[Methods of testing of safety of the anti-foot-and-mouth disease vaccine]

Abstract

Innocuity testing in bovines remains the reference method but other methods using mice and especially cell cultures may be employed. Different techniques (dialysis, neutralization, elution, etc.) allow the elimination of toxic constituents of the vaccine while respecting the eventual presence of small quantities of active virus. The sensitivity of the cell cultures is certainly equal if not superior to that of the tongue of bovines. Interference phenomena do not intervene and, furthermore, there is not reason to fear them solely on cell cultures. From the purely statistical standpoint, it is hardly possible to prove the innocuity of a vaccine but the credit which sould be accorded to the innocuity test can be reinforced by a good control of the inactivation process and, a posteriori, by the repetition of negative results.