Immune responses to Bacillus anthracis protective antigen in patients with bioterrorism-related cutaneous or inhalation anthrax.
Anti-protective antigen (PA) immunoglobulin (Ig) G, toxin neutralization, and PA-specific IgG memory B cell responses were studied in patients with bioterrorism-related cutaneous or inhalation anthrax and in a patient with laboratory-acquired cutaneous anthrax. Responses were determined for >1 year after the onset of symptoms. Eleven days after the onset of symptoms (15 days after likely exposure), anti-PA IgG was detected in 16 of 17 patients with confirmed or suspected clinical anthrax who were tested. Anti-PA IgG remained detectable 8-16 months after the onset of symptoms in all 6 survivors of inhalation anthrax and in 7 of 11 survivors of cutaneous anthrax who were tested. Anti-PA IgG levels and serum toxin neutralizing activity were strongly associated (R2=0.83). PA-specific IgG memory B cells were detectable in all 6 survivors of inhalation anthrax but in only 2 of 7 patients with cutaneous anthrax who were tested. Anti-PA IgG is an important diagnostic marker of anthrax, a predictor of serum anti-toxin activity, and a marker of immunological memory against anthrax.
Quinn
Conrad P
CP
Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30329, USA. cquinn@cdc.gov.
Dull
Peter M
PM
Semenova
Vera
V
Li
Han
H
Crotty
Shane
S
Taylor
Thomas H
TH
Steward-Clark
Evelene
E
Stamey
Karen L
KL
Schmidt
Daniel S
DS
Stinson
Kelly Wallace
KW
Freeman
Alison E
AE
Elie
Cheryl M
CM
Martin
Sandra K
SK
Greene
Carolyn
C
Aubert
Rachael D
RD
Glidewell
John
J
Perkins
Bradley A
BA
Ahmed
Rafi
R
Stephens
David S
DS
D000881:Anthrax / Q000276:immunology*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000276:immunology*; D023482:Bioterrorism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C030325:anthrax toxin