Stabilizing Action of Glycerine on Hemagglutination of Egg-Adapted Mumps,Newcastle Disease and Influenza Viruses

Abstract

Conclusions

(1) Experimental observations based on the behavior of two strains of mumps virus having hemagglutinins of markedly different stability show that the addition of glycerin has a marked stabilizing action on the nonagglutinating antigen. Without glycerine, at 37°C the H strain of mumps virus in buffered saline containing 0.1% formalin, loses its hemagglutinating activity overnight and the E strain in 3 to 4 weeks. In contrast, the H strain in 50 per cent glycerine suspension, also containing 0.1 formalin, maintained useable titers for 2 to 3 weeks at 37°C, and under the same conditions the E strain showed little or no loss of activity at the end of 16 weeks. (2) Glycerine concentrations as low as 10% markedly enhanced the stability of the E strain while the stability of hemagglutinating activity of the H strain was dependent to a much greater degree upon an increased concentration of glycerine. (3) The hemagglutinating activity of antigens prepared from suspensions of Newcastle disease virus and influenza virus (PR8) was similarly stabilized by the addition of 50% glycerine.