RESUMO
A DNA vaccine composed of the gene for the common mycobacterial secreted protein antigen 85B was demonstrated to protect the mouse foot pad against infection with Mycobacterium leprae. The protective effect was demonstrated by a 61%-88% reduction in the bacterial number, a protective effect less than that of BCG. The same DNA vaccine has been shown to protect mice against M. tuberculosis infection, and the importance of testing other candidate tuberculosis vaccines for their potential to protect against leprosy is discussed.
Assuntos
Humanos , DNA , Mycobacterium leprae/imunologia , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/imunologiaRESUMO
Measurements of anti-phenolic glycolipid-I antibodies were made in 200 matched samples of capillary blood from the skin-smear site, venous blood collected on filter paper, and sera. A close correlation among the three samples was observed and a weaker correlation among the antibody levels and the average and skin-smear bacterial index. Capillary blood from the skin-smear site had a consistently higher level of antibodies in each sample than did the sera. The collection of capillary blood from skin-smear sites is a convenient and economical method of obtaining samples for serology and for measuring local antibody levels, and it may be more sensitive than measurements of antibodies in sera.