Therapeutic antibodies for treatment and prophylaxis of transmittable viral diseases

Abstract

The invention provides methods and compositions for the treatment and prevention of a transmittable disease in a subject, such as avians and mammals. The methods and compositions of the invention specifically make use of avian antibodies to the disease to be treated or prevented. Administration of such avian antibodies to a subject has been shown effective for reducing mortality in a population of subjects that are infected, or become infected, with the disease. The invention also provides kits useful for detecting the presence of transmittable diseases in subjects.

1 . A method for preventing infection in a subject by a transmittable viral disease, said method comprising administering to the subject, prior to infection of the subject by the transmittable viral disease, an amount of a serum effective for preventing infection or preventing or limiting one or more symptoms associated with infection by the transmittable viral disease, wherein said serum comprises polyclonal avian antibodies against said transmittable disease.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said subject is selected from the group consisting of avians and mammals.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said avians are selected from the group consisting of geese, ducks, turkeys, ostriches, and chickens.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said mammals are selected from the group consisting of goats, horses, rabbits, rats, mice, pigs, and humans.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said transmittable disease comprises a virus selected from the group consisting of West Nile Virus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Cytomegalo Virus, Herpes Simplex Virus, Ectocarpus Siliculosus Virus, Vesicular Stomatital Virus, viral encephalitides, viral hemorrhagic fevers, influenza viruses, and avian influenza viruses.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said viral hemorrhagic fevers are selected from the group consisting of Ebola, Marburg, Junin, Argentine, and Lassa.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said viral encephalitides are selected from the group consisting of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus, and Western equine encephalomyelitis virus.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said serum exhibits a neutralization titer for said avian antibodies, wherein said neutralization titer is higher than would be exhibited by said serum under normal conditions.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said high neutralization titer serum exhibits a titer of at least about 1:200.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said serum comprises sera collected from an avian host.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said avian host is a goose.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said sera is collected from an avian host that has been infected by a naturally occurring strain of said transmittable disease.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said serum comprises sera collected from at least two avian hosts.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said avian antibodies comprise goose antibodies.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said administering comprising a route of administration selected from the group consisting of injection, inhalation, oral administration, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method comprises administering an amount of a serum effective for reducing mortality in a population of said subjects.  
     
     
         17 . A method for treating a subject infected by a transmittable viral disease, said method comprising administering to the subject an amount of a serum effective for preventing or limiting one or more symptoms associated with infection by the transmittable viral disease, wherein said serum comprises high neutralization titer polyclonal avian antibodies against said transmittable disease, said neutralization titer being higher than would be exhibited by said serum under normal conditions.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said subject is selected from the group consisting of avians and mammals.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said avians are selected from the group consisting of geese, ducks, turkeys, ostriches, and chickens.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said mammals are selected from the group consisting of goats, horses, rabbits, rats, mice, pigs, and humans.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said transmittable disease comprises a virus selected from the group consisting of West Nile Virus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Cytomegalo Virus, Herpes Simplex Virus, Ectocarpus Siliculosus Virus, Vesicular Stomatital Virus, viral encephalitides, viral hemorrhagic fevers, influenza viruses, and avian influenza viruses.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said viral hemorrhagic fevers are selected from the group consisting of Ebola, Marburg, Junin, Argentine, and Lassa.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said viral encephalitides are selected from the group consisting of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus, and Western equine encephalomyelitis virus.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said high neutralization titer is at least about 1:200.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said serum comprises sera collected from an avian host.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said avian host is a goose.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said sera is collected from an avian host that has been infected by a naturally occurring strain of said transmittable disease.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said serum comprises sera collected from at least two avian hosts.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said avian antibodies comprise goose antibodies.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said administering comprising a route of administration selected from the group consisting of injection, inhalation, oral administration, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said method comprises administering an amount of a serum effective for reducing mortality in a population of said subjects.  
     
     
         32 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a serum effective for treatment or prophylaxis of a transmittable viral disease in a subject, wherein said serum comprises a high neutralization titer of polyclonal avian antibodies against said transmittable disease, said neutralization titer being higher than would be exhibited by said serum under normal conditions.  
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein said transmittable viral disease comprises a disease selected from the group consisting of West Nile Virus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Cytomegalo Virus, Herpes Simplex Virus, Ectocarpus Siliculosus Virus, Vesicular Stomatital Virus, viral encephalitides, viral hemorrhagic fevers, influenza viruses, and bird influenza viruses.  
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein said high neutralization titer is at least about 1:200.  
     
     
         35 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein said serum comprises sera collected from an avian host.  
     
     
         36 . The composition of  claim 35 , wherein said avian host is a goose.  
     
     
         37 . The composition of  claim 35 , wherein said sera is collected from an avian host that has been infected by a naturally occurring strain of said transmittable viral disease.  
     
     
         38 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein said serum comprises sera collected from at least two avian hosts.  
     
     
         39 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein said serum effective for reducing mortality in a population of said subjects.  
     
     
         40 . A diagnostic kit for the detection of a transmittable viral disease, said kit comprising: 
 avian polyclonal antibodies capable of binding to antigens on said viral disease; and    a detector capable of detecting avian polyclonal antibodies bound to said antigens.    
     
     
         41 . The kit of  claim 40 , wherein said avian polyclonal antibodies comprise antibodies obtained from sera collected from an avian host selected from the group consisting of geese, ducks, turkeys, ostriches, and chickens.  
     
     
         42 . The kit of  claim 41 , wherein said avian host is a goose.  
     
     
         43 . The kit of  claim 41 , wherein said sera is collected from an avian host that has been infected by a naturally occurring strain of said transmittable disease.  
     
     
         44 . The kit of  claim 41 , wherein said avian polyclonal antibodies comprise antibodies obtained from sera collected from at least two avian hosts.  
     
     
         45 . The kit of  claim 40 , wherein said avian polyclonal antibodies comprise goose antibodies.  
     
     
         46 . A method for preventing infection in a subject by West Nile Virus, said method comprising administering to the subject, prior to infection of the subject by West Nile Virus, an amount of a serum effective for preventing infection or preventing or limiting one or more symptoms associated with infection by West Nile Virus, wherein said serum comprises polyclonal goose antibodies against West Nile Virus, said antibodies being present at a neutralization titer of about 1:200.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein said subject is an avian.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein said subject is a mammal.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46 , comprising administering an amount of said serum effective for reducing mortality in a population of said subjects.  
     
     
         50 . A method for treating a subject infected by West Nile Virus, said method comprising administering to the subject an amount of a serum effective for preventing or limiting one or more symptoms associated with infection by West Nile Virus, wherein said serum comprises polyclonal goose antibodies against West Nile Virus, said antibodies being present at a neutralization titer of about 1:200.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said subject is an avian.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said subject is a mammal.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 50 , comprising administering an amount of said serum effective for reducing mortality in a population of said subjects.  
     
     
         54 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a serum effective for treatment or prophylaxis of West Nile Virus in a subject, wherein said serum comprises polyclonal goose antibodies against West Nile Virus at a neutralization titer of at least about 1:500.  
     
     
         55 . The composition of  claim 54 , wherein said subject is an avian.  
     
     
         56 . The composition of  claim 54 , wherein said subject is a mammal.  
     
     
         57 . The composition of  claim 54 , wherein said serum is effective for reducing mortality in a population of said subjects.