Immunization by Selective Infection With Type 4 Adenovirus Grown in Human Diploid Tissue Culture

Abstract

Numerous studies have shown that adenovirus infection constitutes a major cause of acute febrile respiratory-tract disease in military recruits.^1,2Most recruit adenovirus infections are produced by type 4 virus, and to a lesser extent by types 3 and 7 viruses. The impact of adenovirus infection on recruit populations is large in terms of high respiratory-tract disease morbidity, hospitalization, and costly disruption of military training.³For this reason there is an urgent need for effective immunoprophylaxis. The first experimental inactivated adenovirus vaccines prepared in monkey-kidney tissue culture were extremely effective in preventing adenovirus disease.^4,5However, subsequent production lots of similar vaccines exhibited a variable degree of potency. In some instances very little protection was conferred.³ In addition there has been considerable difficulty in producing adenovirus vaccines which are free of simian virus contamination. The most troublesome of the simian viruses has been simian virus 40 (SV 40).