Development of Vaccines to Prevent Wound Infections due to Anaerobic Bacteria
Abstract
Bacteroides fragilis is the major cause of anaerobic bacterial sepsis and abscess formation. We have found that immunization of rats with a purified capsular polysaccharide (CP) of a B. fragilis strain protects against experimental bacteremia and intraabdominal abscess formation. In this report we have adopted the animal model to the mouse because the mouse host allows better immunologic and genetic definition. These studies show that active immunization of the mouse with CP affords T-cell dependent protection. The T cell involved has been shown to belong to a subset of cells bearing Ly2+ phenotype on their surface and not to be H2 restricted, therefore conforming to the description of a suppressor cell. Preliminary studies to define the mechanism of T-cell dependent immunity suggest that the cell required to kill B. fragilis in vitro is an immune T lymphocyte which acts in the presence of a heat-labile serum factor, presumably complement. We have described an in vitro opsonophagocytic assay utilizing either human PMN or mononuclear cells for killing and found that human mononuclear cells require a significantly longer time to kill B. fragilis than PMN.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA140139
Entities
People
- Dennis L Kasper