Vaccine 'protects against lethal staph infections'

A new vaccine has been developed that helps to protect against a lethal form of pneumonia that is caused by staphylococcus aureus (staph). Researchers from the University of Iowa, US, have developed the drug that could also help to protect against drug-resistant strains of the disease, such as MRSA.

The study, published in the 'Journal of Infectious Disease', shows the result of the vaccine in testing. The drug works by targeting toxins that are produced and secreted by staph bacteria. The researchers found that it is these toxins that create the symptoms brought on by this type of infection. Symptoms, which can be severe and often deadly, include low blood pressure, high fever and toxic shock.

It was thought that by blocking the toxins actions, a vaccine could help to prevent the bacteria from bringing about a serious illness. Researchers began by using animal models that were very close to the human staph infection. They found that by blocking three of the staph toxins, a patient would be almost entirely protected from this type of infection.

Animals that received the vaccine were found to be protected even when they were subjected to a high dose of the staph bacteria. They were protected from dying by the vaccine and it was also found that none of the bacteria remained in the lungs seven days after treatment.

Professor Patrick Schlievert, chair of microbiology in the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, said:  "Our study suggests that vaccination against these toxins may provide protection against all strains of staph. If we can translate this finding into an effective vaccine for people, it could potentially prevent millions of cases of serious and milder skin and soft tissue infections yearly."

It was also found that passive immunisation - when a serum taken from animals that had received the vaccine is used to immunise others - proved successful with the new drug. This finding suggests the protective factor is created by the antibodies that are induced by the vaccine.