Molecular Recognition of Complex Glycans by Antibodies and Dendritic Cell C-type Lectins

布鲁氏菌病会导致牛的自然流产和与受感染动物接触的人的严重虚弱不适。在加拿大，在野生动物种群(野牛、麋鹿、驯鹿)中有布鲁氏菌的储存库，疾病可以从那里传播到家养牛群或人类。由于对养牛业的经济影响以及人类潜在的疾病，美国已花费35亿美元试图为其牛群接种疫苗，并对追踪牛群中的潜在病例保持警惕。目前的动物疫苗是布鲁氏菌的减毒株，但这造成了一种不切实际的情况。布鲁氏菌病在动物和人类中的推定诊断依赖于对布鲁氏菌细胞表面多糖抗原抗体的检测，但由于接种疫苗的动物表现出与感染布鲁氏菌强毒株的牛相似的抗体反应，因此令人困惑。

Brucellosis causes spontaneous abortion in cattle and a serious debilitating malaise in humans who come in contact with infected animals. In Canada there are repositories of Brucella in wild animal populations (bison, elk, caribou) from which the disease can be spread to domestic cattle herds or humans. Because of the economic effect on the cattle business and the disease potential in humans, the US has spent $3.5 billion trying to vaccinate its cattle herds and is vigilant in tracking potential cases within herds. The current animal vaccine is an attenuated strain of Brucella but this creates an impractical situation. Presumptive diagnosis of brucellosis in animals and humans depends on detection of antibodies to Brucella cell surface polysaccharide antigens but is confounded because vaccinated animals manifest an antibody response similar to that observed in cattle infected by a virulent strain of Brucella.