Review
Immunology
Alycia P. Fratzke, Erin J. van Schaik, James E. Samuel
Summary: Coxiella burnetii is an intracellular bacterium that causes Q fever in humans, with a wide range of severe syndromes. Eliminating this bacterium is challenging due to its persistence in the environment and domestic livestock. Vaccination is considered the best prevention strategy, but current vaccines have limited use due to severe reactogenic responses. This review provides an overview of past and current research on C. burnetii vaccines, and explores strategies to improve vaccine safety.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Stephen R. Graves, Aminul Islam, Lawrence D. Webb, Ian Marsh, Karren Plain, Mark Westman, Xavier A. Conlan, Rodney Carbis, Rudolf Toman, John Stenos
Summary: Q fever is a worldwide problem caused by Coxiella burnetii bacterium. A successful study has shown that a conjugate vaccine, consisting of O-specific polysaccharide from C. burnetii and tetanus toxoid, can provide protection against virulent C. burnetii in guinea pigs. The vaccine showed promising results and could potentially replace the current Q-VAX vaccine.
Review
Immunology
Mahelat Tesfamariam, Picabo Binette, Carrie Mae Long
Summary: This article reviews the animal models used in Q fever vaccine development, describes recent advances in this field, discusses the limitations and strengths of these models, and summarizes the requirements and criteria for future modeling efforts. Overall, while there are already useful models for Q fever vaccine development, there is still room for growth and expansion, which will enhance our understanding of C. burnetii host interactions.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jo-Lewis Banga Ndzouboukou, Yan-di Zhang, Qing Lei, Xiao-song Lin, Zong-jie Yao, Hui Fu, Le-yong Yuan, Xiong-lin Fan
Summary: The study found that the IgG antibody responses elicited in healthy individuals after inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination were significantly higher than IgM, and sex did not have an effect on the antibody response. Age and the detection time after the second dose of vaccination can influence the antibody levels.
CURRENT MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Alycia P. Fratzke, Sharon Jan, Jiin Felgner, Li Liang, Rie Nakajima, Algis Jasinskas, Saikat Manna, Fnu N. Nihesh, Sampa Maiti, Tyler J. Albin, Aaron P. Esser-Kahn, D. Huw Davies, James E. Samuel, Philip L. Felgner, Anthony E. Gregory
Summary: Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, poses a potential bioterrorism threat due to its transmission route and resistance to disinfectants. The only licensed vaccine, Q-VAX, can cause severe reactions in sensitized individuals, leading to regulatory reluctance. Research on subunit vaccines with TLR agonists shows potential for protective immunity with reduced reactogenicity against C. burnetii infection.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Eunkyeong Jung, Chenkai Mao, Misha Bhatia, Edward C. Koellhoffer, Steven N. Fiering, Nicole F. Steinmetz
Summary: This study directly compared the therapeutic efficacies and mechanisms of immune activation of cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), UV-inactivated CPMV, and formalin-inactivated CPMV. The results showed that formalin-inactivated CPMV exhibited the best tumor growth suppression, while UV-inactivated CPMV had reduced efficacy due to the state of RNA aggregation, which inhibited TLR7 signaling.
MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Sarah. E. E. Williams-Macdonald, Mairi Mitchell, David Frew, Javier Palarea-Albaladejo, David Ewing, William. T. T. Golde, David Longbottom, Alasdair. J. J. Nisbet, Morag Livingstone, Clare. M. M. Hamilton, Stephen. F. F. Fitzgerald, Soren Buus, Emil Bach, Annemieke Dinkla, Hendrik-Jan Roest, Ad. P. P. Koets, Tom. N. N. McNeilly
Summary: This study demonstrates that both Coxevac and an experimental vaccine based on phase II C. burnetii can provide protection against C. burnetii infection in pregnant ewes, reducing bacterial shedding in feces, milk, and vaginal mucus, as well as abnormal pregnancies.
Article
Immunology
Alycia P. Fratzke, Anthony E. Gregory, Erin J. van Schaik, James E. Samuel
Summary: Q-VAX (R), a vaccine for Q fever, provides long-term protection but can cause reactions in sensitized individuals, limiting its use outside Australia. Studying different mouse strains revealed that the reactions to C. burnetii whole cell vaccine are consistent with a Th1 delayed-type hypersensitivity response.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Maria de los Angeles Ramo, Alfredo A. Benito, Joaquin Quilez, Luis Monteagudo, Cristina Baselga, Maria Teresa Tejedor
Summary: The presence of abortifacient infectious agents in sheep and goat abortions in the Iberian Peninsula was analyzed in this study. Coxiella burnetii and Chlamydia abortus were the most common pathogens, followed by Toxoplasma gondii, Campylobacter sp., Salmonella enterica, border disease virus, and Neospora caninum. Co-infections with multiple pathogens were found in a significant number of cases, highlighting the importance of preventive measures to reduce economic losses and public health risks.
Article
Immunology
Christina Dold, Henderson Zhu, Laura Silva -Reyes, Luke Blackwell, Aline Linder, Kevin Bewley, Kerry Godwin, Susan Fotheringham, Sue Charlton, Young Chan Kim, Andrew J. Pollard, Christine S. Rollier
Summary: Q fever is a highly infectious zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Developing vaccines that are more effective, affordable, and safe for individuals with pre-existing immunity is a global priority. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and C. burnetii surface proteins are potential vaccine antigens for Q fever.
Article
Immunology
Arathi Dharmaratnam, Arun Sudhagar, Sweta Das, Reshma Rajeev Nair, Sundar Raj Nithianantham, Prasannan Geetha Preena, Narendrakumar Lekshmi, Thangaraj Raja Swaminathan
Summary: This study focused on developing an inactivated vaccine for the goldfish hematopoietic necrosis viral disease (GHNVD) and examining its immunogenicity. The results showed that the formalin-inactivated vaccine triggered immune gene expression in goldfish and significantly improved survival rates in a virus challenge experiment.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Sharon Jan, Alycia P. Fratzke, Jiin Felgner, Jenny E. Hernandez-Davies, Li Liang, Rie Nakajima, Algimantas Jasinskas, Medalyn Supnet, Aarti Jain, Philip L. Felgner, D. Huw Davies, Anthony E. Gregory
Summary: Vaccines are cost-effective measures for controlling infectious diseases. This study aimed to develop a multivalent vaccine for Q fever that offers protection with reduced reactogenicity. The data showed that multivalent vaccines are more immunogenic and closely mimic the protection achieved by the existing Q-VAX vaccine.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Irina Matveeva, Olga Karpova, Nikolai Nikitin, Oleg Akilin, Vasiliy Yelnikov, Irina Litenkova, Roman Melnik, Nikolai Melnik, Karim Asimov, Aleksey Zaberezhny, Yriy Fyodorov, Evgeniya Markova
Summary: The core of reindeer rabies eradication strategy is regular vaccination to achieve and maintain sufficient coverage for stopping rabies virus transmission. The study found that a single dose of 3 ml inactivated rabies vaccine induced stable production of specific neutralizing antibodies in reindeer, and two doses with a 30-day interval established a strong immunity for at least 2 years. The data did not support the benefit of an adjuvanted vaccine for preventing rabies in reindeer.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Picabo Binette, Mahelat Tesfamariam, Diane Cockrell, Robert A. Heinzen, Crystal Richards, Carl Shaia, Carrie Mae Long
Summary: This study investigates the immunologic mechanisms of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to Q fever vaccine. Using a murine model, it is found that female mice display a more robust early-phase DTH response compared to male mice and other strains. The study also suggests that sex is a primary factor influencing the magnitude and composition of the ensuing response.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Michael Muleme, Joanne M. Devlin, Angus Campbell, Gemma Vincent, Paul John Benham, Cleide Sprohnle, Andrew Stent, Alexander Cameron, Aminul Islam, Stephen Graves, Colin Wilks, John Stenos, Simon M. Firestone
Summary: The study demonstrated that the formaldehyde-inactivated phase 1 C. burnetii vaccine could elicit specific immune responses in 8-week-old goats without significant safety issues. Further trials are needed to determine the level of protection against challenge, but the vaccine shows promise as a suitable option for immunizing 8-week-old goats.
VETERINARY IMMUNOLOGY AND IMMUNOPATHOLOGY
(2021)