Topic
Anthrax vaccines
About: Anthrax vaccines is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 685 publications have been published within this topic receiving 21495 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
More filters
TL;DR: The results from this vaccine postmarketing surveillance investigation suggest that there is no association between optic neuritis and receipt of anthrax, smallpox, hepatitis B, or influenza vaccinations in the US military, whether these vaccines are administered alone or in combination.
Abstract: Background Numerous case reports have suggested a possible association between optic neuritis and receipt of several different vaccines. The most frequently identified vaccines associated with optic neuritis in the literature are influenza and hepatitis B, and a report describing 2 US military cases suggests an association with the currently used anthrax vaccine (anthrax vaccine adsorbed). Objective To test the hypothesis that optic neuritis may be associated with anthrax, smallpox, hepatitis B, and influenza vaccines. Design We conducted a matched case-control study among US military personnel from January 1, 1998, through December 31, 2003, using the Defense Medical Surveillance System. Statistical associations between vaccine exposures and optic neuritis within 6-, 12-, and 18-week study intervals were estimated through multivariable conditional logistic regression analyses. Subjects A total of 1131 cases of optic neuritis and 3393 controls were matched by sex, military component, and deployment status. Results No statistically significant associations between optic neuritis and anthrax vaccine were observed for any of the 3 study intervals: 6-week interval (odds ratio [OR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74-1.87), 12-week interval (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.63-0.35), and 18-week interval (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.58-1.14). Furthermore, no difference in optic neuritis risk was detected when comparing those who received no dose, 1 dose, and 2 doses of anthrax vaccine. Similarly, no statistically significant associations were observed between optic neuritis and smallpox, hepatitis B, or influenza vaccines within any of the study intervals. No vaccine to vaccine interactions were statistically significant. Conclusions The results from this vaccine postmarketing surveillance investigation suggest that there is no association between optic neuritis and receipt of anthrax, smallpox, hepatitis B, or influenza vaccinations in the US military, whether these vaccines are administered alone or in combination. The negative findings presented here are important to the continuing discussions regarding the safety of these vaccines.
39 citations
TL;DR: It is hypothesize that optimal delivery of a subset of SA proteins identified by such studies to the immune system in combination with protective antigen (PA), the principal immunogen in AVA, might facilitate the development of defined, nonreactogenic, more-efficacious PA-based anthrax vaccines.
Abstract: We identified spore targets of Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed (AVA)-induced immunity in humans by screening recombinant clones of a previously generated, limited genomic Bacillus anthracis Sterne (pXO1+, pXO2−) expression library of putative spore surface (spore-associated [SA]) proteins with pooled sera from human adults immunized with AVA (immune sera), the anthrax vaccine currently approved for use by humans in the United States. We identified 69 clones that reacted specifically with pooled immune sera but not with pooled sera obtained from the same individuals prior to immunization. Positive clones expressed proteins previously identified as localized on the anthrax spore surface, proteins highly expressed during spore germination, orthologs of proteins of diverse pathogens under investigation as drug targets, and orthologs of proteins contributing to the virulence of both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens. Among the reactive clones identified by this immunological screen was one expressing a 15.2-kDa hypothetical protein encoded by a gene with no significant homology to sequences contained in databases. Further studies are required to define the subset of SA proteins identified in this study that contribute to the virulence of this pathogen. We hypothesize that optimal delivery of a subset of SA proteins identified by such studies to the immune system in combination with protective antigen (PA), the principal immunogen in AVA, might facilitate the development of defined, nonreactogenic, more-efficacious PA-based anthrax vaccines. Future studies might also facilitate the identification of SA proteins with potential to serve as targets for drug design, spore inactivation, or spore detection strategies.
38 citations
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that PA binding alone is not sufficient to neutralize LT and suggested that for an antibody to effectively block PA-mediated toxicity, it must bind to PA such that one of the requisite toxin functions is disrupted.
Abstract: Protective antigen (PA) is the cell surface recognition unit of the binary anthrax toxin system and the primary immunogenic component in both the current and proposed "next-generation" anthrax vaccines. Several studies utilizing animal models have indicated that PA-specific antibodies, acquired by either active or passive immunization, are sufficient to protect against infection with Bacillus anthracis. To investigate the human antibody response to anthrax immunization, we have established a large panel of human PA-specific monoclonal antibodies derived from multiple individuals vaccinated with the currently approved anthrax vaccine BioThrax. We have determined that although these antibodies bind PA in standard binding assays such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting, capture assays, and dot blots, less than 25% are capable of neutralizing lethal toxin (LT) in vitro. Nonneutralizing antibodies also fail to neutralize toxin when present in combination with other nonneutralizing paratopes. Although neutralizing antibodies recognize determinants throughout the PA monomer, they are significantly less common among those paratopes that bind to the immunodominant amino-terminal portion of the molecule. These findings demonstrate that PA binding alone is not sufficient to neutralize LT and suggest that for an antibody to effectively block PA-mediated toxicity, it must bind to PA such that one of the requisite toxin functions is disrupted. A vaccine design strategy that directed a higher percentage of the antibody response toward neutralizing epitopes may result in a more efficacious vaccine for the prevention of anthrax infection.
38 citations
TL;DR: Mycoplasma contamination of the licensed anthrax vaccine administered to military personnel has been suggested as a possible cause of Persian Gulf illness, but vaccine samples tested by nonmilitary laboratories were negative for viable myCoplasma and mycoplasm DNA and did not support its survival.
Abstract: Mycoplasma contamination of the licensed anthrax vaccine administered to military personnel has been suggested as a possible cause of Persian Gulf illness. Vaccine samples tested by nonmilitary laboratories were negative for viable mycoplasma and mycoplasma DNA and did not support its survival. Mycoplasma contamination of anthrax vaccine should not be considered a possible cause of illness.
38 citations
TL;DR: The human infectious dose is unknown, but is estimated to be between 100,000 and 100, 000,000 spores as discussed by the authors, and this is likely to be true in humans as well.
38 citations