Travelers Diarrhea and E Coli--Prevalence of Pilus AGS

Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) is among the most important agents involved in pediatric diarrhea anmost frequently encountered cause of illness in visitors to these regions. It is estimated that 16 mindustrialized nations travel to ETEC-endemic regions annually, and that 30-70% of these travelers cdiarrhea. The overall objective of this work is to facilitate development of passive antibody producdiarrhea caused by ETEC. Colonization of the human intestine requires specific colonization factor aRational design of an effective treatment requires knowledge of the relative incidence of these antipatients traveling to affected areas. ImmuCell, together with our colleagues at the University of TeHealth will (1) screen clinical isolates obtained from travelers to Mexico over the past seven consethe predominant CFA types associated with travelers diarrhea in this population; (2) identify the imstrains and test them for stable, high level expression; (3) generate vaccine quality CFA antigen frpromising strains; (4) Immunize lactating dairy cows and measure milk-borne anti-CFA antibody by ELIfunctionally characterize the antibodies produced by hemagglutination inhibition. Upon successful codescribed in this SBIR Phase I study, the objective is to follow-up with production of kilogram quanCFA Ig for use in SBIR Phase II human clinical trial.