THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF HUMAN ANTISERA TO GROUP-B STREPTOCOCCAL GLYCOCONJUGATE VACCINES IN NEONATAL MICE

Experimental immunoglobulin preparations for treatment of group B stre ptococcal (GBS) infections contain low levels of functional antibody a nd exhibit lot-to-lot variability, GBS capsular polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines have recently been shown to produce high serum lev els of type-specific antibody in healthy volunteers, Treatment of neon atal mice 4 h after inoculation with an ordinarily lethal dose of GBS type Ia, Ib, or III with pooled human serum from adults who had receiv ed GBS type Ia capsular polysaccharide-tetanus toroid vaccine (la CPS- TT), Ib CPS-TT, or In CPS-TT resulted in 63%, 70%, and 75% survival, r espectively, In contrast, less than or equal to 17% of the infected mi ce treated with normal human serum or saline survived, These results d emonstrate the therapeutic activity of GBS polysaccharide conjugate va ccine-induced antiserum and provide a rationale for the use of these v accines in producing a functional, high-titered intravenous immunoglob ulin preparation for clinical use.