Patent

1. A composition comprising:

a first isolated antibody that specifically binds to a polypeptide having a molecular weight of 83 kDa;

a second isolated antibody that specifically binds to a polypeptide having a molecular weight of 70 kDa; and

a third isolated antibody that specifically binds to a polypeptide having a molecular weight of 66 kDa;

wherein molecular weight is determined by electrophoresis on a sodium dodecyl sulfate- polyacrylamide gel, wherein the polypeptides having molecular weights of 83 kDa, 70 kDa, and 66 kDa are expressed by a Yersinia enterocolitica at a greater level when incubated in media comprising an iron chelator than when grown in the media without the iron chelator;

wherein the isolated polypeptide with a molecular weight of 83 kDa comprises the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:48, SEQ ID NO:49, SEQ ID NO:50, SEQ ID NO:51, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:53, SEQ ID NO:54, SEQ ID NO:55, SEQ ID NO:56, SEQ ID NO:57, and SEQ ID NO:58, or the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:59, SEQ ID NO:60, SEQ ID NO:61, SEQ ID NO:62, SEQ ID NO:63, SEQ ID NO:64, SEQ ID NO:65, SEQ ID NO:66, SEQ ID NO:68, SEQ ID NO:69, SEQ ID NO:70, SEQ ID NO:71, SEQ ID NO:72, SEQ ID NO:73, SEQ ID NO:74, SEQ ID NO:75, SEQ ID NO:76, SEQ ID NO:77, SEQ ID NO:79, SEQ ID NO:80, SEQ ID NO:81, SEQ ID NO:82 and one selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO:67 and SEQ ID NO:78;

wherein the isolated polypeptide with a molecular weight of 70 kDa comprises the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:112, SEQ ID NO:113, SEQ ID NO:114, SEQ ID NO:115, SEQ ID NO:116, SEQ ID NO:117, SEQ ID NO:118, SEQ ID NO:119, SEQ ID NO:120, SEQ ID NO:122, SEQ ID NO:123, SEQ ID NO:124, SEQ ID NO:125, SEQ ID NO:127, SEQ ID NO:129, SEQ ID NO:130, SEQ ID NO:131, SEQ ID NO:132, SEQ ID NO:133, SEQ ID NO:134, SEQ ID NO:135, SEQ ID NO:136, SEQ ID NO:138, SEQ ID NO:139, SEQ ID NO:140, SEQ ID NO:141, SEQ ID NO:143, SEQ ID NO:144, and SEQ ID NO:145; and

wherein the isolated polypeptide with a molecular weight of 66 kDa comprises the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:146, SEQ ID NO:147, SEQ ID NO:150 SEQ ID NO:151, SEQ ID NO:152, SEQ ID NO:153, SEQ ID NO:154, SEQ ID NO:155, SEQ ID NO:158, SEQ ID NO:159, SEQ ID NO:160, and SEQ ID NO:161.

2. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the polypeptides are isolatable from Y. enterocolitica ATCC strain 27729.

4. A method for treating an infection in a subject comprising:

administering an effective amount of the composition of claim 1 to a subject having or at risk of having an infection caused by a Yersinia spp.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the subject is a mammal.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the mammal is a human.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the Yersinia spp. is Y. enterocolitica or Y. pestis.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the composition comprises polyclonal antibodies.

9. A method for treating a symptom in a subject comprising:

administering an effective amount of the composition of claim 1 to a subject having an infection caused by a Yersinia spp.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the subject is a mammal.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the mammal is a human.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the Yersinia spp. is Y. enterocolitica or Y. pestis.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the composition comprises polyclonal antibodies.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the symptom is diarrhea, enteritis, or a symptom of the plague, or a combination thereof.