Albert Léon Charles Calmette (1863-1933) and the antituberculous BCG vaccination

The Neuroprotective Role of BCG Vaccine in Movement Disorders: A Review

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the first developed vaccine to prevent tuberculosis (TB) and is the world's most widely used vaccine. It has a reconcilable defense in opposition to tuberculosis, meningitis, and miliary disease in children but changeable protection against pulmonary TB. Immune activation is responsible for regulating neural development by activating it. The effect of the BCG vaccine on neuronal disorders due to subordinate immune provocation is useful. BCG vaccine can prevent neuronal degeneration in different neurological disorders by provoking auto-reactive T-cells. In the case of TB, CD4+ T-cells effectively protect the immune response by protecting the central defense. Because of the preceding fact, BCG induces protection by creating precise T-cells like CD4+ T-cells and CD8+ T-cells. Hence, vaccination-induced protection generates specific T-cells and CD4+ T-cells, and CD8+ T-cells. The BCG vaccine may have an essential effect on motor disorders and play a crucial role in neuroprotective management. The present review describes how the BCG vaccine might be interrelated with motor disorders and play a key role in such diseases.

Research into the Causes of Venom-Induced Mortality and Morbidity Identifies New Therapeutic Opportunities

Snakebite primarily affects rural subsistent farming populations in underdeveloped and developing nations. The annual number of deaths (100,000) and physical disabilities (400,000) of snakebite victims is a societal tragedy that poses a significant added socioeconomic burden to the society. Antivenom therapy is the treatment of choice for snakebite but, as testified by the continuing high rates of mortality and morbidity, too many rural tropical snakebite victims fail to access effective treatment. Here, we advocate for more basic research to better understand the pathogenesis of systemic and local envenoming and describe how research outcomes can identify novel snakebite therapeutic strategies with the potential to be more accessible and affordable to victims than current treatment.

Paths to the discovery of antivenom serotherapy in France

The current study presents a descriptive chronological survey of the articles published by Césaire Auguste Phisalix and Albert Calmette on snake poison, with the aim of shedding a light on the areas of research and reasoning followed by these scientists, leading up to their simultaneous discovery of antivenom serotherapy in 1894. The path taken by Phisalix is revealed in 15 articles that demonstrate the motivation of a naturalist and the way he confronted the puzzle of immunity against snake venom. In the case of Calmette, two articles preceded the discovery; microbiology was his theoretical base and the Pasteurian spirit of solving health problems his driving force. These two researchers followed distinct paths, mobilized by different motivations, but produced one single result. It is incontestable that the discovery of antivenom serotherapy was the work of two groups of researchers who deserve equal recognition, but who, in fact, did not receive it. Following the discovery both Calmette and Phisalix returned to their previous motivations. Calmette put the discovery into practice and began to produce antivenom serum in Lille. He came to be generally considered as the sole discoverer of antivenom serotherapy and was the recipient of a number of prestigious prizes. Phisalix, on the other hand, received little recognition and returned to his original interests, devoting himself to research on natural immunity. In Brazil, the discovery of antivenom serum therapy had a profound impact on the work of Vital Brazil Mineiro da Campanha, a researcher known worldwide for his scientific discoveries and for the evidence of the specificity of antivenom serums.

The use of tularemia live vaccine in clinical oncology

The review of literature on the use of tularemia live vaccine in clinical oncology is presented. The results of the investigation of tularemia live vaccine as a non-specific stimulator of natural immune and antitumor resistance of patients with endometrial cancer and inoperable lung cancer and its influence on the immunological status of these patients after immunization, during the process of combined treatment, and on long-term (up to 5 years) follow-up after vaccination are shown. A single immunization with tularemia live vaccine increases the main immunological indices in patients with endometrial cancer and inoperable lung cancer already in 2 to 3 weeks after vaccination and they remain during the whole term of follow-up. Moreover, the vaccine shows not only immunostimulating but immunomodulating effect as well and does not give any serious local or general complications. It is shown that due to these effects immunization of patients with tularemia live vaccine in 15 to 20 days before surgery or chemotherapy is followed by a significantly decreased frequency of postoperative complications and better survival. On the basis of the data obtained the authors recommend to use tularemia live vaccine in the complex treatment of those cancer patients who have deep decrease of immunological reactivity.

Tularemia live vaccine as a modifier of genotoxic and carcinogenic action of environmental factors

In this review we presented the data concerning the influence of tularemia live vaccine (TLV, produced in the USSR and Russia) on mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. The data show that rodents immunized with TLV are resistant to mutagen of any origin (chemical, physical, biological) independently of species (rats, mice, gray hamsters, guinea pigs). Exposure of immunized rodents to carcinogens decreased the incidence of tumors, prolonged the mean latency period of tumor development, and decreased the mean tumor weight. The most pronounced effect was observed when rodents were exposed to mutagens/carcinogens on day 15 after immunization. This universal antimutagenic/anticarcinogenic effect is associated with increased resistance of DNA of immunized rodents to genotoxic action of environmental agents, the influence on the process of metabolic activation of xenobiotics, and increased synthesis of interferon, catalase and superoxide dismutase. The problem of influence of vaccines against dangerous infections on mutagenesis and carcinogenesis is a topical issue because the best way of protection against dangerous infections in case of epidemic or terrorist act is vaccination.