RECOMBINANT V ANTIGEN PROTECTS MICE AGAINST PNEUMONIC AND BUBONIC PLAGUE CAUSED BY F1-CAPSULE-POSITIVE AND F1-CAPSULE-NEGATIVE STRAINS OF YERSINIA-PESTIS

The purified recombinant V antigen from Yersinia pestis, expressed in Escherichia coli and adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide, an adjuvant appro ved for human use, was used to immunize outbred Hsd:ND4 mice subcutane ously. Immunization protected mice from lethal bubonic and pneumonic p lague caused by CO92, a wild-type F1(+) strain, or by the isogenic F1( -) strain C12. This work demonstrates that a subunit plague vaccine fo rmulated for human use provides significant protection against bubonic plague caused by an F1(-) strain (C12) or against substantial aerosol challenges from either F1(+) (CO92) or F1(-) (C12) Y. pestis.