Chromatography used in vaccine development

Scientists have used chromatography methods to identify a possible vaccine for the prevention of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infections, Virology Journal reported.

CHIKV is a mosquito-borne virus which is responsible for a number of large epidemics in Africa, south-east Asia and India, with invading Asian tiger mosquitoes now thought to have spread the infection to southern Europe.

After an incubation period of two to six days, patients display symptoms including joint pain, vomiting and nausea, headaches, chills and fever as well as a rash across the body.

In recent epidemics, mortality rates are thought to be as high as 33 per cent as the virus often targets the over 65s.

Using methods including metal affinity chromatography, scientists studied the CHIKV envelope proteins E1 and E2 to develop a vaccine against the virus.

"The ability of purified, secreted CHIKV-E2 to induce neutralising antibodies in rabbits underscores the potential use of E2 in a subunit vaccine to prevent CHIKV infections," the report stated.