Vaccine
Current
Vaccine
The
vaccine contains live vaccinia virus. Vaccine virus can be transmitted
to household and other close contacts. Candidates for vaccination
must be carefully screened for contraindications. Certain medical
conditions in the person’s household contacts must also be
considered as contraindications for vaccination. (22:V6:19)
The vaccine
that is being developed now is being produced by cell culture methods
similar to those used to produce other human vaccines. (19:15) The
new smallpox vaccines (as of 2003) (22:V6:17) are
distributed as a freeze-dried powder, do not contain antibiotics,
and use a diluent that contains glycerine and phenol. The vaccine
we’re using now is stable indefinitely at –20¾C. If
it’s not reconstituted, it can remain stable for over a year
at room temperature. Once reconstituted, it can be kept for at
least two months, possibly three, at refrigerator temperature.
As its use continues in the United States, these storage times
might change as more is learned about the vaccine using the new
diluent. (22:V6:10)
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