title: Passive protection by polyclonal antibodies against Bacillus anthracis infection in guinea pigs.
abstract: The protective effects of polyclonal antisera produced by injecting guinea pigs with protective antigen (PA), the chemical anthrax vaccine AVA, or Sterne spore vaccine, as well as those of toxin-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) produced against PA, lethal factor, and edema factor, were examined in animals infected with Bacillus anthracis spores. Only the anti-PA polyclonal serum significantly protected the guinea pigs from death, with 67% of infected animals surviving. Although none of the MAbs was protective, one PA MAb caused a significant delay in time to death. Our findings demonstrate that antibodies produced against only PA can provide passive protection against anthrax infection in guinea pigs.
authors.affiliation: Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Maryland 21702-5011, USA.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Ivins
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Fellows
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Friedlander
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000276:immunology*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006168:Guinea Pigs
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines