Abstract: Provided are antibodies capable of binding to a particular epitope or specifically binding to LF or LTx and enhancing the activity of the LF or LTx relative to the LF or LTx absent the antibody binding.

Abstract: Regions of Bacillus anthracis protective antigen are provided representing epitopes recognized by antibodies in subjects that have acquired immunity to Bacillus anthracis infection. The recognition of these epitopes correlates with autoimmunity in a subject. Also provided are vaccines that include at least one of these epitopes that when administered to a subject provide improved acquired immunity.

Abstract: Regions of Bacillus anthracis protective antigen are provided representing epitopes recognized by antibodies in subjects that have acquired immunity to Bacillus anthracis infection. The recognition of these epitopes correlates with autoimmunity in a subject. Also provided are vaccines that include at least one of these epitopes that when administered to a subject provide improved acquired immunity.

Abstract: Regions of Bacillus anthracis protective antigen are provided representing epitopes recognized by antibodies in subjects that have acquired immunity to Bacillus anthracis infection. The recognition of these epitopes correlates with autoimmunity in a subject. Also provided are vaccines that include at least one of these epitopes that when administered to a subject provide improved acquired immunity.

Abstract: Provided are antibodies capable of binding to a particular epitope or specifically binding to LF or LTx and enhancing the activity of the LF or LTx relative to the LF or LTx absent the antibody binding.

Abstract: Provided are peptides capable of reducing the ability of antibodies to stimulate the activity of B. anthracis lethal factor. These peptides may be used to reduce activity of LF in a sample containing an LF activity enhancing antibody, to prevent the possibility of LF enhanced activity in a sample or subject, or as a therapeutic to reduce LF activity in a subject that may-have one or more antibodies that enhance LF activity. Also, provided are immunogens that may be used in a vaccine to confer protection to a subject. An immunogen does not include a sequence including the wild-type amino acids present in LF residues 677-680, or mutations of amino acids 677-680 that will also generate antibodies that enhance LF activity.

Abstract: Regions of Bacillus anthracis protective antigen are provided representing epitopes recognized by antibodies in subjects that have acquired immunity to Bacillus anthracis infection. The recognition of these epitopes correlates with autoimmunity in a subject. Also provided are vaccines that include at least one of these epitopes that when administered to a subject provide improved acquired immunity.

Abstract: Regions of B. anthracis protective antigen are provided representing sequences recognized by antibodies in subjects that have vaccine induced lethal toxin neutralizing anti-PA IgG responses. The recognition of these PA regions enhances the utility of anti-PA IgG reactivity as an immune correlate of protection against anthrax in a subject and increases predictive probability of survival. Also provided are vaccines that include at least one of these PA regions that when administered to a subject improve the predictive value of vaccine induced anti-PA IgG and TNA responses as immune correlates of protection against inhalation anthrax.

Abstract: Regions of Bacillus anthracis protective antigen are provided representing epitopes recognized by antibodies in subjects that have acquired immunity to Bacillus anthracis infection. The recognition of these epitopes correlates with autoimmunity in a subject. Also provided are vaccines that include at least one of these epitopes that when administered to a subject provide improved acquired immunity.

Abstract: One major problem in diagnosis methods presently available for anthrax is that these methods require several days to produce a result. The only existing treatment for anthrax requires administration soon after infection at a time when patients are exhibiting only mild flu-like symptoms. Thus, a patient may be days beyond the time when treatment would be effective by the time a diagnosis is made. The present invention reduces diagnosis time to as little as four hours providing same day identification of anthrax radically increasing the odds of delivering proper treatment and patient recovery. The rapid identification of anthrax lethal factor activity exhibited by the instant invention is also amenable to in vivo screening protocols for the discovery and development of anthrax vaccines and lethal factor inhibitors. The instant invention isolates and concentrates lethal factor and lethal toxin from nearly any biological sample.

Abstract: Regions of B. anthracis protective antigen are provided representing sequences recognized by antibodies in subjects that have vaccine induced lethal toxin neutralizing anti-PA IgG responses. The recognition of these PA regions enhances the utility of anti-PA IgG reactivity as an immune correlate of protection against anthrax in a subject and increases predictive probability of survival. Also provided are vaccines that include at least one of these PA regions that when administered to a subject improve the predictive value of vaccine induced anti-PA IgG and TNA responses as immune correlates of protection against inhalation anthrax.

Abstract: One major problem in diagnosis methods presently available for anthrax is that these methods require several days to produce a result, are rendered unusable after antibiotic use, or are not quantifiable. The only existing treatment for anthrax requires administration soon after infection at a time when patients are exhibiting only mild flu-like symptoms. Thus, by the time a diagnosis is made a patient may be days beyond the time when treatment would be effective. The present invention reduces diagnosis time to as little as four hours providing same day identification of anthrax radically increasing the odds of delivering proper treatment and patient recovery. The rapid identification of anthrax edema factor activity exhibited by the invention is also amenable to in vivo screening protocols for the discovery and development of anthrax vaccines, anti-toxins and edema factor inhibitors. The invention isolates and concentrates edema factor and edema toxin from nearly any sample.

Abstract: Regions of Bacillus anthracis protective antigen are provided representing epitopes recognized by antibodies in subjects that have acquired immunity to Bacillus anthracis infection. The recognition of these epitopes correlates with autoimmunity in a subject. Also provided are vaccines that include at least one of these epitopes that when administered to a subject provide improved acquired immunity.

Abstract: One major problem in diagnosis methods presently available for anthrax is that these methods require several days to produce a result. The only existing treatment for anthrax requires administration soon after infection at a time when patients are exhibiting only mild flu-like symptoms. Thus, a patient may be days beyond the time when treatment would be effective by the time a diagnosis is made. The present invention reduces diagnosis time to as little as four hours providing same day identification of anthrax radically increasing the odds of delivering proper treatment and patient recovery. The rapid identification of anthrax lethal factor activity exhibited by the instant invention is also amenable to in vivo screening protocols for the discovery and development of anthrax vaccines and lethal factor inhibitors. The instant invention isolates and concentrates lethal factor and lethal toxin from nearly any biological sample.