Keeping
vaccines stable is very important to keep it working effectively and
efficiently. Just like any product as time passes and during temperature
changes it decays (1). During cold temperatures it can be unreliable as to what
the effects could be. Instability can cause antigens ability to bind specificity.
In Live attenuated vaccines it may cause them to be less effective. In
bacterial vaccines, they may become unstable due to hydrolysis and the aggregation
of protein and carbohydrate molecules (2). Determining the what type of
stabilizer to use depends on the vaccine type or more specifically the properties
and structure of the active ingredient or viral antigen(s) in the vaccine.
Generally, most of the stabilizers found in viral vaccines are considered safe
compound (1). An example of a stabilizer
agent is sorbitol (2).
Resources:
- World Health Organization. (n.d.). Components of a Vaccine. Retrieved April 29, 2020, from https://vaccine-safety-training.org/vaccine-components.html
