Meningococci
Neisseria book review
I am pleased to provide the following excerpt from a book review of Neisseria: Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenesis:
"an excellent, comprehensive and updated review ... The editors, both experienced in the Neisseria field, have recruited 43 contributors from five different countries. Many of these individuals are well-recognized experts, front-line researchers and/or key opinion leaders in their topics. They provide, evaluate and discuss detailed up-to-date understanding, the significance of different findings, theories, hypotheses and conclusions, and future directions in a research, clinical and public health perspective. The volume is valuable and timely ... Most chapters ... are excellent, comprehensive, important, updated, well-written, and contain many relevant references and informative figures/tables summarizing the key information ... the 'future trends' are valuably emphasized in most chapters. Some chapters even recommend good web resources for further reading ... the editors of the present volume have collated an impressive group of well-recognized experts that provide exceedingly interesting, comprehensive and up-to-date understanding regarding molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis in Neisseria, as well as an excellent bibliography for further reading. The volume is valuable, timely and can be highly recommended for researchers, microbiologists, molecular biologists, epidemiologists, clinicians, vaccine manufacturers and students, who are involved and/ or interested in any topic involving pathogenic Neisseria species." from Magnus Unemo (Orebro, Sweden) writing in Expert Rev. Anti Infect. Ther. (2010) 8: 871–875. read more ...
"an excellent, comprehensive and updated review ... The editors, both experienced in the Neisseria field, have recruited 43 contributors from five different countries. Many of these individuals are well-recognized experts, front-line researchers and/or key opinion leaders in their topics. They provide, evaluate and discuss detailed up-to-date understanding, the significance of different findings, theories, hypotheses and conclusions, and future directions in a research, clinical and public health perspective. The volume is valuable and timely ... Most chapters ... are excellent, comprehensive, important, updated, well-written, and contain many relevant references and informative figures/tables summarizing the key information ... the 'future trends' are valuably emphasized in most chapters. Some chapters even recommend good web resources for further reading ... the editors of the present volume have collated an impressive group of well-recognized experts that provide exceedingly interesting, comprehensive and up-to-date understanding regarding molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis in Neisseria, as well as an excellent bibliography for further reading. The volume is valuable, timely and can be highly recommended for researchers, microbiologists, molecular biologists, epidemiologists, clinicians, vaccine manufacturers and students, who are involved and/ or interested in any topic involving pathogenic Neisseria species." from Magnus Unemo (Orebro, Sweden) writing in Expert Rev. Anti Infect. Ther. (2010) 8: 871–875. read more ...
 | Edited by: Caroline Genco and Lee Wetzler "excellent, comprehensive ... valuable and timely ... highly recommended" (Expert Rev. Anti Infect. Ther.)ISBN: 978-1-904455-51-6 Publisher: Caister Academic Press Publication Date: January 2010 Cover: hardback |
Protective Capacity of Antibodies
Category: Vaccines | Immunology
New Analytical Approaches for Measuring Protective Capacity of Antibodies
from Moon H. Nahm and Carl E. Frasch writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Antibodies to the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule protect the host by opsonizing pneumococci for host phagocytes, while antibodies to the meningococcal polysaccharide capsule protect by directly killing meningococci in the presence of complement. In vitro measurement of serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) against the meningococcus has been used for a long time as a measure of protective immunity. Technical developments of pneumococcal opsonophagocytosis assays (OPA) in the past decade permit measurements of opsonic capacity of sera from persons immunized with pneumococcal vaccines. Experience with OPAs shows that opsonic capacities of antisera are better than their antibody levels in predicting vaccine efficacy. Thus, measurements of opsonic capacity could be a surrogate of clinical studies of pneumococcal vaccines. By being the surrogate for clinical studies, the assays for protective function of antibodies would reduce the need for large clinical trials and facilitate vaccine developments and improvements.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
from Moon H. Nahm and Carl E. Frasch writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Antibodies to the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule protect the host by opsonizing pneumococci for host phagocytes, while antibodies to the meningococcal polysaccharide capsule protect by directly killing meningococci in the presence of complement. In vitro measurement of serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) against the meningococcus has been used for a long time as a measure of protective immunity. Technical developments of pneumococcal opsonophagocytosis assays (OPA) in the past decade permit measurements of opsonic capacity of sera from persons immunized with pneumococcal vaccines. Experience with OPAs shows that opsonic capacities of antisera are better than their antibody levels in predicting vaccine efficacy. Thus, measurements of opsonic capacity could be a surrogate of clinical studies of pneumococcal vaccines. By being the surrogate for clinical studies, the assays for protective function of antibodies would reduce the need for large clinical trials and facilitate vaccine developments and improvements.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies