inaktivierten

Inaktivierten is the past participle of the verb inaktivieren and is used in German to denote something that has been rendered inactive or nonfunctional. The form inaktivierten is used as an attributive adjective before a noun (for example, inaktivierte Viren) or in a predicate construction. In biology and medicine, it describes material that has been treated so that it can no longer replicate or act.

In the context of vaccines, inaktivierte Impfstoffe are vaccines derived from pathogens that have been inactivated so they cannot replicate or cause disease. Methods of inactivation include chemical agents (such as formaldehyde or beta-propiolactone), heat treatment, and irradiation. These vaccines typically require adjuvants and multiple doses to achieve a robust immune response. Examples include the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), vaccines against hepatitis A and rabies, and some influenza vaccines.

Beyond vaccines, the term is used in research and diagnostics to refer to biological material that has been deliberately disabled. Inactivated viruses, enzymes, or cells may serve as safe antigens for serological assays or as controls in experiments. The concept is distinct from attenuation, where a pathogen is weakened but still replication-competent.

Overall, inaktivierten conveys that a biological entity has been processed to lose activity, with implications for safety, immunogenicity, and experimental use.