[A new rabies vaccine in public health practice in the USSR].

A new antirabies vaccine prepared on the basis of virus grown in the ovine brain, purified from 85-90% of brain-tissue ballast substances and inactivated with beta-propilactone has been developed at the Moscow Research Institute of Viral preparations (USSR Acad. Med. Sci.). The preparation produces no neuro-allergenic effect in tests on guinea pigs. When injected to humans, the vaccine shows much lower reactogenicity than Fermi vaccine. High antigenic and immunogenic activity of the new vaccine has made it possible to work out a less intensive immunization schedule in comparison with that used for immunization with Fermi vaccine and nonconcentrated tissue-culture vaccine, viz. doses of 3 ml for 12 days or doses of 3 ml for 20 days with two booster immunizations. The preparation has been introduced into medical practice.