1. Neisseria lactamica protects against experimental meningococcal infection.
- Author
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Oliver KJ, Reddin KM, Bracegirdle P, Hudson MJ, Borrow R, Feavers IM, Robinson A, Cartwright K, and Gorringe AR
- Subjects
- Animals, Antibodies, Bacterial blood, Antibodies, Bacterial immunology, Bacteremia immunology, Cross Reactions, Disease Models, Animal, Humans, Meningococcal Infections immunology, Mice, Neisseria meningitidis isolation & purification, Vaccination, Bacteremia prevention & control, Meningococcal Infections prevention & control, Neisseria immunology, Neisseria meningitidis immunology
- Abstract
Immunological and epidemiological evidence suggests that the development of natural immunity to meningococcal disease results from colonization of the nasopharynx by commensal Neisseria spp., particularly with N. lactamica. We report here that immunization with N. lactamica killed whole cells, outer membrane vesicles, or outer membrane protein (OMP) pools and protected mice against lethal challenge by a number of diverse serogroup B and C meningococcal isolates in a model of bacteremic infection. Sera raised to N. lactamica killed whole cells, OMPs, or protein pools were found to cross-react with meningococcal isolates of a diverse range of genotypes and phenotypes. The results confirm the potential of N. lactamica to form the basis of a vaccine against meningococcal disease.
- Published
- 2002
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