Antibodies for preventing and treating attaching and effacing
The present invention relates to antibodies immunologically specific for an attaching and effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) virulence-associated protein, products, compositions and methods and to their use thereof in the prevention of an AEEC infection in a mammal. The antibody of the invention is immunologically specific for an AEEC virulence-associated protein and is capable of preventing an in vivo AEEC intestinal infection when administered to a mammal. The antibody of the invention is preferably useful for preventing the development of A/E intestinal lesions associated with the AEEC. This is achieved by preferably using IgY antibodies immunologically specific for one or more AEEC virulence-associated proteins, such as Eae, Tir, EspA and Paa.
1. A method for preventing the development of attaching and effacing (A/E) intestinal lesions associated with an attaching and effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) in a mammal, said method comprising: passive immunization by oral administration to the mammal of IgY antibodies immunologically specific to AEEC virulence-associated proteins, wherein the IgY antibodies are a mixture of an IgY antibody immunologically specific to porcine attaching-effacing associated protein Paa and one or more IgY antibodies immunologically specific to an AEEC virulence-associated protein selected from the group consisting of intimin (Eae), translocated intimin receptor (Tir) and secreted protein EspA, and wherein the antibodies prevent the development of A/E intestinal lesions associated with an AEEC in the mammal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IgY antibodies are isolated and purified.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antibodies are combined with a biologically acceptable vehicle or carrier.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IgY antibodies are comprised in an egg.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IgY antibodies are comprised in an isolated yolk of an egg.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the egg is lyophilized and is administered in a powdered form.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the isolated yolk is lyophilized and is administered in a powdered form.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the IgY antibodies is immunologically specific to the AEEC virulence-associated protein Tir.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the IgY antibodies is immunologically specific to the AEEC virulence-associated protein EspA.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the IgY antibodies is immunologically specific to the AEEC virulence-associated protein Eae.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IgY antibodies are a mixture of an antibody immunologically specific to Paa, an antibody immunologically specific to Eae, an antibody immunologically specific to Tir and an antibody immunologically specific to EspA.