CHEMICAL, CLINICAL, AND IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE PRODUCTS OF HUMAN PLASMA FRACTIONATION. XXXVI. INACTIVATION OF THE VIRUS OF HOMOLOGOUS SERUM HEPATITIS IN SOLUTIONS OF NORMAL HUMAN SERUM ALBUMIN BY MEANS OF HEAT 12

Abstract

Because of the large size of plasma pools used as starting material for the production of human serum albumin, the possibility of contamination with the virus of homologous serum hepatitis appears likely. This study investigated the use of heating as a means of inactivating virus in albumin solns. Mixtures of stabilized normal human serum albumin soln. and plasma known to contain a virus of homologous serum hepatitis were prepared. One group of 5 volunteers received an in-tramusc. injn. of 10 ml. of the unheated mixture, a 2d group of 5 received similar material heated to 60 C for 10 hr. and a 3d group was given the mixture which had been heated to 64 C for 10 hr. Three of the men injd. with the unheated mixture developed signs of hepatitis whereas none of the men injd. with the heated mixtures showed any evidence of hepatitis. On the basis of these limited expts., it would appear that this degree and duration of heating inactivated the virus. The min. amt. of heating required was not detd. Treatment at 60 C for 10 hrs. is now a routine step in the prepn. of human albumin solutions. Such treatment has been shown previously to have no measurable effect on the chemical or physical properties of albumin soln. which have been properly stabilized.