Universal Vaccine
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
Serogroup B Meningococcus Vaccine
The First Vaccine Obtained Through Reverse Vaccinology: The Serogroup B Meningococcus Vaccine
from Jeannette Adu-Bobie, Beatrice Aricò, Marzia M. Giuliani and Davide Serruto writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Neisseria meningitidis was isolated over one hundred years when Anton Weicshelbaum identified the causative agent of cerebrospinal meningitis. Since its isolation in 1887, N. meningitidis has been recognized to cause endemic cases, case clusters, epidemics and pandemics of meningitis and devastating septicaemia. Despite over one century since its discovery, scientists have yet to identify a universal vaccine for this deadly bacterium. Although vaccines exist for several serogroups of pathogenic N. meningitidis, serotype B (MenB) has eluded scientists for decades, until the advent of genomics. The genome era has completely changed the way to design vaccines. The availability of the complete genome of microorganisms combined with a novel advanced technology has introduced a new prospective in vaccine research. This novel approach is now known as "Reverse Vaccinology" and N. meningitidis can be considered the first successful example of its application. A recent review describes the successful story of the development of the serogroup B vaccine, starting from the analysis of genome and finishing with the results obtained in clinical trials.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies | Neisseria: Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenesis
from Jeannette Adu-Bobie, Beatrice Aricò, Marzia M. Giuliani and Davide Serruto writing in Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies
Neisseria meningitidis was isolated over one hundred years when Anton Weicshelbaum identified the causative agent of cerebrospinal meningitis. Since its isolation in 1887, N. meningitidis has been recognized to cause endemic cases, case clusters, epidemics and pandemics of meningitis and devastating septicaemia. Despite over one century since its discovery, scientists have yet to identify a universal vaccine for this deadly bacterium. Although vaccines exist for several serogroups of pathogenic N. meningitidis, serotype B (MenB) has eluded scientists for decades, until the advent of genomics. The genome era has completely changed the way to design vaccines. The availability of the complete genome of microorganisms combined with a novel advanced technology has introduced a new prospective in vaccine research. This novel approach is now known as "Reverse Vaccinology" and N. meningitidis can be considered the first successful example of its application. A recent review describes the successful story of the development of the serogroup B vaccine, starting from the analysis of genome and finishing with the results obtained in clinical trials.
Further reading: Vaccine Design: Innovative Approaches and Novel Strategies | Neisseria: Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenesis