Prevention of renal scarring from pyelonephritis in nonhuman primates by vaccination with a synthetic Escherichia coli serotype O8 oligosaccharide-protein conjugate.

Rhesus monkeys were vaccinated with a synthetic Escherichia coli serotype O8 oligosaccharide-protein conjugate. Using our experimental pyelonephritis monkey model, we tested whether such immunization was protective against the renal damage from inflammation following experimental infection with a P-fimbriated O-antigenically homologous E. coli strain. The vaccination did not significantly alter the duration of bacteriuria or interfere with the infection. However, the vaccine was efficient in renal protection, as vaccinated animals showed significantly less intratubular infiltration of neutrophils (P < 0.02) and the degree of renal scarring was also significantly less in these animals (P > 0.005) than in the control animals. Total kidney involvement in the vaccinated animals was 16.9%, compared with 32.5% in the control animals (P = 0.07).