Protection against experimental bubonic and pneumonic plague by a recombinant capsular F1-V antigen fusion protein vaccine.
The current human whole-cell vaccine is ineffective against pneumonic plague caused by typical F1 capsule positive (F1+) strains of Yersinia pestis. The authors found this vaccine to also be ineffective against F1-negative (F1-) Y. pestis strains, which have been isolated from a human case and from rodents. For these reasons, the authors developed a recombinant vaccine composed of a fusion protein of F1 with a second protective immunogen, V antigen. This vaccine protected experimental mice against pneumonic as well as bubonic plague produced by either an F1+ or F1- strain of Y. pestis, gave better protection than F1 or V alone against the F1+ strain, and may provide the basis for an improved human plague vaccine.
Heath
D G
DG
Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
Anderson
G W
GW
Mauro
J M
JM
Welkos
S L
SL
Andrews
G P
GP
Adamovicz
J
J
Friedlander
A M
AM
D000336:Aerosols; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010930:Plague / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic
D000336:Aerosols; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic