Patent ID: 8357525

Claim:
A method of inactivating a rotavirus, comprising: suspending isolated rotavirus particles in an aqueous buffer, the aqueous buffer having an osmolality in the range of about 200-500 mOsm, comprising a concentration of a salt of a divalent cation in the range of about 1 mM-15 mM and an amount of a sugar and/or sugar alcohol in the range of about 1-20% w/v to produce a starting preparation of rotavirus particles having an intact rotavirus particle structure; exposing the starting preparation of rotavirus particles to a temperature in the range of about 50° C.-73° C., inclusive, for an incubation time sufficient to render the rotavirus incapable of replication or infection, wherein the incubation time is in the range of about 30 minutes-24 hours, inclusive, thereby producing a heat-inactivated rotavirus preparation that is antigenic and substantially retains the intact rotavirus particle structure of the starting preparation.