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

布鲁氏菌病导致牛自然流产，并导致与受感染动物接触的人出现严重的衰弱性不适。在加拿大，在野生动物种群（野牛、麋鹿、驯鹿）中存在布鲁氏菌储存库，疾病可由此传播给家养牛群或人类。由于对养牛业的经济影响以及对人类疾病的潜在影响，美国已经花费了35亿美元试图为其牛群接种疫苗，并对牛群中潜在病例的跟踪保持警惕。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。对动物和人类布鲁氏菌病的推定诊断取决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在感染布鲁氏菌毒株的牛中观察到的类似的抗体反应，因此存在混淆。

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.