Anthrax vaccines

About: Anthrax vaccines is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 685 publications have been published within this topic receiving 21495 citations.

Welder's Anthrax: A Tale of 2 Cases.

Abstract: Bacillus anthracis has traditionally been considered the etiologic agent of anthrax. However, anthrax-like illness has been documented in welders and other metal workers infected with Bacillus cereus group spp. harboring pXO1 virulence genes that produce anthrax toxins. We present 2 recent cases of severe pneumonia in welders with B. cereus group infections and discuss potential risk factors for infection and treatment options, including antitoxin.

Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization Mapping of Anthrax Vaccine Publications from 1991 through 2021

Abstract: Purpose: This study aims to analyze and characterize anthrax vaccine-related research, key developments, global research trends, and mapping of published scientific research articles during the last three decades (1991–2021). Methods: A bibliometric and visualized study was conducted. The Web of Science Core Collection database (WoSCC) was searched using relevant keywords (“Anthrax” OR “Anthrax bacterium” OR “Bacillus anthracis” OR “Bacteridium anthracis” OR “Bacillus cereus var. Anthracis” (Topic)) AND (“Vaccine” OR “Vaccines” OR “Immunization” OR “Immunisation” OR “Immunizations” OR “Immunisations” (Topic)) with specific restrictions. The data was analyzed and plotted by using different bibliometric software and tools (HistCiteTM software, version 12.3.17, Bibliometrix: An R-tool version 3.2.1, and VOSviewer software, version 1.6.17). Results: The initial search yielded 1750 documents. After screening the titles and abstracts of the published studies, a total of 1090 articles published from 1991 to 2021 were included in the final analysis. These articles were published in 334 journals and were authored by 4567 authors from 64 countries with a collaboration index of 4.32. The annual scientific production growth rate was found to be 9.68%. The analyzed articles were cited 31335 times. The most productive year was 2006 (n = 77, 7.06%), while the most cited year was 2007 (2561 citations). The leading authors and journals in anthrax research were Rakesh Bhatnagar from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India (n = 35, 3.21%), and Vaccine (n = 1830, 16.51%), while the most cited author and journal were Arthur M. Friedlander from the United States Department of Defense (n = 2762), and Vaccine (n = 5696), respectively. The most studied recent research trend topics were lethal, double-blind, epidemiology, B surface antigen, disease, and toxin. The United States of America (USA) was the most dominant country in terms of publications, citations, corresponding author country, and global collaboration in anthrax vaccine research. The USA had the strongest collaboration with the United Kingdom (UK), China, Canada, Germany, and France. Conclusion: This is the first bibliometric study that provides a comprehensive historical overview of scientific studies. From 2006 to 2008, more than 20% of the total articles were published; however, a decrease was observed since 2013 in anthrax vaccine research. The developed countries made significant contributions to anthrax vaccine-related research, especially the USA. Among the top 10 leading authors, six authors are from the USA. The majority of the top leading institutions are also from the USA. About 90% of the total studies were funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), USA.

Demonstration of Complement Fixing Antibody in the Sera of Cattle Vaccinated with Combined Living Blackleg-anthrax Vaccine.

Abstract: Complement fixing antibodies could be detected in the sera of cattle vaccinated with combined living blackleg-anthrax vaccine by modified complement fixation tests. Conventional direct complement fixation tests with bovine antibody-antigen systems often caused false negative reactions; however, in the modified test, when guinea pig complement was supplemented with fresh unheated normal rabbit serum, positive reactions were obtained and the sensitivity of the test was increased without loss of specificity.

Learning from the 2001 Anthrax Attacks: Immunological Characteristics

Abstract: opened in the Hart Senate Office Building (HSOB) in October 2001. The authors took advantage of this unfortunate but unique opportunity to conduct an observational study to determine whether high levels of inhalational exposure to anthrax spores resulted in clinical disease, as well as in humoral immune or cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses. This is one of the few studies of the immune response to high-level, naturally occurring anthrax exposure in humans, and it may be the first to describe CMI responses to this pathogen. The immune responses of persons with various levels of exposure, including an unexposed group and an unexposed but recently vaccinated group, are described, with data collected at 3 points in time: ~6, 8, and 12 weeks after exposure. The degree of exposure was determined by proximity in the HSOB and Capitol complex to the letter at the time when it was opened. The proximity measure of exposure correlated directly with the percentage in each group who had positive nasopharyngeal cultures within 24 h of the incident. In addition, the article describes the immune response to vaccination against anthrax among the subset of these groups who were vaccinated as part of the public health response. The key findings are that, although all highly exposed persons had immediately received antibiotics and there was no evidence that exposure resulted in clinical illness, sizeable percentages of persons highly exposed but not vaccinated had evidence of either humoral immune (40% to protective antigen [PA] and 14% to lethal factor [LF]) or CMI (80% to PA and ~60% to LF) responses. In addition, immune responses occurred mainly in persons with higher levels of exposure, and, for all measures of immunity, there was a notable doseresponse gradient. Vaccination of highly exposed persons also provoked detectable anti-LF antibodies in up to 40% of vaccinees. No one in the recently vaccinated, unexposed control group had detectable anti-LF antibodies; the anthrax vaccine used (anthrax vaccine adsorbed [AVA]) is geared toward the reliable production of PA antibodies only and not of LF [2]. Finally, a small percentage of persons minimally exposed (outside the HSOB but in the Capitol complex where positive environmental cultures were obtained) also had evidence of CMI responses. In addition to adding to the library of information about the immune response to anthrax spore exposure, this study may shed additional light on the pathogenesis of anthrax. The data obtained support the concept that exposure to high doses of potentially virulent anthrax spores in the setting of antibiotic prophylaxis to abort infection is sufficient to provoke an immune response. Furthermore, the variety of responses-particularly the humoral, cell-mediated, and postvaccination responses to LF-suggest that some people may have had spore germination with toxin secretion and exposure that was limited in extent and duration in the setting of antibiotics. The current anthrax vaccine used in the United States, AVA, consists principally of PA adsorbed onto aluminum hydroxide. As demonstrated in the study by Doolan et al., vaccination reliably produces responses to PA but only rarely to LE