Short Communication

Mutagenic Activity of Anthrax Live Vaccine

Armen K. Nersesyan1 and Hans E. Kaiser2

1 Cancer Research Centre, Yerevan, Armenia
2 International Society for Study of Comparative Oncology, Inc., Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

Corresponding author: Armen K. Nersesyan, PhD, DSc
    Laboratory of Carcinogenesis,
    Cancer Research Centre
    Yerevan 52 Armenia
    E-mail: armenn@freenet.am

CEJOEM 2003, Vol.9. No.1.: 81–85


Key words:
anthrax live vaccine, mice, micronuclei, mutagenicity


Abstract:
Clastogenic action of anthrax live vaccine (ALV) produced in Armenia and used for immunization of animals was studied in mice. ALV (5×105 and 2×105 live spores) administered by subcutaneous injection did not induce MN in polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE) of bone marrow cells of mice. These doses calculated per kg of body weight exceed 100- and 40-fold the ones used for immunization of sheep and cows, respectively. But after intraperitoneal injection at mentioned doses ALV induced significant increase in the number of PCEs with MN 24 and 48 h after injection unlike killed AV which was not MN inducer. ALV used in Armenia for immunization of animals against anthrax is not mutagenic if it is used according to instruction, i.e., subcutaneously. A weak mutagenic effect of ALV is connected with toxins as killed AV has no ability to induce MN.


Received: 17 September 2003
Accepted: 17 November 2003

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