The Establishment and Use of Allergen Vaccine International Standards

A subcommittee under the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) for the establishment of international standards (IS) agreed on guidelines in 1980-8 1. It was assumed that the collaboration and joint authority of the World Health Organization would be essential to achieve acceptance at an international level. In the following years the subcommittee selected, characterized, and produced international standards from several allergenic sources including Ambrusim artemisiifolia (short ragweed), Phleum pratense (timothy grass), the domestic mite Dermatuphagoides pterurzyssinus,Betula vernrcusa (birch), and Canis familiaris (dog). Additional standards were planned for the mold Alternaria alternuta, for the grasses Cynodon ducglun (Bermuda grass) and Lolium perenne (rye grass), Felis dumesticirs (cat), and the domestic mite Dermatuphaguides furinae, but this initiative unfortunately seems to have stopped prematurely. (more…)

Endotoxins and Exotoxins

endotoxins and exotoxins
Exotoxins are noxious proteins secreted by many bacteria. These toxins are often heat-labile and thus can be heat-inactivated for use as vaccines to prevent toxigenic immunity to bacteria disease. Many bacteria produce more than one protein exotoxin, making vaccine development more difficult. (more…)