Polysaccharide
Group B Streptococcus Vaccine
Toward the Development of a Universal Vaccine Against Group B Streptococcus
from Roberta Cozzi, John L. Telford and Domenico Maione writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most common cause of life-threatening bacterial infections in infants and is also an emerging pathogen among adult humans, especially in the elderly, immunocompromised and diabetic adults. Capsular polysaccharide based vaccines of the most common serotypes present in the United States and Europe are in an advanced stage of development but they are not effective against serotypes present in other parts of the world. Many protein antigens have been studied for the discovery of an effective universal vaccine that could overcome serotype specificity. Thanks to reverse vaccinology and new technologies, a vaccine combination based on the pilus proteins has been discovered for the development of a universal GBS vaccine that is potentially capable of preventing all GBS infections.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies | Pili and Flagella: Current Research and Future Trends
from Roberta Cozzi, John L. Telford and Domenico Maione writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most common cause of life-threatening bacterial infections in infants and is also an emerging pathogen among adult humans, especially in the elderly, immunocompromised and diabetic adults. Capsular polysaccharide based vaccines of the most common serotypes present in the United States and Europe are in an advanced stage of development but they are not effective against serotypes present in other parts of the world. Many protein antigens have been studied for the discovery of an effective universal vaccine that could overcome serotype specificity. Thanks to reverse vaccinology and new technologies, a vaccine combination based on the pilus proteins has been discovered for the development of a universal GBS vaccine that is potentially capable of preventing all GBS infections.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies | Pili and Flagella: Current Research and Future Trends
Pseudomonas Vaccines
Category: Vaccines | Immunology
Vaccines to Combat Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections in Immunocompromised Patients
from Jennifer M. Scarff and Joanna B. Goldberg writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen that causes an array of nosocomial infections, such as ventilator-associated pneumonia and infections in cancer patients. P. aeruginosa infections are difficult to treat with antibiotics, making the need for other therapeutic options, such as vaccination, critical. The main target antigen for vaccines has been the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of P. aeruginosa and studies show that vaccination may be partially protective, but that a combination of vaccination with either antibiotic treatment or cell transfusion protocols typically works best. The efficacy of vaccination, particularly against LPS, has been investigated in human cancer patients. These patients were capable of mounting an immune response, but it was often short-lived or accompanied by severe side effects. An anti-Pseudomonas vaccine could be beneficial to aid in treatment of nosocomial infections caused by this bacterium, but would need optimization for better efficacy.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies | Pseudomonas: Genomics and Molecular Biology
from Jennifer M. Scarff and Joanna B. Goldberg writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen that causes an array of nosocomial infections, such as ventilator-associated pneumonia and infections in cancer patients. P. aeruginosa infections are difficult to treat with antibiotics, making the need for other therapeutic options, such as vaccination, critical. The main target antigen for vaccines has been the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of P. aeruginosa and studies show that vaccination may be partially protective, but that a combination of vaccination with either antibiotic treatment or cell transfusion protocols typically works best. The efficacy of vaccination, particularly against LPS, has been investigated in human cancer patients. These patients were capable of mounting an immune response, but it was often short-lived or accompanied by severe side effects. An anti-Pseudomonas vaccine could be beneficial to aid in treatment of nosocomial infections caused by this bacterium, but would need optimization for better efficacy.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies | Pseudomonas: Genomics and Molecular Biology
Protective Capacity of Antibodies
Category: Vaccines | Immunology
New Analytical Approaches for Measuring Protective Capacity of Antibodies
from Moon H. Nahm and Carl E. Frasch writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Antibodies to the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule protect the host by opsonizing pneumococci for host phagocytes, while antibodies to the meningococcal polysaccharide capsule protect by directly killing meningococci in the presence of complement. In vitro measurement of serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) against the meningococcus has been used for a long time as a measure of protective immunity. Technical developments of pneumococcal opsonophagocytosis assays (OPA) in the past decade permit measurements of opsonic capacity of sera from persons immunized with pneumococcal vaccines. Experience with OPAs shows that opsonic capacities of antisera are better than their antibody levels in predicting vaccine efficacy. Thus, measurements of opsonic capacity could be a surrogate of clinical studies of pneumococcal vaccines. By being the surrogate for clinical studies, the assays for protective function of antibodies would reduce the need for large clinical trials and facilitate vaccine developments and improvements.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
from Moon H. Nahm and Carl E. Frasch writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Antibodies to the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule protect the host by opsonizing pneumococci for host phagocytes, while antibodies to the meningococcal polysaccharide capsule protect by directly killing meningococci in the presence of complement. In vitro measurement of serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) against the meningococcus has been used for a long time as a measure of protective immunity. Technical developments of pneumococcal opsonophagocytosis assays (OPA) in the past decade permit measurements of opsonic capacity of sera from persons immunized with pneumococcal vaccines. Experience with OPAs shows that opsonic capacities of antisera are better than their antibody levels in predicting vaccine efficacy. Thus, measurements of opsonic capacity could be a surrogate of clinical studies of pneumococcal vaccines. By being the surrogate for clinical studies, the assays for protective function of antibodies would reduce the need for large clinical trials and facilitate vaccine developments and improvements.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies