VACCINES AGAINST ESCHERICHIA COLI O157 INFECTION

摘要

This invention relates to conjugates of the O-specific polysaccharide of E. coli O157 with a carrier, and compositions thereof, and to methods of using of these conjugates and/or compositions thereof for eliciting an immunogenic response in mammals, including responses which provide protection against, o r reduce the severity of, bacterial infections. More particularly it relates t o the use of polysaccharides containing the tetrasaccharide repeat unit: (3)- .alpha.-D-GalpNAc-(12)-.alpha.-D-PerpNAc-(13)-.alpha.-L-Fucp-(14)-.beta.-D- Glcp-(1, and conjugates thereof, to induce serum antibodies having bactericidal (killing) activity against hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) causing E. coli, in particular E. coli O157. The conjugates, and composition s thereof, are useful as vaccines to induce serum antibodies which have bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity against E. coli, in particular E. co li O157, and are useful to prevent and/or treat illnesses caused by E. coli O15 7. The invention further relates to the antibodies which immunoreact with the O - specific polysaccharide of E. coli O157 and/or the carrier, that are induced by these conjugates and/or compositions thereof. The invention also relates to methods and kits using one or more of the polysaccharides, conjugates or antibodies described above.