The riddle of the σ is recast in a way that tries to differentiate fact from fiction as a basis for future/further discussion. By doing this, it is hoped that the role of the σ as dominating the ubitiquitous ππ interactions below 1 GeV and its relation to the QCD vacuum can be clarified. In this talk, I will start to answer some of the questions that Lucien Montanet listed in his introduction a...

The aim of this study was to compare the PSPT standardized in-house as an alternative to MPT for potency assays of pertussis component. Statistical analyses have showed similar pertussis potency values when PSPT was compared to MPT. Significant correlation between the potency results obtained by in vivo and in vitro assays was also been observed. Results by PSPT have demonstrated reproducibilit...

Preparation of chitosan (CS) microspheres as a novel drug delivery vehicle for intranasal immunization using high, medium and low CS molecular weight (MW) was investigated in this study. Diphtheria toxoid (DT) was used as a model antigen. The emulsion-solidification method was adopted for microencapsulation of DT.  In the first step, following the purification of semi-crude DT by the ion-exchan...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections is greatly hampered by innate and acquired antibiotic resistance. The goal of this study was to compure the immunogenicity of conjugates of P. aeruginosa depolymerized alginate-diphtheria toxoid (D-ALGDT) and P. aeruginosa detoxified lipopolysaccharidediphtheria toxoid (D-LPSDT) in mouse model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Algi...

BACKGROUND An acellular Pertussis (aP) vaccine containing recombinant genetically detoxified Pertussis Toxin (PTgen), Filamentous Hemagglutinin (FHA) and Pertactin (PRN) has been developed by BioNet-Asia (BioNet). We present here the results of the first clinical study of this recombinant aP vaccine formulated alone or in combination with tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (TdaP). METHODS A phase...

BACKGROUND High rates of endemic disease and recurrent epidemics of serogroup A and C meningococcal meningitis continue to occur in sub-Saharan Africa. A meningococcal A + C polysaccharide diphtheria-toxoid-conjugated vaccine may address this issue. METHODS In Niger three doses of a bivalent meningococcal A + C diphtheria-toxoid-conjugated vaccine (MenD), containing 1, 4 or 16 microg of each ...

Corynebacterium species are well-known causes of catheter-related bloodstream infections. Toxigenic strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae cause respiratory diphtheria. We report a bloodstream infection caused by a nontoxigenic strain of C. diphtheriae and discuss the epidemiology, possible sources of the infection, and the implications of rapid species identification of corynebacteria.

We present a case of a four-year-old boy who succumbed to diphtheria following incomplete course of immunisation, which included diphtheria vaccine. This case report focuses on the issues of parental refusal to vaccines and the development of "halal" vaccines for the prevention of infectious diseases.

The occurrence of porphyrins in diphtheria toxin is well known (for references, see A. M. Pappenheimer, J. Biol. Chem. 167:251, 1947). In toxoid, the porphyrins remain as red pigments which, unless removed before the addition of alum, impart a red color to the final alum-precipitated toxoid. Removal of the porphyrins as a first step was examined by L. B. Holt (Developments in Diphtheria Prophyl...