title: Freeze-drying of respiratory syncytial viruses for transportation and storage.
abstract: The stabilities of eight strains of respiratory syncytial virus were compared after the strains were freeze-dried in the presence and absence of the stabilizer SPGA, which contains 218 mM sucrose, 7.1 mM dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, 3.76 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate, 4.9 mM sodium glutamate, and 1% (wt/vol) bovine albumin. Strains freeze-dried in the presence of SPGA showed only small-to-negligible losses at 4 degrees C and losses of approximately 2.0 log10 infectious units at 25 degrees C when held for 45 weeks. Losses at 37 degrees C for one strain were approximately 10-fold greater when the strain was freeze-dried in the absence of SPGA. These results indicate that respiratory syncytial virus strains freeze-dried in the presence of a suitable stabilizer can be transported as unrefrigerated samples without undue losses in infectivity.
authors: Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: G A
authors: GA
authors: Tannock
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Hierholzer
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Bryce
authors: C F
authors: CF
authors: Chee
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Paul
mesh_terms: D005079:Excipients; D005612:Freeze Drying; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000254:growth & development*; D013048:Specimen Handling
chemical_list: D005079:Excipients