VACCINE AGAINST STREPTOCOCCUS AGALACTIAE INFECTION USING NATIVE OR RECOMBINANT S. AGALACTIAE GLYCERALDHEYDE-3-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE (GAPDH) AS A TARGET ANTIGEN

摘要

The present invention regards a vaccine against Streptococcus agalactiae infection, a leading cause of neonatal pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis. The vaccine is composed by glyceraldheyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) protein obtained from culture supernatants of S. agalactiae cells, or by recombinant GAPDH (rGAPDH) obtained from the gene coding for the S. agalactiae GAPDH cloned and expressed in a heterologous system. The vaccine administered in a submitogenic dose of GAPDH, or rGAPDH, protects the host against S. agalactiae infection. Vaccination is used as a preventive approach and is administered by intravenous and/or intradermic and/or subcutaneous and/or mucosal route. Therefore, the invention field is in the area of the pharmaceutical industry.