Antigenicity of chloroform-methanol-treated Coxiella burnetii preparations

Phase I Coxiella burnetii (C.b.) cells untreated (Cb I) or treated with chloroform-methanol (CM) mixture (Cb I-CM) were compared as to their capacity to induce antibodies in laboratory animals and cattle, their ability to elicit delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction in mice and rabbits and protective effect in mice. In all animal species (mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, cattle) tested, the same doses of Cb I-CM cells induced lower levels of both phase I and phase II microagglutinating (MA) antibodies than Cb I cells at different intervals post-immunization (p.i.). Though for elicitation of DTH reaction in rabbits immunized with different C.b. preparations lower doses of Cb I than of Cb I-C M cells were necessary, C.b. cells caused inflammatory reaction at lower doses also in control rabbits. In mice immunized with Cb I and Cb I-CM cells, but not with trichloracetic acid extract (TCAE) from intact Cb I cells, DTH reaction was elicited by the same doses of Cb I and Cb I-CM cells. Higher immunizing doses of Cb I-CM than of Cb I cells were required, however, to induce DTH reaction (as tested by TCAE) as well as protection to phase I virulent challenge. TCAE from intact Cb I cells was protective in mice also at lower doses than TCAE from Cb I-CM cells (TCAE-CM). In humans who suffered from Q fever one year ago, higher proportion of positive skin test (ST) reactions and antibody recalls with higher mean geometric titres (MGT) of phase II MA antibodies was noticed following intradermal administration of TCAE than of TCAE-CM. When humans with no evidence of Q fever in past were vaccinated with TCAE or TCAE-CM, the former preparation not only caused higher proportion of both local and general post-vaccination reactions, but also of phase II MA antibody response and positive ST reactions as tested by TCAE 3 months post-vaccination in addition to higher proportion of phase II MA antibody recalls.