Anthrax: Virulence and Vaccines
Authors: W. Edmund Farrar
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1994)

Editorials1 September 1994Anthrax: Virulence and VaccinesW. Edmund Farrar, MDW. Edmund Farrar, MDMedical University of South Carolina; Charleston, SC 29425Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-121-5-199409010-00013 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Anthrax is an infectious disease that has afflicted humans and their domestic livestock since ancient times. Although in many industrialized countries the disease is controlled by vaccination and good practices in rearing livestock, it remains a serious problem in many less developed regions of the world.The causative organism, Bacillus anthracis, is a spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium that inhabits the soil. Although the causal relation between the organism and anthrax has been known for more than a century, since the time of Koch and Pasteur, the specific factors responsible for the virulence of the organism have been identified and characterized during ...References1. Green BD, Battisti L, Koehler TM, Thorne CB, Ivins BE. Demonstration of a capsule plasmid in Bacillus anthracis. Infect Immun. 1985; 49:291-7. Google Scholar2. Leppla SH. Production and purification of anthrax toxin. Methods Enzymol. 1988; 165:103-16. Google Scholar3. Leppla SH. Bacillus anthracis calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase: chemical and enzymatic properties and interactions with eucaryotic cells. Adv Cyclic Nucleotide Protein Phosphorylation Res. 1984; 17:189-98. Google Scholar4. Mikesell P, Ivins BE, Ristroph JD, Dreier TM. Evidence for plasmid-mediated toxin production in Bacillus anthracis. Infect Immun. 1983; 39:371-6. Google Scholar5. Kaspar RL, Robertson DL. Purification and physical analysis of Bacillus anthracis plasmids pX01 and pX02. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1987; 149:362-8. Google Scholar6. Hambleton P, Carman JA, Melling J. Anthrax: the disease in relation to vaccines. Vaccine. 1984; 2:125-32. Google Scholar7. Ivins BE, Ezzell JW Jr, Jemski J, Hedlund KW, Ristroph JD, Leppla SH. Immunization studies with attenuated strains of Bacillus anthracis. Infect Immun. 1986; 52:454-8. Google Scholar8. Uchida I, Makino S, Sasakawa C, Terakado N, Yoshikawa M. Cloning of the genetic region for encapsulation of Bacillus anthracis. Salisbury Medical Bulletin. Special Supplement. 1990; 68:62. Google Scholar9. Vodkin MH, Leppla SH. Cloning of the protective antigen gene of Bacillus anthracis. Cell. 1983; 34:693-7. Google Scholar10. Mock M, Labruyere E, Glaser P, Danchin A, Ullmann A. Cloning and expression of the calmodulin-sensitive Bacillus anthracis adenylate cyclase in Escherichia coli. Gene. 1988; 64:277-84. Google Scholar11. Robertson DL, Leppla SH. Molecular cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of the lethal factor gene of Bacillus anthracis. Gene. 1986; 44:71-8. Google Scholar12. Welkos SL, Lowe JR, Eden-McCutchan F, Vodkin M, Leppla SH, Schmidt JJ. Sequence and analysis of the DNA encoding protective antigen of Bacillus anthracis. Gene. 1988; 69:287-300. Google Scholar13. Robertson DL, Tippetts MT, Leppla SH. Nucleotide sequence of the Bacillus anthracis edema factor gene (cya): a calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase. Gene. 1988; 73:363-71. Google Scholar14. Robertson DL, Bragg TS. Nucleotide sequence of the lethal factor (lef) and edema factor (cya) genes from Bacillus anthracis: elucidation of the EF and LF functional domains. Salisbury Medical Bulletin. Special Supplement. 1990; 68:59. Google Scholar15. Ivins BE, Welkos SL. Cloning and expression of the Bacillus anthracis protective antigen gene in Bacillus subtilis. Infect Immun. 1986; 545:537-42. Google Scholar16. Ivins BE, Welkos SL, Little SF, Knudson GB. Cloned protective activity and progress in development of improved anthrax vaccines. Salisbury Medical Bulletin. Special Supplement. 1990; 68:86-8. Google Scholar17. Turnbull PC. Anthrax vaccines: past, present and future. Vaccine. 1991; 9:533-9. Google Scholar18. Ivins BE, Welkos SL, Little SF, Crumrine MH, Nelson GO. Immunization against anthrax with Bacillus anthracis protective antigen combined with adjuvants. Infect Immun. 1992; 60:662-8. Google Scholar19. Turnbull PC, Quinn CP, Hewson R, Stockbridge MC, Melling J. Protection conferred by microbially-supplemented UK and purified PA vaccines. Salisbury Medical Bulletin. Special Supplement. 1990; 68:89-91. Google Scholar20. Ivins BE, Welkos SL, Knudson GB, LeBlanc DJ. Transposon Tn916 mutagenesis in Bacillus anthracis. Infect Immun. 1988; 56:176-81. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Medical University of South Carolina; Charleston, SC 29425 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByVirus-derived immunostimulatory RNA induces type I IFN-dependent antibodies and T-cell responses during vaccinationUse of the mice passive protection test to evaluate the humoral response in goats vaccinated with Sterne 34F2 live spore vaccineMixed Patterns in Lymph Node: Tropical Infectious Lymphadenopathy and Hematopathology, not otherwise CharacterizedBacterial Pneumonia, Lung Abscess, and EmpyemaAnthrax: From Antiquity and Obscurity to a Front-Runner in BioterrorismSurgical Infection Society Guidelines for Vaccination after Traumatic InjuryEl carbunco cutáneo: diagnóstico, patogenia y tratamientoClinicopathologic Aspects of Bacterial AgentsUse of Anthrax Vaccine in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization PracticesBacillus anthracis : Medical Issues of Biologic WarfareANTHRAX VACCINEAnthrax post-vaccinal cell-mediated immunity in humans: kinetics pattern 1 September 1994Volume 121, Issue 5Page: 379-380KeywordsAdenosine monophosphateAnthraxAntigensBacillusBacillus anthracisCellsEdemaGuinea pigsToxinsVaccines Issue Published: 1 September 1994 CopyrightCopyright © 1994 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...