Health
Trial MRSA vaccine proves effective in mice
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Nov. 20, 2006
A shot comprised of four surface proteins from Staphylococcus aureus can protect mice from several drug-resistant strains of this bug, according to a study published in the Nov. 7 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Researchers tested 19 proteins to select the ones that elicited the strongest immune response. The four that did were tested in mice that were then infected with this bacteria.
"The combination vaccine provided complete protection," said Olaf Schneewind, MD, PhD, lead author and professor and chair of microbiology at the University of Chicago.
This bacteria is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics and experts say a vaccine is needed urgently.
"This finding represents a promising step toward identifying potential components to combine into a vaccine designed for people at high risk of invasive S. aureus infection," said Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. NIAID funded the study.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/11/20/hlbf1120.htm.
