Tuberculosis Vaccine Research
Tuberculosis (TB) kills two million people each year and roughly one third of the global population is infected with the bacteria. TB strains resistant to drugs spreads with alarming speed and the vaccine we have today is unable to control the epidemic. At SSI, we are in front of the international efforts to develop a novel effective TB vaccine
TB – an old enemy
TB is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The disease has haunted mankind since antiquity and is believed to originate from cattle in the first farm settlements with livestock. Today, there are more TB than ever before and with more than 9 million new cases this global epidemic has reached alarming levels.
TB is a slowly progressing, chronic disease and infected individuals are often lifelong carriers of the infection. Immunity relies on the socalled cell mediated immune response. The progression of TB is therefore greatly accelerated by HIV infection that impairs the immune response. In recent years many drug resistant bacteria strains have developed.
Tuberculosis patient. Picture from STOP TB Partnership
The current vaccine against TB
The BCG vaccine is the only available vaccine against TB. BCG has been in use for almost 80 years and is effective in infants. However, the effect of BCG wanes after 10-15 years and the vaccine therefore does not control pulmonary TB in adults. As adults with lung TB is the major source of disease transmission, BCG vaccination of children has had very limited influence on the global epidemic. Another very important limitation of BCG is the lack of effect on the two billion individuals already infected with TB.
TB vaccine research at SSI
At SSI we investigate the interactions between the host and the pathogen and identify the immunological mechanisms that combat the bacteria. We study the disease process and the immune response with cutting edge techniques applied to samples from TB patients and in advanced animal models of the disease. The information we obtain is translated into the design of novel vaccines designed for maximum activity against the different stages of the disease. Our goal is to provide vaccines that protect individuals before they acquire the infection, as well as vaccines that can protect the numerous people already infected with TB from developing the disease. We have developed three different vaccines and are currently evaluating them in clinical trials in Africa and Europe.
Facts on TB
- TB is caused by the bacterium “Mycobacterium tuberculosis”
- One third of the world´s population is infected
- The current vaccine BCG does not protect aganist TB in adults
Last revised 20 December 2010