Method of Treating and Preventing Infectious Diseases via Creation of a Modified Viral Particle with Immunogenic Properties

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for reducing the occurrence and severity of infectious diseases, especially infectious diseases in which lipid-containing infectious organisms are found in biological fluids, such as blood. The present invention employs solvents useful for extracting lipids from the lipid-containing infectious organism, thereby reducing the infectivity of the infectious organism. The present invention uses optimal solvent systems such that the lipid envelope around the viral particle is dissolved while the viral particle remains intact, resulting in a modified viral particle. The present invention also provides an autologous vaccine composition, comprising a lipid-containing infectious organism, treated with solvents to reduce the lipid content of the infectious organism, combined with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The vaccine composition is administered to an animal or a human to provide protection against the lipid-containing infectious organism. The present invention further provides a simple, inexpensive and easy to use kit for delipidating fluids and for delipidation of lipid-containing organisms in a fluid.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method for provoking a positive immune response in an animal or human having a plurality of lipid-containing viral particles comprising the steps of:
 obtaining a fluid containing the lipid-containing viral particles from the animal or the human;   contacting the fluid containing the lipid-containing viral particles with a first organic solvent capable of extracting lipid from the lipid-containing viral particles;   mixing the fluid and the first organic solvent;   permitting organic and aqueous phases to separate;   collecting the aqueous phase containing modified viral particles with reduced lipid content; and   introducing the aqueous phase containing the modified viral particles with reduced lipid content into the animal or the human wherein the modified viral particles with reduced lipid content provoke a positive immune response in the animal or the human.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 contacting the aqueous phase with a de-emulsifying agent capable of removing the first organic solvent; and,   separating the de-emulsifying agent containing the removed first organic solvent from the contacted aqueous phase.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein after the aqueous phase is collected, the aqueous phase is contacted with a de-emulsifying agent capable of removing the first organic solvent, and the de-emulsifying agent containing the removed first organic solvent is removed from the aqueous phase before introducing the aqueous phase containing the modified viral particles with reduced lipid content into the animal or the human. 
     
     
         14 . A method for treating a viral infection in an animal or human patient comprising:
 removing blood containing a plurality of lipid-containing infectious viral particles from the animal or the human;   obtaining plasma from the blood, the plasma containing the lipid-containing infectious viral particles;   contacting the plasma containing the lipid-containing infectious viral particles with a first organic solvent capable of extracting lipid from the lipid-containing infectious viral particles to produce modified viral particles having reduced lipid content;   mixing the plasma and the first organic solvent;   permitting organic and aqueous phases to separate;   collecting the aqueous phase containing the modified viral particles; and   introducing the aqueous phase containing the modified viral particles into the animal or the human wherein the modified viral particles have at least one exposed patient-specific antigen that was not exposed in the plurality of lipid-containing infectious viral particles.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein after the aqueous phase is collected, the aqueous phase is contacted with a de-emulsifying agent capable of removing the first organic solvent, and the de-emulsifying agent containing the removed first organic solvent from the contacted aqueous phase is separated and removed before introducing the aqueous phase containing the modified viral particles into the animal or the human. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising adding cells to the aqueous phase containing the modified viral particles before introduction into the animal or the human. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising adding cells to the aqueous phase containing the modified viral particles before introduction into the animal or the human. 
     
     
         18 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method of providing protection in an animal or a human against a viral infection comprising the step of administering to the animal or the human of an effective amount of a composition comprising modified viral particles with reduced lipid content and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the amount is effective to provide a protective effect against infection by the lipid-containing viral particle in the animal or the human. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising administration of an immunostimulant. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first organic solvent is an alcohol, an ether, an amine, a hydrocarbon, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  11 , wherein the first organic solvent is an alcohol, an ether, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the ether is C4 to C8 ether and the alcohol is a C1 to C8 alcohol. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  11 , wherein the de-emulsifying agent is an ether. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid is plasma, serum, peritoneal fluid, lymphatic fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, or a fluid of the reproductive system. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first organic solvent is an alcohol, an ether, an amine, a hydrocarbon, an ester, a surfactant or a combination thereof.