Enveloped virus vaccine and method for production

Abstract

The present invention provides methods of production of a purified enveloped virus antigen. In particular, it provides purified Ross River Virus (RRV) antigens, and vaccines comprising purified, inactivated Ross River Virus (RRV) antigen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A preparation comprising purified Ross River Virus antigen being free of contaminating protein from the cells or the cell culture and has less than 10 pg cellular nucleic acid/μg virus antigen. 
     
     
         2 . The preparation according to  claim 1 , further comprising a physiologically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         3 . The preparation according to  claim 1 , further comprising an adjuvant. 
     
     
         4 . A vaccine against Ross River Virus infection comprising a host protective amount of a purified Ross River Virus antigen, wherein said vaccine is substantially free of any contaminating protein from the cells or the cell culture and has an amount of cellular nucleic acid per vaccine dose of less than 10 pg/μg antigen. 
     
     
         5 . The vaccine according to  claim 4 , wherein said host protective amount of Ross River Virus antigen is between about 0.1 and about 50 μg/dose. 
     
     
         6 . The vaccine according to  claim 4 , further comprising an adjuvant. 
     
     
         7 . A method of immunizing a mammal against Ross River Virus infection comprising the steps of providing a vaccine comprising a host protective amount of Ross River Virus antigen, wherein said vaccine is substantially free of any contaminating protein from the cells or the cell culture and has an amount of cellular DNA of less than about 10 pg/μg antigen, and administering said vaccine to a mammal. 
     
     
         8 . A method for the preparation of an immune globulin preparation specific against Ross River Virus comprising the steps of (i) immunizing a mammal with a vaccine according to  claim 4  and (ii) isolating from the serum of the immunized mammal the immune globulin fraction comprising the RRV specific antibodies.