title: Vaccines and vaccine adjuvants as biological response modifiers.
abstract: Vaccines have been used successfully for many years to prevent death and morbidity from infectious diseases. In the last two decades major advances in the fields of genetics and immunology have allowed a significant increase in the use of immunomodulatory drugs in a broad range of pathologic conditions. This article reviews several uses of immunomodulating properties of vaccines, both old and new, with a focus on cancer and autoimmune diseases. Special emphasis is placed on the historical aspects and current applications of the bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine, the first vaccine to be used in cancer immunotherapy.
authors: Division of Infectious Diseases, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL 62794, USA. cspeil@siumed.edu
authors: Cristian
authors: C
authors: Speil
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Rzepka
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D014612:Vaccines