IDENTIFICATION OF VIRULENCE ASSOCIATED REGIONS RD1 AND RD5 LEADING TO IMPROVE VACCINE OF M. BOVIS BCG AND M. MICROTI

摘要

The present invention relates to a strain of M. bovis BCG or M. microti, wherein said strain has integrated part or all of the RD1 region responsible for enhanced immunogenicity of the tubercle bacilli, especially the ESAT-6 and CFP-10 genes. These strains will be referred as the M bovis BCG::RDI orM.microti::RD1 strains and are useful as a new improved vaccine for preventing tuberculosis and as a therapeutical product enhancing the stimulation of the immune system for the treatment of bladder cancer. These strains are also useful for the expression and presentation of heterologous antigens and molecule that are of therapeutic or prophylactic interest.