Mapping the immune response to burkholderia mallei during experimental equine glanders infection

Abstract

Burkholoderia mallei is the cause of glanders Human infection is extremely. Rare, but renewed interesting parallels the realization that this organism could be used as an agent of bioterrorism. There is a need to develop an effective vaccine, and the purpose of this project was to inform this effort by mapping the immune response to B. Mallei during experimental equine infection. An expression library was constructed using the B. mallei sequence strain 23344 and a phagemid vector expression system. This was used to screen sera from two horses with experimental glanders infected with B mallei 23344. More than 140 inserts were sequenced, 30 of which were unique. These included surface expressed and Transmemembrane proteins secreted proteins and hydoprotheical proteins. This technique represents a powerful tool for the elucidation of novel putative vaccine candiddates….