A group b streptococcus vaccine

摘要

The invention concerns a vaccine capable of protecting a recipient from infection caused group B Streptococcus. The vaccine comprises polysaccharide-protein moieties or protein moieties without a polysaccharide. The vaccine can contain, inter alia, (a) a group B Streptoccus polysaccharide conjugated to (b) either the N-terminal region of the epsilon antigen, a fragment thereof or their functional derivatives such that the vaccine retains the ability to elicit protective antibodies against group B Streptoccus. The vaccine may contain only one type of such polysaccharide-protein unit or may contain a mixture of more than one type of unit. Alternatively, the vaccine may contain antigens from different species of Group B Streptococcus. Additionally, the invention concerns a passive vaccine obtained following immunization with either the capsular polysaccharide-protein conjugate or the non-conjugated protein.