Disease: Tetanus

Organism: Clostridium tetani

Effects in vivo: Blocks inhibitory neuron action and leads to chronic muscle contractions 

Tetanus Toxin

Disease: Scarlet fever

Organism: Streptococcus pyogenes 

Effects in vivo: causes vasodilation, leads to scarlet fever rash. Kills phagocytes and enables bacteria to survive. 

Erythrogenic Toxin/Leukocidin Streptolysins

Disease: Toxic shock syndrome

Organism: Staphylococcus aureus 

Effects in vivo: causes hypotension and skin loss. It is also a potent T-cell mitogen. 

Toxic-shock Syndrome Toxin

Disease: Food poisoning

Organism: Staphylococcus aureus 

Effects in vivo: Acts on intestinal neurons to induce vomiting. It is also a potent T-cell mitogen. 

Staphylococcal Enterotoxin

Disease: Anthrax

Organism: Bacillus anthracis 

Effects in vivo: Increases vascular permeability, leads to edema, hemorrhage and circulatory collapse

Anthrax Toxic Complex

Disease: Cholera

Organism: Vibrio cholerae

Effects in vivo: Activates adenylate cyclase, elevates cAMP in cells, leads to changes in intestinal epithelial cells that cause loss of water and electrolytes 

Cholera Toxin

Disease: Diphtheria 

Organism: Corynebacterium diphtheriae 

Effects in vivo: inhibits protein synthesis, leads to epithelial cell damage and myocarditis

Diphtheria Toxin

Disease: Botulism 

Organism: Clostridium botulinum 

Effects in vivo: Blocks release of acetylcholine, leads to paralysis

Botulinum Toxin

Disease: Gas Gangrene

Organism: Clostridium perfringens

Effects in vivo: phospholipase activation, leads to cell death

Clostridial-𝛼 Toxin

Disease: Whooping cough

Organism: Bordetella pertussis

Effects in vivo: ADP-ribosylation of G proteins, leads to lymphocytosis. Inhibits ciliar movement and causes epithelial cell loss. 

Pertussis Toxin/Tracheal Cytotoxin

- Tetanus Toxin

- Diptheria Toxin

- Clostridial-𝛼 Toxin

- Cholera Toxin

- Anthrax Toxic Complex

- Botulinum Toxin

- Pertussis Toxin/Tracheal Cytotoxin

- Erythrogenic Toxin/Leukocidin Streptolysins

- Staphylococcal Enterotoxin

- Toxic-shock Syndrome Toxin

Tulane University

Many bacteria are pathogenic because they produce toxins that cause disease by altering the normal functions of cells. In order to affect the human body, the bacterial toxin must bind to an extracellular receptor of a specific cell. Vaccines stimulate the generation of antibodies that bind to this receptor-binding polypeptide to neutralize a toxin. 



Toxin-Specific Neutralizing Antibodies

Parham, P. (2009). Vaccination to Prevent Infectious Disease. In 1145902806 862124677 J. Foltin (Ed.), The Immune System (3rd ed., pp. 439-440). New York, New York: Garland Science, Taylor &amp; Francis Group.

The Immune System

Vaccines, that produce toxin-specific neutralizing antibodies, purify the corresponding toxins by treating it with formalin to destroy toxic activity. These inactivated proteins are called toxoids and they maintain sufficient antigenic activity to provide protection against disease. 


Toxoids

Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids are combined with a killed sample of Bordetella pertussis (organism that causes whooping cough). This vaccine is referred to as a combination vaccine, DTP, and provides protection against all three microorganisms. 

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