Cross-Protective Vaccine Developed by Researchers
By George Foulsham
UCSB scientists Douglas Heithoff and Michael Mahan –– along with University of Utah scientists Elena Enioutina, Diana Bareyan, and Raymond Daynes –– believe their recent research suggests this might be possible in the not-too-distant future. In a paper to be published in the November edition of the journal Infection and Immunity, the researchers detail the path to creating a vaccine that confers protection against multiple strains of bacteria.
"Vaccines are great," Mahan, professor of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, said in an interview. "Second to water sanitation, they are the best medical invention of mankind."
The problem with conventional vaccines is that they only protect against a limited number of closely related strains. "That is why flu vaccines need to be administered every year because different flu strains arise every year," Mahan said. This is what prompted the researchers to begin their quest for a more powerful vaccine that conferred protection against many strains.
The team focused on developing a vaccine against Salmonella, which causes food and blood poisoning –– with over 1.5 million cases in the United States each year. "It’s endemic worldwide," Mahan said. "It’s not a carnivore issue –– it’s everybody’s issue since fruits and vegetables are often the source of infection."
By disarming a "genetic switch," the research team has developed a vaccine that protects against many strains of Salmonella. The new vaccine stimulates the production of antibodies and immune cells that work together to kill bacteria.
The impact on human health may come in the near term. The new vaccine is currently being tested in livestock –– the main source of human infection. "The immunization of livestock can help human health by promoting food safety," Heithoff said. "Of course, the three principal issues for vaccines will always be safety-safety-safety –– and we’ve put a lot of effort into it."