A STANDARD IMMUNOGLOBULIN PREPARATION PRODUCED FROM BOVINE COLOSTRA SHOWS ANTIBODY REACTIVITY AND NEUTRALIZATION ACTIVITY AGAINST SHIGA-LIKE TOXINS AND EHEC-HEMOLYSIN OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI O157-H7

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) causes a variety of clinical conditions, the most important being hemorrhagic colitis and hemolyti c uremic syndrome, A curative therapy of EHEC diseases is not yet feas ible. This study investigates the antibody reactivity of Lactobin(R), a standardized immunoglobulin (Ig) preparation, obtained from the colo stra of non-immunized cows, Three different batches of Lactobin(R) exh ibited equally high titers of specific antibodies against Shiga-like t oxins (SLTs, verocytotoxins) and EHEC hemolysin (EHEC-Hly) produced by E. coli O157. In addition, Lactobin(R) blocked the cytotoxic effect o f SLT-I and SLT-II on Vero cell monolayers and inhibited the cytolytic effects of EHEC-Hly on human erythrocytes. Since Lactobin(R) contains high levels of antibodies and neutralizing activity against important virulence factors of EHEC O157, this drug has potential use in the tr eatment of diarrhea and the prevention of EHEC-associated hemolytic ur emic syndrome.