Toxoids: The pathogenic bacteria during their growth in a suitable medium produce toxic substances known as “toxins”. These toxins are disease producing and antigenic in nature. These toxins may be Exotoxins or Endotoxins. These toxins are then treated with chemical such as formaldehyde to destroy their toxic properties. These are called as “Toxoids”. They are employed for development of active immunity.
General method of preparation of toxoids: A suitable strain of bacteria is grown on liquid medium. Incubation is carried out under optimum conditions until toxin productions has reached a satisfactory level. Filter the media and the filtrate containing toxins are converted by chemical treatment to toxoid in which toxicity has been reduced, but antigenic effect is maintained.
The conversion of toxin to toxoid is done by the treatment with formaldehyde solution at 370 C. The product obtained is known as formal toxoid (FT).
The formal toxoid obtained may be further purified by:
i. Precipitating with alum (APT)
ii. Flocculating it with the corresponding antitoxin (TAF)
iii. Adsorbing an aluminium hydroxide (PTAH) or hydrate aluminium phosphate (PTAP).
The official bacterial toxoids are Diphtheria vaccines, Tetanus toxoid (adsorbed) I.P., Staphylococcus toxoid I.P. etc