Mutant Bordetella Strains and Methods of Use

Abstract

A method of reducing or preventing the development of airway inflammation in a subject includes the step of infecting the respiratory tract of a subject an amount of a composition including a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and live attenuated pertactin-deficient Bordetella bacteria sufficient to colonize the respiratory tract of the subject. The step of infecting the subject with the live attenuated pertactin-deficient Bordetella bacteria results in reduction or prevention of the development of airway inflammation in the subject.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of reducing or preventing the development of an allergic response in a subject having greater than 10 nanogram per ml of serum antibodies to  Bordetella pertussis  pertactin, the method comprising the step of administering to the respiratory tract of the subject an amount of a composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and live attenuated pertactin-deficient  Bordetella  bacteria able to colonize the respiratory tract of a subject, wherein the live attenuated pertactin-deficient  Bordetella  bacteria are deficient in at least one virulence factor selected from the group consisting of tracheal cytotoxin (TCT), functional pertussis toxin (PTX), and dermonecrotic toxin (DNT). 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the live attenuated pertactin-deficient  Bordetella  bacteria lack a functional gene encoding pertactin. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the live attenuated pertactin-deficient  Bordetella  bacteria are deficient in at least two virulence factors selected from the group consisting of tracheal cytotoxin (TCT), functional pertussis toxin (PTX), and dermonecrotic toxin (DNT). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the live attenuated pertactin-deficient  Bordetella  bacteria are deficient in tracheal cytotoxin (TCT), functional pertussis toxin (PTX), and dermonecrotic toxin (DNT).