Salk vaccine

noun \ ˈsȯk- , ˈsȯlk- \

Definition of Salk vaccine

: a polio vaccine that contains three serotypes of poliovirus inactivated by treatment with formaldehyde and is administered by intramuscular injection — compare sabin vaccine

See Salk vaccine defined for kids

Origin and Etymology of salk vaccine

Jonas Salk

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1954

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

Salk vaccine

noun \ ˈsȯ(l)k- \

medical Definition of Salk vaccine

: a polio vaccine that is administered by intramuscular injection and contains the three serotypes of poliovirus inactivated by treatment with formaldehyde — compare sabin vaccine

Biographical Note for salk vaccine

Salk, Jonas Edward (1914–1995), American immunologist. In 1942 while on a fellowship in epidemiology, Salk began studies of the influenza virus with the purpose of producing vaccines in commercial quantities. In 1947 he became the director of the virus research laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh, and two years later he changed his interest to developing a serum against polio. A problem was presented by the fact that polio is caused by three strains of virus and a single effective vaccine was needed that could neutralize all of the strains. In 1953 he announced the successful development of a vaccine prepared from virus inactivated by treatment with formaldehyde. In the next two years mass inoculation of school children with the Salk vaccine was undertaken. 1953 was also the year in which he published the results of experimental inoculations of 20,000 people with a flu vaccine which had produced immunity for as long as two years. That vaccine also went into wide use.