Multivalent vaccines demonstrate immunogenicity and protect against Coxiella burnetii aerosol challenge

Vaccines are among the most cost-effective public health measures for controlling infectious diseases. Coxiella burnetii is etiological agent of Q fever, a disease with wide clinical spectrum that ranges from mild symptoms, such as fever and fatigue, to more severe disease, pneumonia endocarditis. The formalin-inactivated whole-cell vaccine Q-VAX ® contains hundreds antigens confers lifelong protection in humans, but prior sensitization infection or vaccination can result deleterious reactogenic responses vaccination. Consequently, there great interest developing non-reactogenic alternatives based on adjuvanted recombinant proteins. In this study, we aimed develop multivalent conferred reduced reactogenicity. We hypothesized consisting multiple would be immunogenic protective than monovalent owing large number potential C. proteome. To address this, identified T B cell antigens, selected proteins were purified evaluate combination adjuvant (IVAX-1), without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) immunogenicity studies vivo mice Hartley guinea pig intratracheal aerosol challenge model using strain NMI RSA 493. data showed vaccines closely emulate achieved by Q-VAX. Although six immunogenic, also discovered multiplexing beyond four introduces detectable reactogenicity, indicating an upper limit safely included Q-fever vaccine. LPS demonstrates efficacy antigen conferring otherwise formulation, suggesting its addition vaccines, demonstrated quadrivalent improve responses.