Inactivation of poliovirus by formaldehyde: theoretical and practical aspects.

Since formaldehyde, either alone or in combination with other inactivating agents, is at present used in the production of all so-called "killed" poliovirus vaccines, a thorough knowledge of the kinetics of the reaction between the chemical agent and the virus, and of the mechanisms involved, is of great practical importance. In this paper the problem is discussed against the background of present knowledge of the structure of the virus and the chemical nature of the action of formaldehyde.