Screen for type-C ribonucleic acid viruses in vaccines using the ribonucleic acid-dependent deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase assay.

The ribonucleic acid-dependent deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase assay was used to detect type-C viruses in live virus vaccines. Conditions were first established to maximize the sensitivity of the assay. Vaccines tested included live poliomyelitis, rubella, measles, mumps, and yellow fever. Only yellow fever and measles vaccines known to have been produced in avian leukosis-contaminated cells showed evidence of type-C viruses using the assay. The result of the survey show that the assay has direct practical application to the problem of detecting latent agents in biological products intended for human use.