Method of treating and preventing infectious diseases via creation of a modified viral particle with immunogenic properties

A method for creating a modified viral particle comprising the steps of:

• receiving a plurality of viral particles, each having a viral envelope, in a fluid;
• exposing the viral particles to a delipidation process;
• and,
• partially delipidating the viral particles wherein the delipidation process at least partially removes the viral envelopes to create the modified viral particle and wherein the modified viral particle is capable of provoking a positive immune response in a patient.

A method for creating an antigen delivery vehicle comprising the steps of:

• receiving a plurality of viral particles, each having a viral envelope, in a fluid;
• exposing the viral particles to a delipidation process;
• and,
• partially delipidating the viral particles to create modified viral particles that act as antigen delivery vehicles, wherein the delipidation process at least partially removes the viral envelopes to expose at least one antigen and wherein the at least one antigen is capable of provoking a positive immune response in a patient.

A method for provoking a positive immune response in an animal or human having a plurality of lipid-containing viral particles comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a fluid containing the lipid-containing viral particles from the animal or the human;
• contacting the fluid containing the lipid-containing viral particles with a first organic solvent capable of extracting lipid from the lipid-containing viral particles;
• mixing the fluid and the first organic solvent;
• permitting organic and aqueous phases to separate;
• collecting the aqueous phase containing modified viral particles with reduced lipid content;
• and
• introducing the aqueous phase containing the modified viral particles with reduced lipid content into the animal or the human wherein the modified viral particles with reduced lipid content provoke a positive immune response in the animal or the human.

A method for treating a viral infection in an animal or human patient comprising:

• removing blood containing a plurality of lipid-containing infectious viral particles from the animal or the human;
• obtaining plasma from the blood, the plasma containing the lipid-containing infectious viral particles;
• contacting the plasma containing the lipid-containing infectious viral particles with a first organic solvent capable of extracting lipid from the lipid-containing infectious viral particles to produce modified viral particles having reduced lipid content;
• mixing the plasma and the first organic solvent;
• permitting organic and aqueous phases to separate;
• collecting the aqueous phase containing the modified viral particles;
• and
• introducing the aqueous phase containing the modified viral particles into the animal or the human wherein the modified viral particles have at least one exposed patient-specific antigen that was not exposed in the plurality of lipid-containing infectious viral particles.

A method for making a vaccine comprising:

• contacting a lipid-containing viral particle in a fluid with a first organic solvent capable of extracting lipid from the lipid-containing viral particle;
• mixing the fluid and the first organic solvent for a time sufficient to extract lipid from the lipid-containing viral particle;
• permitting organic and aqueous phases to separate;
• and
• collecting the aqueous phase containing a modified viral particle with reduced lipid content wherein the modified viral particle is capable of provoking a positive immune response when administered to a patient.