Antibody-containing blend obtained from eggs

Abstract

The invention relates to blending eggs from lots produced over the course of the egg laying cycle of immunized avians, to form an antibody-containing blend containing both early-stage antibodies and late-stage antibodies. The administration of an effective amount of such an antibody-containing blend to a subject increases the efficacy of the antibody blend its ability to bind antigen over that of a substance containing the same amount of antibody obtained from eggs containing either early-stage antibodies or late-stage antibodies only.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for increasing efficacy of an antibody in a subject comprising: 
 A. inducing an immune response in an egg-producing animal with at least one immunogen;    B. collecting eggs from the egg-producing animal for a predetermined period of time following induction of said immune response;    C. processing all of the collected eggs together to form a blended mix; and    D. administering to the subject a portion of the blended mix which contains an effective titer of said antibody.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined period of time comprises at least 30 weeks.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the predetermined period of time comprises 30 to 60 weeks.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the immunogen is selected from the group consisting of proteins, enzymes, bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi, cellular antigens, allergens and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the immunogen comprises cholecystokinin.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the egg-producing animal comprises an avian.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the avian is selected from the group consisting of fowls, turkeys, ducks and geese.  
     
     
         8 . An antibody-containing substance comprising an effective titer of at least one antibody, said antibody comprising all antibody structures produced within an animal over a predetermined period of time following induction of an immune response in said animal.  
     
     
         9 . The antibody-containing substance of  claim 8  wherein the animal comprises an egg-producing animal.  
     
     
         10 . The antibody-containing substance of  claim 9  further comprising an egg product.  
     
     
         11 . The antibody-containing substance of  claim 10  wherein the egg product comprises an effective amount of egg obtained from a blended mix of all eggs produced by one or more egg-producing animal for at least 30 weeks following induction of the immune response.  
     
     
         12 . An antibody-containing substance comprising an effective titer of at least one antibody, said antibody-containing substance comprising an egg product obtained from a blended mix of all eggs produced over a predetermined period of time by one or more egg-producing animals which have been immunized with at least one immunogen.  
     
     
         13 . The antibody-containing substance of  claim 12  wherein the predetermined period of time comprises at least 30 weeks.  
     
     
         14 . The antibody-containing substance of  claim 13  wherein the predetermined period of time comprises 30 to 60 weeks.  
     
     
         15 . The antibody-containing substance of  claim 12  wherein the immunogen comprises an antigen selected from the group consisting of proteins, enzymes, bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi, cellular antigens, allergens and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The antibody-containing substance of  claim 15  wherein the immunogen comprises cholecystokinin.  
     
     
         17 . The antibody-containing substance of  claim 12  wherein the egg-producing animal comprises an avian.  
     
     
         18 . The antibody-containing substance of  claim 17  wherein the avian is selected from the group consisting of fowls, turkeys, ducks and geese.