Rubella virus is passaged in primary rabbit kidney tissue at least 15 times, preferably 51-61 times, at temperatures of 28.degree.-36.degree. C, to obtain an effective vaccine. Test data are disclosed.
The stabilizing agent is constituted by a phosphate buffer solution (PBS) containing calcium and magnesium ions, which contains in addition lactose, sorbitol and at least one amino acid taken from the group which comprises histidine, alanine, valine, threonine, arginine, methionine, hydroxyproline, lysine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, serine, and preferably constituted by an association of histidine and alanine. The stabilized vaccine is constituted by a suspension of live attenuated viruses in the above stabilizing agent, and lyophilized. The invention also relates to the method for preparing such a stabilized vaccine, to the stabilized vaccines so-obtained and to their use for treating viral diseases in humans or animals.
