Survey and Evaluation of Department of Defense Women's Immunity to Bacterial Superantigens

摘要

The common Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes produce toxins, such as SEB, that cause diseases ranging from food poisoning to an acute, life-threatening toxic-shock syndrome. Vaccines for this and other related toxins are currently in the advanced development stage. Toxic-shock syndrome is predominantly diagnosed in women, and has been linked to toxin production from bacteria colonizing tampons. Over-stimulation of the immune response is responsible for the acute pathological effects and recovery is often followed by a profound nonresponsiveness to the toxin. The residual effects of suppressed toxin-specific immune responses may hinder successful vaccination of affected women. The results of our study of active duty military personnel between the ages of 18 and 35 years of age suggests a possible discordance between males and females in preexisting immune responses to the toxins, and further indicate the possibility of vaccination failures for women as a result of T-cell energy.