The safety tests provided in this section shall be conducted when prescribed in a standard requirement or in the filed Outline of Production for a biological product recommended for use in cats.

(a) The cat safety test provided in this paragraph shall be used when the Master Seed Virus is tested for safety.

(1) The test animals shall be determined to be susceptible to the virus under test as follows:

(i) Throat swabs shall be collected from each cat and individually tested on susceptible cell cultures for the presence of the virus. Blood samples shall also be drawn and individual serum samples tested for antibody to the virus.

(ii) The cats shall be considered susceptible if swabs are negative for virus isolation and the serums are free of virus antibody at the 1:2 final dilution in a 50 percent plaque reduction test or other serum-neutralization test of equal sensitivity.

(iii) When determining susceptibility to a virus which does not lend itself to the methods in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, a method acceptable to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service shall be used.

(2) Each of at least 10 susceptible cats shall be administered a sample of the Master Seed Virus equivalent to the amount of virus to be used in one cat dose of the vaccine, by the method to be recommended on the label, and the cats observed each day for 14 days.

(3) If unfavorable reactions attributable to the virus occur in any of the cats during the observation period, the Master Seed Virus is unsatisfactory. If unfavorable reactions occur which are not attributable to the Master Seed Virus, the test shall be declared a No Test and repeated: Provided, That, if not repeated, the Master Seed Virus shall be unsatisfactory.

(b) The cat safety test provided in this paragraph shall be used when a serial of vaccine is tested for safety before release.

(1) Each of two healthy cats shall be administered 10 cat doses by the method recommended on the label and the cats observed each day for 14 days.

(2) If unfavorable reactions attributable to the biological product occur during the observation period, the serial is unsatisfactory. If unfavorable reactions occur which are not attributable to the product, the test shall be declared a No Test and repeated: Provided, That, if not repeated, the serial shall be unsatisfactory.

[44 FR 58898, Oct. 12, 1979, as amended at 56 FR 66784, Dec. 26, 1991]