Abstract |
Prevention of Klebsiella infections by passive immunotherapy has received more attention during the last decade. Both K antigen-and O antigen-specific antisera and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been studied with respect to phagocytosis-enhancing and in vivo protective capacities. Our own work has focussed on the generation of O serogroup-specific rabbit antisera and O antigen specific murine antibodies. O-specific rabbit sera were absorbed extensively with heterologous O antigen strains in order to obtain highly specific typing reagents. Using these for typing a collection of 378 clinical strains, we found that 82% of them belonged to one of the four serogroups O1, O2ab, O3 and O5. Phagocytosis experiments using antisera and mAbs showed that O antigen specific antibodies were able to opsonize non-encapsulated strains, while fully encapsulated bacteria were rather resistant against the opsonizing effect. Nevertheless, in vivo experiments demonstrated a prophylactic effect on both Klebsiella septicemia and pneumonia in a mouse model of lethal infection. Given the limited number of O serogroups, O antigen-specific antibodies may be suited to supplement K antigen-specific hyperimmune globulins for passive immunoprophylaxis of Klebsiella infections.
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Authors | M Trautmann, T K Held, A S Cross |
Journal | Vaccine
(Vaccine)
Vol. 22
Issue 7
Pg. 818-21
(Feb 17 2004)
ISSN: 0264-410X [Print] Netherlands |
PMID | 15040933
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- Antibodies, Monoclonal
- O Antigens
- Opsonin Proteins
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Topics |
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal
(immunology)
- Klebsiella
(immunology)
- Klebsiella Infections
(epidemiology, immunology, prevention & control)
- Mice
- O Antigens
(immunology, isolation & purification)
- Opsonin Proteins
- Rabbits
- Serotyping
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