[Immunobiologic activity of Bordetella pertussis strains defective in various virulence factors]

The immunobiological properties of mutant strains, selectively deprived of certain antigens (hemagglutinin, B. pertussis toxin, dermonecrotic toxin, hemolysin, adenylate cyclase), have been studied with the aim of finding out the relationship between the presence of certain antigens in microbial strains and their protective properties. The results of these studies suggest that the protective potency of pertussis vaccine may be related to the presence of some antigenic substances, including those not pertaining to the known factors of virulence.