good the bad and the ugly Lactic acid bacteria as delivery vehicle of antigens in the
The good, the bad and the ugly; Lactic acid bacteria as delivery vehicle of antigens in the fight against infectious diseases. ... Mostly the immune system of a healthy individual can deal with these infectious agents (Vibrio cholera, Salmonella, Shigella; "the bad") and after a period of greater or minor discomfort will make a complete recovery. Sometimes the infections can be more serious and become chronic or lethal when not discovered in time (HIV/AIDS, Neisseria meningitis; "the ugly"). Approximately 10 years ago lactic acid bacteria ("the good") were identified as a possible delivery vehicle for infectious diseases. It was shown that delivery of the non-toxic fragment C of tetanus toxin (TTFC) by Lactococcus lactis could induce an immune response that was sufficient for protection against lethal challenge with the tetanus toxin. This finding, combined with the knowledge that these organisms are safe for human consumption and can be stored in a freeze-dried format, has spurred research on the use of lactic acid bacteria for the delivery of antigens for a variety of infectious diseases. ... However, the main roadblock encountered is the generation of a positive (protective) response with antigens, other than TTFC. ... The idea to use lactic acid bacteria, such as Lactococcus lactis or Lactobacillus species, for the delivery of antigens as an alternative vaccination strategy originated in the late 1980s, but became a real option when oral immunization of mice with TTFC expressing lactococci was shown to result in a protective response against a lethal challenge with tetanus toxin . Lactic acid bacteria are Gram-positive facultative anaerobic bacteria that have been used for thousands of years for the manufacturing of fermented food products such as cheeses, yogurt and dried sausages. ... They are easy to propagate and most countries, including the developing countries, have industries that use lactic acid bacteria for the manufacturing of their products.