Vaccination with parenteral toxoid B protects hamsters against lethal challenge with toxin A-negative, toxin B-positive clostridium difficile but does not prevent colonization.

Siddiqui, Farida; O'Connor, Jennifer R; Nagaro, Kristin; Cheknis, Adam; Sambol, Susan P; Vedantam, Gayatri; Gerding, Dale N; Johnson, Stuart · J Infect Dis · 2012

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Toxin A has historically been regarded as the primary virulence determinant in Clostridium difficile infection, but naturally occurring toxin A-negative, toxin B-positive (A-/B+) C. difficile strains are known to be virulent. To determine the role of toxin B in these strains, we immunized hamsters with a toxoid prepared from purified toxin B to determine whether they would be protected from lethal challenge with an A-/B+ strain of C. difficile.

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