Use of Coxiella bacteria to treat autoimmune disease

摘要

Therapeutic compositions including a species of Coxiella or one or more antigenic components therefrom or analogous or homologous components thereof are disclosed. These compositions are useful in preventing, inhibiting, delaying onset of or otherwise ameliorating the effects of an autoimmune disease in a mammal, particularly insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). They are also useful in prolonging survival of islet tissue transplanted into a mammal.