| abstract |
A glucan having β-1,3 binding exclusively or predominantly is used as the immunogen. The glucan contains β-1,3-linked glucose residues. Optionally, the glucan may comprise β-1,6-linked glucose residues, but the ratio of β-1,3-linked residues to β-1,6-linked residues is at least 8: There shall be one or more sequences of at least 5 adjacent non-terminal residues that are 1 and / or linked to other residues only by β-1,3 bonds. Glucan is usually used in a conjugated form. A preferred glucan source is curdlan, which may be hydrolyzed to an appropriate form prior to conjugation. |