Article Abstract:
IS1002 fingerprinting was used to study the population structure and epidemiology of Bordetella pertussis. Thirty six different RFLP types were noted among 106 strains analyzed. The Dutch strains showed evidence of a shift in the population structure in time since most of the strains were detected in families of related strains in successive periods. Differences between 1950-54 and later period were not pronounced, which is attributed to the introduction of the whole-cell vaccine in 1953. During 1950-54, strains with RFLP types identical to the vaccine strains were identified, indicating a decreased frequency of such strains due to vaccination.
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Article Abstract:
Research was conducted to examine the hypothesis that Bordetella pertussis strains have evolved that are less affected by vaccine-induced immunity. It was found in a study of the Dutch B. pertussis population that antigenic shifts had taken place in two proteins that are critical for immunity, namely, PT and Prn, which has led to antigenic divergence between vaccine strains and clinical isolates. Results indicate that the B. pertussis population structure was not affected by vaccination and that the population structure may have been influenced by import from neighboring countries with a high vaccine coverage.
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Article Abstract:
Research has been conducted on the polymorphism in pertactin. The immunological importance of this polymorphism has been investigated and the results are presented.
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