Bbvac: A Live Vaccine Candidate That Provides Long-Lasting Anamnestic and Th17-Mediated Immunity against the Three Classical Bordetella spp.

Abstract

Infectious diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, accounting for over 40 million hospitalizations since 1998. Therefore, novel vaccine strategies are imperative, which can be improved with a better understanding of the mechanisms that bacteria utilize to suppress host immunity, a key mechanism for establishing colonization. Bordetella spp., the causative agents of whooping cough, suppress host immunity, which allows for persistent colonization.