Clinical and vaccine immunology : CVI
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Clin. Vaccine Immunol. · Nov 2007
Use of antibody avidity assays for diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection.
An indirect immunofluorescent assay (Euroimmun AG, Luebeck, Germany) was used to investigate the avidity of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, IgA, and total Ig (IgGAM) antibody responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS CoV) infections. Serial serum samples from eight patients collected during the first, third, and ninth months after the onset of infection were evaluated. It was found that low-avidity IgG antibodies were detected in 15/15 (100%), 1/5 (20%), and 0/8 (0%) serum samples collected during the first, third, and ninth months after the onset of symptoms, respectively. ⋯ While SARS CoV infections induced an anamnestic IgG antibody response to the 229E and OC43 viruses, these cross-reactive antibodies remained of high avidity from early (the first month) postinfection. The results showed that assays to detect low-avidity antibody may be useful for discriminating early from late antibody responses and also for distinguishing anamnestic cross-reactive antibody responses from primary specific responses. This may be useful in some clinical situations.
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Clin. Vaccine Immunol. · Oct 2007
Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi Ty21a expressing human papillomavirus type 16 L1 as a potential live vaccine against cervical cancer and typhoid fever.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines based on L1 virus-like particles (VLPs) can prevent HPV-induced genital neoplasias, the precursors of cervical cancer. However, most cervical cancers occur in developing countries, where the implementation of expensive vaccines requiring multiple injections will be difficult. A live Salmonella-based vaccine could be a lower-cost alternative. ⋯ Comparison to the neutralizing antibody response induced by purified HPV16 L1 VLP immunizations in mice suggests that Ty21a kanL1S may be an effective prophylactic HPV vaccine. Ty21a has been widely used against typhoid fever in humans with a remarkable safety record. These finds encourage clinical testing of Ty21a kanL1S as a combined typhoid fever/cervical cancer vaccine with the potential for worldwide application.
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Clin. Vaccine Immunol. · Aug 2007
Clinical evaluation of the SD Bioline influenza virus antigen test for rapid detection of influenza viruses A and B in children and adults during the influenza season.
The performance of the SD Bioline rapid antigen test kit for influenza virus detection was evaluated with 295 respiratory specimens during the influenza season. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the SD Bioline test were 61.9% and 96.8% for the influenza A virus antigen and 54.5% and 100% for the influenza B virus antigen, respectively. The results were consistent with peak influenza activities.
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Clin. Vaccine Immunol. · Aug 2007
Quality and kinetics of the antibody response in mice after three different low-dose influenza virus vaccination strategies.
The threat of a new influenza pandemic has led to renewed interest in dose-sparing vaccination strategies such as intradermal immunization and the use of adjuvanted vaccines. In this study we compared the quality and kinetics of the serum antibody response elicited in mice after one or two immunizations with a split influenza A (H3N2) virus, using three different low-dose vaccination strategies. The mice were divided into four groups, receiving either a low-dose vaccine (3 microg hemagglutinin [HA]) intradermally or intramuscularly with or without aluminum adjuvant or the normal human vaccine dose (15 microg HA) intramuscularly. ⋯ However, low-dose adjuvanted vaccine elicited a serum antibody response comparable to that elicited by the human dose, although the second immunization did not result in any increase in cross-reactive hemagglutination inhibition antibodies, and the peak serum antibody response was observed 1 week later than in the other vaccination groups. Our murine data suggest that the low-dose intradermal route does not show any obvious advantage over the low-dose intramuscular route in inducing a serum antibody response and that none of the low-dose vaccination strategies is as effective as intramuscular vaccination with the normal human dose. However, the low-dose aluminum-adjuvanted vaccine could present a feasible alternative in case of limited vaccine supply.
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Clin. Vaccine Immunol. · Mar 2007
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyHuman models of low-grade inflammation: bolus versus continuous infusion of endotoxin.
Systemic low-grade inflammation is recognized in an increasing number of chronic diseases. With the aim of establishing an experimental human in vivo model of systemic low-grade inflammation, we measured circulating inflammatory mediators after intravenous administration of Escherichia coli endotoxin (0.3 ng/kg of body weight) either as a bolus injection or as a 4-h continuous intravenous infusion, as well as after saline administration, in 10 healthy male subjects on three separate study days. Only bolus endotoxin caused an increase in heart rate, whereas a slight increase in rectal temperature was observed in both endotoxin groups. ⋯ Finally, endotoxin activated the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis slightly earlier in the bolus compared to the infusion trial. The continuous endotoxin infusion model may be more representative of human low-grade inflammation than the bolus injection model due to a less dynamic and more sustained increase in circulating levels of inflammatory mediators over time. In conclusion, low-dose endotoxin infusion elicits an inflammatory response, as assessed by a rise in TNF-alpha, and the responses are significantly different according to whether low-dose endotoxin is applied as a bolus injection or as a continuous infusion.