Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy of a Novel Recombinant BCG Strain Overexpressing Antigens Ag85A and Ag85B
Figure 6
Bacterial loads per lung and spleen in C57BL/6 mice at 4 and 18 weeks after challenge. Six weeks after immunization, C57BL/6 mice were challenged i.v. with 106 CFU virulent M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain. Four and eighteen weeks after challenge, spleens and lungs were harvested and numbers of CFU per organ were enumerated. Results are shown as the mean (±SEM) log10 CFU/organ. This experiment was repeated with similar results. At 4 w after challenge, PBS versus rBCG::261, rBCG::AB versus rBCG::261, and all other groups (except rBCG::AB) versus rBCG::AB with a in lung bacterial load; PBS versus rBCG::AB, rBCG::261 versus rBCG::AB, and all other groups (except rBCG::261) versus rBCG::261 with a in spleen bacterial load. At 18 w after challenge, PBS versus rBCG::261, rBCG::85B versus rBCG::261, rBCG::AB versus rBCG::261, and all other groups (except rBCG::AB) versus rBCG::AB with a in lung bacterial load; only PBS versus rBCG::261 and PBS versus rBCG::AB with a in spleen bacterial load.
