Exploring BCG to deliver avidin fusion antigens from Schistosoma mansoni.

Background: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is one of the most successful vaccines in the world and evidence suggests it can be used as a bacterial vector to deliver heterologous antigens.

Objectives: We evaluated whether BCG could be biotinylated and used as a carrier of Schistosoma mansoni antigen tetraspanin-2 (TSP-2) fused with rhizavidin, an avidin analog.

Methods: BCG was grown and biotinylated.