Provided herein are Salmonella enteritidis 13A strains and compositions comprising these strains. Also provided are methods of enhancing an immune response against Influenza A and methods of reducing morbidity associated with an Influenza A infection. Methods of enhancing an immune response to a vaccine vector by expressing a polypeptide of CD154 capable of binding CD40 are also disclosed. Methods of developing a bacterial vaccine vector are disclosed. Methods of generating scarless site-specific mutations in a bacterium are also disclosed.

The present invention is directed to polypeptides and compositions thereof useful for the prevention and treatment of allergic disorders, in particular atopic asthma. More particularly, the invention relates to tolerogenic agents and compositions thereof that are useful for the prevention and treatment of hypersensitivity to allergens, in particular strategies of desensitization to allergens.

There is provided an antigenic composition comprising (a) a first mycobacterial antigenic polypeptide or a first mycobacterial polynucleotide; and (b) a second mycobacterial antigenic polypeptide or a second mycobacterial polynucleotide; wherein: (i) said first mycobacterial antigenic polypeptide comprises a polypeptide sequence having at least 70% amino acid sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 7, or a fragment thereof having at least 7 consecutive amino acids thereof; (ii) said first mycobacterial polynucleotide comprises a polynucleotide sequence encoding said first mycobacterial antigenic polypeptide; (iii) said second mycobacterial antigenic polypeptide comprises a polypeptide sequence having at least 70% amino acid sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, or a fragment thereof having at least 7 consecutive amino acids thereof; and (iv) said second mycobacterial polynucleotide comprises a polynucleotide sequence encoding said second mycobacterial polypeptide.

The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions suitable for the treatment of chronic diseases associated with the presence of abnormal or an abnormal distribution of microflora in the gastrointestinal tract of a mammalian host, which compositions comprise viable non-pathogenic or attenuated pathogenic Clostridia. The compositions further comprise one or more additional viable non-pathogenic or attenuated pathogenic microorganisms selected from the group consisting of Bacteroides, Eubacteria, Fusobacteria, Propionibacteria, Lactobacilli, anaerobic cocci, Ruminococcus, E. coli, Gemmiger, Desulfomonas, Peptostreptococcus, and fungi. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions suitable for the treatment of the same chronic diseases comprising viable non-pathogenic or attenuated pathogenic Escherichia coli, at least one strain of viable non-pathogenic or attenuated pathogenic Bacteroides and at least one strain of viable non-pathogenic or attenuated pathogenic microorganism.

Provided are non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae vaccines useful for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma in a patient. In certain aspects, the vaccine is a monobacterial vaccine. Bacterial strains for use in the vaccines of the present application are also provided.

The present invention relates to functional binding fragments comprising the minimal binding fragments of VAR2CSA, to antibodies against such binding fragments of VAR2CSA, nucleic acids encoding such fragments of VAR2CSA as well as methods for their production. The invention further relates to conjugates and fusion proteins of VAR2CSA polypeptides including the minimal binding fragments and their use, in particular in the treatment of conditions associated with expression of chondroitin sulfate A (CSA), such as an inappropriate expression of chondroitin sulfate A (CSA).

A method is disclosed for blocking or reducing physiological reaction in a mammal to the interaction of IgE antibodies present in said mammal upon contact with the corresponding antigen, by the administration to said mammal of a therapeutically effective amount of a neurotoxin (CnT) derived from Clostridia sp.

The present invention provides a recombinant protein comprising consecutive amino acids, the sequence of which is substantially identical to a sequence of amino acids present in a Rhodococcus equi virulence-associated protein and compositions containing fusion proteins of the invention. The present invention also provides uses of the compositions in the manufacture of hyperimmune plasma against Rhodococcus equi, in producing a hyperimmune plasma against Rhodococcus equi in protecting an animal against Rhodococcus equi and in protecting a newborn animal against Rhodococcus equi.

The present invention relates to a probiotic cell transformed with a construct suitable to overexpress and display on the surface of the probiotic cell a fusion protein comprising at least a portion of a transport protein coupled to at least a portion of one or more antigenic proteins or peptides. Probiotic-derived vesicles displaying this fusion protein as well as methods of inducing an immune response using the probiotic cells or vesicles are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a probiotic cell transformed with a construct suitable to overexpress and display on the surface of the probiotic cell a fusion protein comprising at least a portion of a transport protein coupled to at least a portion of one or more antigenic proteins or peptides. Probiotic-derived vesicles displaying this fusion protein as well as methods of inducing an immune response using the probiotic cells or vesicles are also disclosed.