Context
Scientists are working towards a universal pneumococcal vaccine that could protect against the many types of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Existing vaccines cover only some types of the bacterium. New research is therefore trying to identify common bacterial proteins that can provide much broader protection.
Explanation
- Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, is a bacterium commonly found in the nose and throat. It has around 100 different types, called serotypes.
- When immunity becomes weak, the bacterium can cause serious diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, bloodstream infections and sepsis.
- Different serotypes have different outer sugar coatings called capsules. Existing vaccines mainly train the immune system to recognise these coatings.
- Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines (PCVs) therefore protect against only a limited number of serotypes, rather than all pneumococcal bacteria.
- This creates the problem of serotype replacement: when vaccine-covered types decline, some uncovered types may increase and continue causing disease.
- Reverse vaccinology means scientists begin with the bacterium’s genetic blueprint (genome) instead of first growing and testing the bacterium in the laboratory. Computers are used to scan thousands of genes and identify proteins that could act as good vaccine targets.
- Scientists especially look for proteins that are present in many serotypes and exposed on the bacterial surface, so that the immune system can easily recognise and attack them.
- Using this method, researchers selected common proteins and developed an experimental protein-based vaccine. Tests in mice showed that it produced protective antibodies against multiple pneumococcal serotypes.
- A successful universal vaccine could protect against many more serotypes, reduce serotype replacement, lower cases of pneumonia and meningitis, and help control antibiotic-resistant infections.
Conclusion
Instead of making a vaccine separately against each bacterial type, reverse vaccinology searches the bacterium’s genes for common weak points that can be targeted by one broad vaccine.
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