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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1965 July; 13(4): 564-569
Copyright © 1965 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Relative Stability of Pertussis Vaccine Preserved with Merthiolate, Benzethonium Chloride, or the Parabens¹

Laboratory of Bacterial Products, Division of Biologics Standards, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

ABSTRACT

When stored at 4 C, or heated at 22 or 35 C followed by storage at 4 C, the potency of pertussis vaccines preserved with Merthiolate was more stable than the potency of vaccines preserved with benzethonium chloride or the parabens (methyl- and propyl-p-hydroxybenzoate). Without preservative, potency was more stable than in the presence of benzethonium chloride or the parabens, but less stable than when Merthiolate was present. The histamine-sensitizing factor of the vaccines likewise decreased with the loss of potency. The deleterious effect of benzethonium chloride and the absence of the stabilizing effect of Merthiolate were contributing factors, if not the sole cause, for the instability of pertussis vaccine in quadruple antigen vaccine (diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis and poliomyelitis vaccines).

¹ This paper is based on part of the dissertation of R. Gardner, presented to the Graduate School of the University of Minnesota in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.