Thraxine

Thraxine is a veterinary live-attenuated vaccine indicated for the active immunization of livestock against anthrax, a severe infectious disease caused by the bacterium *Bacillus anthracis*. The vaccine is composed of a suspension of viable spores from the non-encapsulated Sterne strain (34F2) of *B. anthracis*. This specific strain is attenuated due to the absence of the pXO2 plasmid, which is responsible for the synthesis of the poly-D-glutamic acid capsule that allows the bacteria to evade the host immune system. However, the Sterne strain retains the pXO1 plasmid, which encodes the three components of the anthrax toxin: protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF), and edema factor (EF). Upon administration, the vaccine induces the production of antibodies primarily against the protective antigen, which is the essential binding component of the toxin complex. This immune response provides protective immunity in cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and swine, preventing the establishment of infection by virulent, encapsulated strains of *B. anthracis*.

Brand names

Thraxine

Other names

Anthrax Spore VaccineSterne Strain Anthrax VaccineAnthrax Spore Vaccine Live Culture Sterne Strain