Klebsiella pneumoniae type 3 fimbria-mediated immunity to infection in the murine model of respiratory disease.
Type 3 fimbriae are expressed by most strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and facilitate adherence to the basement membrane of human respiratory tissues. The ability of these appendages to stimulate a protective immune response in vivo has not been investigated. A murine model of acute pneumonia was used to determine whether the production of type 3 fimbria-specific antibodies correlated with protection against infection by K. pneumoniae. Purified fimbriae from several strains were used to immunize mice prior to challenge with a virulent strain. The immunized mice produced high titers of specific antibody and this was associated with protection against challenge with a low dose of bacteria that was lethal in unimmunized animals. However, challenge with a high number of bacteria resulted in no protection against infection.
Lavender
Heather
H
College of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Jagnow
Jennifer J
JJ
Clegg
Steven
S
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G