AD is characterized by skin inflammation and recurrent skin infections. In addition, people with AD may have a severe and sometimes fatal reaction to the smallpox vaccine called EV. KLH is a carrier protein that can be used to deliver antibodies to the body. However KLH itself, may cause an immune response. The purpose of this study is to determine the body's reaction to pure KLH in people without AD. This will be used to establish a baseline immune response and may be compared to the immune response in people with AD during future studies.
This study will last 8 weeks and will have 11 study visits. Participants in this study will be randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups. All participants will receive their immunizations at Visits 5 and 6. Participants in Group 1A will receive 2 immunizations each with 100 mcg of KLH each. Participants in Group 2A will receive 2 immunizations through scarification (a shallow cut in the skin) with jabs, each containing 20 mg/mL of KLH. Adverse reactions will be monitored after each immunization. Once safety data from these 2 groups have been reviewed, the next 2 groups will be enrolled. Participants in Group 1B will receive 2 immunizations each with 250 mcg of KLH each. Participants in Group 2B will receive 2 immunizations through scarification with 15 jabs, each containing 20mg/mL of KLH. Other study visits will include allergy testing and blood and urine collection.
