NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Immunization with an attenuated strain of Brucella melitensis protects mice against respiratory challenge with the bacteria’s virulent parental strain, investigators report. Because it can be administered orally, this vaccine may represent a practical means of protecting humans from brucellosis, acquired either by accidental exposure or from a deliberate biowarfare attack.
Dr. Mina J. Izadjoo, at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, DC, and associates developed a purEK deletion mutant of B. melitensis 16M (WR201) that requires purine supplementation for growth. According to their report in the July issue of Infection and Immunity, mice immunized orally with WR201 bacteria remained healthy but generated serum and mucosal antibodies to B. melitensis lipopolysaccharide.
Moreover, antigen-stimulated splenocytes obtained from immunized mice produced interleukin-2 and gamma interferon.
Intranasal challenge with the parent 16M strain lead to reduced frequencies of infected spleen, lung and liver compared with immunization with sham vaccine (saline).
These findings “suggest that induction of purine auxotrophy in B. melitensis has promise as a strategy for the development of a safe, convenient, and effective human vaccine,” Dr. Izadjoo’s team writes. But as with all live vaccines, they add, future work will be required in animal models before testing in human volunteers can be initiated.
Source: Infect Immun 2004;72:4031-4039. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Antibody Formation: Behavioral Sciences: Biological Warfare: Behavioral Disciplines and Activities: Social Problems: Social Sciences: Sociology: Vaccines, Attenuated: War: Anthropology, Education, Sociology and Social Phenomena: Psychiatry and PsychologyCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
