title: Rationale for the development of immunotherapy regimens against enterococcal infections.
abstract: Enterococci are the third most common pathogen isolated in bloodstream infections. Increasing resistance against multiple antimicrobial agents has left few treatment options for enterococcal infections, and alternative therapeutic approaches are needed. Although a variety of virulence factors have been described for Enterococcus faecalis, only aggregation substance (AS) and a teichoic acid-like capsular polysaccharide have been evaluated for their potential for vaccine development. Antibodies raised against purified capsular polysaccharide are highly opsonic and protect mice against bacteremia after active and passive immunization. Since E. faecalis expresses only a limited number of capsular serotypes, this antigen may be an attractive candidate for development of a conjugate vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Theilacker
authors.forename: Wolfgang A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Krueger
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kropec
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huebner
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate; C065937:aggregation substance, Enterococcus faecalis