The influence of remaining live BCG organisms in vaccinated mice on the maintenance of immunity to tuberculosis.
The only available vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, is at present being used as a reference for the efficacy of novel vaccines. Herein, we demonstrate that viable BCG can be detected at late time points after vaccination in C57BL/6J mice. If BCG is cleared by antibiotic treatment, the number of mycobacteria-reactive effector cells in the spleen gradually reverts to low levels and consequently immunity in this organ wanes, while resistance in the lung remains stable. The implications for comparing BCG vaccination with experimental vaccines including non-replicating vaccines are discussed.
Department of Infectious Disease Immunology Statens Serum Institut Copenhagen, Denmark.
A W
AW
Olsen
L
L
Brandt
E M
EM
Agger
L A H
LA
van Pinxteren
P
P
Andersen
D000818:Animals; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D002452:Cell Count; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control
D001500:BCG Vaccine; D007371:Interferon-gamma