A new study by NYU Langone Health has found that the presence or absence of dueling toxins in Staphylococcus aureus bacteria explains why hospital-acquired MRSA is more deadly than community-acquired forms. The study reveals a key toxin that counteracts another, more deadly toxin, opening up possible new pathways for vaccine development.
Researchers at VIB discovered that exposure to farm dust reduces the severity of allergic reactions in mice. In humans, a deficiency in the protective protein A20 is found in those who suffer from allergies and asthma. The study paves the way for the development of an asthma vaccine.
Researchers developed an EBV vaccine using nanoparticles that induce potent neutralizing antibodies in mice and nonhuman primates. This approach is promising for developing an effective EBV vaccine for humans.
New studies at Johns Hopkins Medicine have made significant progress in developing a universally accurate diagnostic test for human herpes simplex viruses (HSV). Researchers also hope to create a vaccine that protects against the virus. The breakthrough is expected to improve screening tools, particularly in Africa where rates of HIV a...
Johns Hopkins researchers study nasal spray flu vaccine in human nasal tract cells to determine optimal weakening or strengthening of the virus. They find that by adjusting nine mutations, a stronger vaccine can be created for older adults while still protecting children under two, offering new hope for effective flu vaccines.
A proposed global vaccine-development fund could help make vaccines available for emergency use, saving thousands of lives. The fund would cover the financial burden of vaccine development, addressing barriers such as high costs, limited market potential and lack of government support.
A breakthrough discovery has been made in developing a vaccine for middle ear infections by identifying the molecular switch that controls a 'chameleon' bacteria. Researchers have found that this switch allows Haemophilus influenzae to adapt and evade the immune system, making it difficult to develop an effective vaccine.
Researchers at the University of Georgia have developed new tools to study and genetically manipulate cryptosporidium, a major cause of life-threatening diarrhea in infants and toddlers. The breakthrough techniques will help find new treatments and vaccines for the parasite.
A new vaccine patch made of dissolvable material has been shown to be effective in protecting against flu infection, with an immune reaction equal to or stronger than traditional needle-delivered vaccines. The patch is easy to use without medical personnel, making it ideal for developing countries.
A pre-clinical study of an HIV vaccine regimen showed complete protection from infection in half of the vaccinated non-human primates. The 'heterologous prime-boost' vaccine approach is being evaluated in a phase 1/2a clinical trial for safety and immunogenicity in healthy volunteers.
Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Vaccine Research are developing vaccines and therapies against deadly mosquito-borne diseases, including eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and alphavirus. The research aims to limit brain entry by these viruses and identify biological markers of disease severity.
Scientists at the Institut Pasteur sequenced three distinct Ebola virus variants co-circulating in Guinea, with each variant defined by unique mutations affecting viral proteins. The study highlights the genetic diversity of the viruses circulating in Guinea during the epidemic's spread and will aid in optimizing treatments and vaccines.
The institutions have selected two new research projects to receive funding through the Connecting through Research Partnerships Program. These projects aim to develop a supply chain model for biofuels and test a nasal delivery formulation of an encapsulated vaccine to prevent chlamydia.
The world invested more than $200 billion to improve health in lower-income countries between 2000 and 2014. Despite a significant increase in funding after the Millennium Development Goals were established, global health financing stagnated between 2010 and 2014.
A consortium led by Massachusetts General Hospital has launched a $5.2 million project to develop an RNA-based vaccine against Q fever, a disease affecting US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The VaxCelerate process aims to rapidly develop vaccines for emerging infectious diseases.
Researchers at Griffith University have created a groundbreaking combination vaccine that combines the protein SpyCEP with J8-DT to combat Streptococcus A infections. The vaccine shows promise in preventing deadly complications of the infection, including rheumatic heart disease.
A small artificially composed virus fragment, sAB+, has been found to be sufficient for inducing a partially protective immune response against the Chikungunya virus. This discovery presents a promising approach for developing a Chikungunya vaccine.
Preliminary research suggests that elderly individuals in China will contribute significantly to TB infections and cases, with their burden increasing from 13% to 71%. Developing a 'post-infection' vaccine could reduce TB rates by almost a third by 2050.
Lorne Tyrrell, a renowned virologist, has been awarded the 2015 Killam Prize for Health Sciences for his groundbreaking work on viral hepatitis. His research has led to the development of an effective treatment for hepatitis B and is being continued in efforts to create a vaccine for hepatitis C.
Researchers at UTMB have developed an Ebola vaccine that is both safe and effective with a single dose, providing protection against the deadly virus. The new vaccine employs a 'Trojan horse' approach, using a weakened form of the virus to trigger an immune response.
The chikungunya virus is predicted to soon spread to the US, causing a painful and potentially debilitating disease. Researchers are working on understanding how the virus enters the human body and developing vaccines, but progress is hindered by challenges in clinical trials.
Researchers are developing dissolvable microneedle patches that can provide protection against the poliovirus in humans. The patches, about an inch square, contain 100 vaccine-filled needles and can be applied by minimally-trained personnel, facilitating their use in remote areas.
A large-scale study in Denmark and Sweden found no increased risk of multiple sclerosis among girls and women who received HPV vaccination. The study analyzed over 3.9 million individuals and 1.9 million vaccine doses, concluding that the qHPV vaccine is safe for use in this population.
Researchers conducted the first Ebola vaccine trial in Africa using an early-generation vaccine candidate, demonstrating safety and immunogenicity. The study found that the vaccines produced similar immune responses in African and US populations, providing proof of principle for a multivalent filovirus vaccine.
UTMB professors Scott Weaver and Slobodan Paessler received national awards from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. They are making significant contributions to understanding and controlling tropical diseases, including Ebola, mosquito-borne illnesses, and influenza.
Research reveals that Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) strains infecting adults and children globally have similar toxins and virulence factors, indicating potential for a single, effective vaccine.
Researchers are developing two types of malaria vaccines: anti-infection vaccines that prevent people from becoming infected, and transmission-blocking vaccines that prevent mosquitoes from being infected. The goal is to induce an unnatural immunity in humans and mosquitoes, reducing the human parasite reservoir.
A live attenuated ETEC vaccine candidate given with a novel adjuvant provided significant protection against disease, with a 58.5% efficacy rate against diarrhea of any severity. The vaccine also showed protective efficacy of 65.9% against severe ETEC diarrhea.
Researchers at Wayne State University are working on a grant-funded project to design molecular vaccines for Type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases. They aim to use a novel approach called 'hitchhiking' to deliver therapeutics to specific sites in the lymph nodes.
A new vaccine is being developed to help smokers quit by blocking the physiological pleasure that nicotine elicits in the brain. The vaccine uses biodegradable nanoparticles to prevent nicotine molecules from entering the brain, reducing cravings and addiction.
Scientists at VIB and Ghent University have developed a promising vaccination strategy to counteract Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections. The new vaccine candidate uses a novel approach, stimulating macrophages to selectively eliminate infected cells, providing protection in lab animals.
The NIH has granted a license agreement for a candidate Ebola vaccine that also protects against the rabies virus. Studies have shown the vaccines are safe and induce immune responses in monkeys, offering protection against the Zaire strain of Ebola.
A new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases reveals that up to four out of ten children in Burkina Faso are genetically resistant to rotavirus strains found in existing vaccines. Children who cannot express the Lewis molecule, a sugar molecule needed as a receptor for the virus, do not become infected and therefore do not rec...
The University of Maryland School of Medicine has begun a clinical trial in health care workers in Mali to evaluate a promising experimental Ebola vaccine. The vaccine, developed by the Vaccine Research Center at NIAID, has shown highly protective immune responses in animal model challenge studies.
A new study suggests that vaccines developed for adolescents and adults could have a significant impact on tuberculosis (TB) worldwide. The researchers found that these vaccines could provide dramatic levels of control needed to eliminate TB by 2050. However, the current BCG vaccine given to infants is not enough to achieve this goal.
Researchers are developing a fingerprint-based recognition method to track vaccination schedules for infants and toddlers, increasing immunization coverage in developing countries. Fingerprints can accurately record immunizations, overcoming issues with lost or destroyed paper documents.
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect 14-15% of cases in Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, despite the countries' small population. The US could work with these countries to implement disease control programs and develop lifesaving vaccines through joint efforts.
The Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund) has awarded $15.3 million in grants to support the development of promising vaccines and drugs against three insect-borne diseases: malaria, dengue, and Chagas disease. These investments aim to tackle diseases that disproportionately affect the world's poorest populations.
Experts warn that dengue vaccines could lead to short-term spikes in disease incidence, but long-term vaccination will reduce overall infections. The issue arises from the natural fluctuations in mosquito populations and the imperfect vaccine protection.
Infant rhesus monkeys receiving different diets early in life develop distinct immune systems that persist months after weaning. Breast-fed macaques had more memory T cells and T helper 17 cells, which are known to fight Salmonella and other pathogens.
Researchers led by the University of Bonn have found that the MERS virus has a low transmission rate from person to person, but is still a deadly disease. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, also suggests that dromedaries may be an additional source of infection.
A candidate Ebola vaccine is being tested on healthy volunteers in the UK, The Gambia, and Mali as part of an international collaboration. The phase 1 trials aim to ensure the vaccine's safety and immunogenicity before deployment to high-risk populations.
A new strategy for generating broadly cross-reactive antibodies has been developed against the H5N1 flu virus. Researchers found that human volunteers immunized with the H5N1 virus generated antibodies against the stem region of the viral hemagglutinin protein, which could provide protection against a variety of flu strains.
Karl Klose, a UTSA microbiologist, has received a $1 million contract from the US Department of Defense to develop a vaccine against tularemia. The bacteria can be deadly and has been developed as a bioweapon by several countries.
Scientists have discovered novel properties of special HIV antibodies that can neutralize multiple strains of HIV. The study found that these 'broadly neutralizing antibodies' are more prevalent in HIV-infected individuals than previously thought, suggesting a possible vaccine strategy to elicit them.
Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine have identified three surface proteins on the Anaplasma phagocytophilum bacterium that cause tick-transmitted disease. Targeting these proteins could lead to effective prevention and treatment, enabling the development of a vaccine.
Research reveals that chronic infections impair the development of immune cell memory, reducing vaccine effectiveness. The study found that bystander chronic infections impede the transition of effector T cells to memory T cells.
Dan Granoff, a CHORI scientist, has been recognized with the prestigious Maurice Hilleman/Merck Award for his work on developing vaccines against serogroup B meningococcus and an affordable serogroup A meningococcal conjugate vaccine for Africa.
Patients with immunosuppressive conditions are at high risk of shingles but lack access to vaccination due to safety concerns. Alternative strategies must be developed to reduce shingles risk among these patient groups.
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch are working on a universal flu vaccine that could eliminate the need for annual flu shots. With a $4.4 million grant, they plan to test a vaccine containing antigens from A and B strains of influenza, aiming for approval within five years.
A new experimental vaccine developed by Novavax has been shown to induce a neutralizing antibody response in mice, blocking infection with the MERS-CoV virus. The vaccine uses recombinant nanoparticle technology and is based on the major surface spike protein of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV.
Roy Curtiss, a pioneer in recombinant DNA era gene cloning and novel bacterial pathogenesis research, has made significant contributions to developing attenuated Salmonella-based vaccines. His work has improved human health through combating infectious diseases, particularly pneumonia, tuberculosis, and influenza.
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) threaten Indonesia's economic growth and development, particularly for women and children. The country has an opportunity to scale up national programs and integrate NTDs with other development efforts.
Researchers have discovered a novel immunological mechanism that regulates B lymphocytes to fight encapsulated bacteria, clearing the path for more efficient vaccines. This discovery improves our understanding of the immune system's protection against infections.
Hepatitis C affects 160 million worldwide, with 3.2 million Americans infected. The Rutgers study identifies the virus's outer protein structure, which enables evasion of the immune system.
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have developed a novel way to produce malaria parasite proteins that could lead to easy and cheap vaccine manufacturing. The new approach uses a single-celled aquatic creature similar to the malaria parasite, allowing for rapid multiplication in the lab.
A team of scientists has discovered the structure of the NS1 protein, which helps dengue and West Nile viruses replicate and evade the immune system. The researchers believe this breakthrough could lead to the development of a vaccine that protects people without increasing their risk.
A safe and effective HIV vaccine is necessary to control and potentially end the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Recent scientific advances offer promising areas for further exploration, including the discovery of broadly neutralizing antibodies and improved understanding of T-cell responses.
A safe and effective HIV vaccine is necessary to control and end the AIDS pandemic, according to a new commentary by NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci. Recent advances in understanding broadly neutralizing antibodies and T-cell responses offer promising areas for further exploration.
Researchers developed a novel method to study enterovirus structures and functions, allowing for tracking of viruses in cells and tissues. The method involves attaching gold nanoparticles to viruses, enabling studies on structural changes and mechanisms of virus uncoating.