Scientists develop vaccine due to concerns about next pandemic

(CLO) A research team at Oxford University that collaborated with AstraZeneca to create a COVID-19 vaccine is continuing its efforts to create a new vaccine to prevent the risk of a superbug strain of the plague emerging.

Historically, plague has killed an estimated 200 million people worldwide . Three of the seven recorded global pandemics were caused by bubonic plague, an infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.

Illustration of a nurse tending to a plague patient at Grant Road Hospital in Bombay, India.

A 2021 trial of the vaccine in 40 healthy adults by the Oxford team showed promising results that the vaccine was safe and capable of generating an immune response in humans.

The trial results will be published soon after the evaluation process is completed, according to Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group. Further clinical trials are also underway.

“There is currently no licensed vaccine for plague in the UK. Antibiotics remain the mainstay of treatment,” he said.

Government scientists have pushed for approval and large-scale production of a vaccine, especially as the disease still exists in some parts of the world and has “pandemic potential.”

Scientists at Porton Down have highlighted the need to accelerate vaccine development “to prevent future catastrophic outbreaks of plague”. Current strains of the bacteria can become resistant to drugs, making treatment difficult.

The plague is spread by fleas, which transmit the bacteria from rodents to humans through bites. The plague, also known as the 'Black Death', killed half of Europe's population.

Plague can manifest itself in three main forms: bubonic plague, pneumonic plague, and septicemic plague. Pneumonic plague can cause severe pneumonia, difficulty breathing, and coughing up blood, and if not treated within 24 hours, it can lead to death. Both forms have the risk of progressing to septicemic plague, which is life-threatening.

Since the advent of antibiotics in the 20th century, concerns about the plague have decreased significantly. However, antibiotic resistance is spreading globally and is expected to kill 39 million people by 2050.

Cases of drug resistance have been recorded in Madagascar and Peru, suggesting the risk of a plague "superbug" is entirely possible.

“If you are infected with antibiotic-resistant plague bacteria, treatment may be less effective and you may be sick for longer,” said Professor Tim Atkins.

“Although resistant strains have emerged, there are still other antibiotics that can be used as a back-up. Antibiotic resistance is not just a problem for plague, but is also a concern for common infections such as MRSA in the UK.”

The risk of a superbug plague pandemic remains low today but could increase due to climate change, which makes animal diseases more likely to spread to humans, he added.

“Yersinia pestis used to be considered susceptible to most antibiotics, so it was treatable if caught early. However, that is changing and resistance is increasing,” said Dr Simon Clarke.

Ha Trang (according to Oxford Uni, Porton Down, Sunday World)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/cac-nha-khoa-hoc-phat-trien-vac-xin-cai-chet-den-do-lo-ngai-ve-dai-dich-tiep-theo-post329238.html