Modified viral particles with immunogenic properties and reduced lipid content useful for treating and preventing infectious diseases

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

• receiving a plurality of viral particles, each having a viral envelope containing lipid, in a fluid;
• exposing the viral particles to a delipidation process;
• and,
• partially delipidating the viral particles wherein the delipidation process at least partially reduces the lipid content of the viral envelope to create the modified viral particle and wherein the modified viral particle is capable of provoking an 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 containing lipid, 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 decreases the lipid content of the viral envelope to expose at least one antigen and wherein the at least one antigen is capable of provoking an immune response in a patient.

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

• obtaining a fluid containing the lipid-containing viral particles from the patient;
• 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 patient wherein the modified viral particles with reduced lipid content provoke an immune response in the patient.

A method for treating a viral infection in a patient comprising:

• removing blood containing a plurality of lipid-containing infectious viral particles from the patient;
• 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 patient wherein the modified viral particles have at least one exposed viral 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 an immune response when administered to a patient.