Antibody to Cell Wall Glycolipid of Gram-Negative Bacteria: Induction of Immunity to Bacteremia and Endotoxemia

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 136; no. Supplement-1; pp. S167 - S173
• Main Authors: Braude, Abraham I., Ziegler, Elizabeth J., Douglas, Herndon, Allen McCutchan, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The University of Chicago Press 01-08-1977; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Bacterial; Antigens; Antiserum; Antitoxins - therapeutic use; Bacteremia; Bacteria; Endotoxins; Enterobacteriaceae Infections - therapy; Escherichia coli - immunology; Immunization; Immunization, Passive; Mice; Pseudomonas Infections - therapy; Rabbits; Salmonella; Sepsis - therapy; Session V. Hospital-Acquired Infection; Shwartzman Phenomenon; Toxemia - therapy; Vaccination
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/136.Supplement.S167

Antiserum to the core glycolipid of gram-negative bacteria was prepared by immunization of rabbits with vaccine composed of killed cells of the uridine diphosphate galactose-deficient mutant (J5) of Escherichia coli O:111. Antiserum to J5 not only prevented death of animals from endotoxin but also prevented the local and generalized Shwartzman reactions. Antiserum to endotoxin also prevented renal cortical necrosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation during the evolution of the generalized Shwartzman reaction. Antiserum to the J5 mutant was successful in the treatment of overwhelming bacteremia produced by other gram-negative bacteria; in addition to bacteremia caused by coliform organisms, antiserum to 15 was dramatically effective in treatment of bacteremia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. One injection of rabbit antiserum to 15 improved the survival rate from 15% in controls to 59% in treated animals (P <0.002). Active immunization with J5 vaccine was even more effective against pseudomonas bacteremia; such immunization improved the survival rate from 13% in controls to 92% in vaccinated rabbits. Since an antiserum effective against the J5 mutant of E. coli can be prepared safely in human subjects, such immunotherapy should be considered for patients with gram-negative bacteremia.