Antibodies against a truncated Staphylococcus aureus fibronectin-binding protein protect against dissemination of infection in the rat

Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) originating from local infections c an lead to severe secondary infections such as endocarditis. The protective effect of antibodies against secondary infections was studied in a rat mod el, where a local joint infection leads to bacteraemia and endocarditis on damaged aortic valves. In this study, immunizations with a truncated D2-dom ain of the S. aureus fibronectin-binding protein displayed on a cow-pea mos aic virus (CPMV-D) carrier induced protection against endocarditis (P < 0.0 5). Opsonization of S. aureus with antibodies raised against CPMV-D stimula ted both neutrophil activity and macrophage phagocytosis in vitro. Furtherm ore, intravenous administration of these antibodies protected mice from wei ght loss due to SAB. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.