In this study, we evaluated the stability and potency of live attenuated rinderpest vaccines of lapinized-avianized tissue culture strain origin, which had been produced annually from 2005 to 2008. When immune responses to the vaccines were evaluated using two Holstein calves weighing 100~150 kg, neutralizinng antibody titer of 1 : 16 was induced at 21 days post vaccination. When calves were also inoculated with vaccines lots that had been stored for 39 months at 4℃, same level of antibody titer was observed. Using the virus titer test, we found that all batches of the vaccine that had been kept for 3, 10, 15, 22, 27, 34, 39, and 45 months showed no significant loss of titers, and fulfilled the requirement necessary (greater-than or equal to 3 logTCID∧50) to be used as the national rinderpest vaccine reserve in Korea. In this study, we demonstrated that stability and potency of the rinderpest vaccines were maintained over three years when kept at 4℃ storage. This indicates that it maybe feasible to extend the expiration period of this vaccine from one year to three years.

This study was conducted to determine the optimum storage temperature for Rinderpest vaccine prepared on vero cells to know the shelf life of the vaccine. The vials were randomly selected from one batch of the vaccine, titrated and stored at minus 20 degree centigrade (Freezer), 4 degree centigrade (refrigerator) and room temperature. The titre was found to be 105.1 per ml. The vials stored at minus 20 degree centigrade & 4 degree centigrade were subjected to titration after an interval of six months for 3 and 2 years respectively. The vials stored at room temperature were tested after 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks. Titration results indicated that the titre of the vaccine vials stored at room temperature decreased by 100.9 101.2 and 101.6 after storage time of 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks respectively. The vials stored at 4 degree centigrade maintained their titre for a period of six months but after that the loss in titre was 100.4, 101.0, and 102.4 after storage time of one, one and half and two 2 years respectively. The vaccine vials stored at minus 20 degree centigrade maintained their original titres (initial titre of the vaccine) even after the storage for three years. It is concluded that vero cell adapted Rinderpest virus vaccine can be stored at 4 degree centigrade for a period of six months, however, at 20 degree centigrade it can be stored for three years without any adverse effect on titre.