus so that it can no longer replicate, but leaves the viral surface proteins intact.

After inactivation, the viral particles are purified and concentrated. The final vaccine preparation may then be mixed with an adjuvant – a substance that enhances the body’s immune response to the vaccine – to improve its effectiveness.

Inactivated virus vaccines may be given as injections or as a nasal spray, depending on the type of vaccine. Vaccines that are typically given as injections include the inactivated poliovirus vaccine and the hepatitis A vaccine. The nasal spray flu vaccine is an example of an inactivated virus vaccine that is given through the nose.

Inactivated virus vaccines have been used successfully to control a number of viral diseases, including polio, hepatitis A and influenza. Since the virus is completely inactivated in these vaccines, there is no risk of the person developing the disease from the vaccine itself.

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