Study on Toxicity Reduction and Potency Induction in Whole-cell Pertussis Vaccine by Developing a New Optimal Inactivation Condition Processed on Bordetella pertussis

BACKGROUND: Whooping cough is caused by Bordetella pertussis, and it remains a public health concern. Whole-cell pertussis vaccines have been commonly employed for expanded immunization. There is no doubt of the efficacy of whole cell pertussis vaccine, but it is necessary to improve the vaccine to decrease its toxicity. OBJECTIVES: In this study, an inactivation process of dealing with pertussis bacteria is optimized in order to decrease the bacteria content in human doses of vaccines and reduce the vaccine’s toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The bacterial suspensions of pertussis strains 509 and 134 were divided into 21 sample parts from F(1) to F(21) and inactivated under different conditions. The inactivated suspensions of both strains were tested for opacity, non-viability, agglutination, purity, and sterility; the same formulation samples that passed quality tests were then pooled together. The pool of inactivated suspensions were analyzed for sterility, agglutination, opacity, specific toxicity, and potency. RESULTS: The harvest of both bacterial strains showed purity. The opacity of various samples were lost under different treatment conditions by heat from 8% to 12%, formaldehyde 6% to 8%, glutaraldehyde 6% to 8%, and thimerosal 5% to 8%. Tests on suspensions after inactivation and on pooled suspensions showed inactivation conditions not degraded agglutinins of both strains. The samples of F(2), F(4), F(8), F(12), F(15), and F(17) passed the toxicity test. The potency (ED50) of these samples showed following order F(17) > F(12) > F(8) > F(15), F(4) > F(2), and F(17) revealed higher potency compared to other formulations. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that F(17) showed desirable outcomes in the toxicity test and good immunogenicity with a low bacterial number content. Consequently, lower adverse effects and good immunogenicity are foreseeable for vaccine preparation with this method.