This is the ultimate goal of preventing this sexually transmitted disease, which can make women infertile: to achieve a vaccine to prevent infection of the genitals by the bacteria. Chlamydia trachomatis. Because, remember, most chlamydia infections are asymptomatic, and therefore untreated, allowing the bacteria to be transmitted quietly.
Here, in a new study, published in the specialized journal npj Vaccines (Source 1), researchers report very encouraging results towards the development of a preventive, effective and safe vaccine.
A difficulty finally overcome
Scientists explain that efforts to develop such a vaccine date back nearly 80 years. But obstacles complicated the task, because the injection of a so-called whole cell vaccine, in other words containing the inactivated bacteria, could visibly, in certain cases, increase the risk of infection by this bacteria. Enough to discourage the scientific community for some time.
Here, the research team developed a vaccine that did contain chlamydia bacteria, but which were killed by radiation. And despite this process aimed at making them inactive, the bacteria thus radiated trigger an immune response from the body (here, mice). Because the researchers made sure to protect bacteria with an antioxidant, which keeps surface proteins (antigens) intact…
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