Antibodies are generated during infection to Coxiella burnetii macrophage infectivity potentiator protein (Cb-Mip).
Antisera from rabbits immunized with formalin inactivated Coxiella burnetii isolates associated with either acute (Nine Mile, phase I or phase II) or chronic (Priscilla) Q fever showed reactivity to a C. burnetii macrophage infectivity potentiator protein (Cb-Mip) cloned in Escherichia coli. Further, antisera generated in BALB/c mice after infection with live Nine Mile phase I or Priscilla isolates also showed reactivity to Cb-Mip by immunoblot analysis. In addition, human serum from an individual with previous serological and clinical evidence of Q fever showed reactivity to Cb-Mip. This study indicates that Cb-Mip is immunogenic in both experimental and natural infections, and is the first report on the presence of antibodies to Mip/Mip-like proteins of intracellular bacteria in human sera. Cb-Mip may serve as a potential target antigen for developing recombinant vaccines or diagnostic assays for Q fever.
Seshu
J
J
Department of Microbiology, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-4233, USA.
McIvor
K L
KL
Mallavia
L P
LP
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D020104:Immunophilins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019696:Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; D011778:Q Fever / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D020104:Immunophilins; D019696:Peptidylprolyl Isomerase