REBAVAC - Novel opportunities to develop vaccines to control antibiotic resistant bacteria: from the trials back to the laboratory
- EC contribution
- : € 121.200
- Duration
- : 12 months
- Starting date
- : 01/09/2006
- Funding scheme
- : Specific Support Action
- Keywords
- : -
- Contract/Grant agreement number
- : LSHM-CT-2006-037163
- Project web-site
- : http://www.altaweb.eu/rebavac
Background:
Antibiotic resistant bacteria are rapidly spreading worldwide, making it increasingly difficult to treat infections in large communities as well as creating a major public health problem. Vaccination is proposed as one of the best tools to stop the spread and development of antimicrobial resistant micro-organisms. However, the analysis of the effects of using conjugated vaccines against Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae b and Neisseria meningitidis has shown some paradoxes and some interesting aspects that led to a re-thinking of how immunity to polysaccharide is elicited following vaccination and how memory is acquired.
The workshop proposed by REBAVAC - involving some of the most important experts in vaccination, immunology and bacterial resistance, both from industry and academia, - has surely represented a very important opportunity in Europe to discuss the implication of the results of ongoing research on the use and development of vaccines to fight antibiotic resistant bacteria.
In addition it has been a major occasion to analyse and discuss the current status of protein-based vaccines and the importance of innovative vaccination strategies to give indications to the European research for the development of more efficacious, universal and affordable vaccines to defeat antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Moreover the training session was an opportunity for young scientists to present their research, whereas a round table with industries representatives, policy makers and scientists represented an occasion to discuss the efficacy of vaccination and the economical and political aspects related with the development, use and distribution of vaccines to encapsulated bacteria. A Position paper on "Future trends in vaccine development to defeat antibiotic resistant bacteria" is in preparation and it will be made available to the public.
Problem:
Antibiotic resistance is rapidly spreading worldwide. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococci and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci are causing nosocomial infections, while other pathogens like pneumococcus, effectively treated in the past with penicillin, are now resistant to a broad spectrum of antibiotics.
This situation leads to the need of a careful analysis of the results of past and current vaccination trials in order to design novel vaccines or to develop new vaccination strategies as a main tools to fight antibiotic resistance.
Aim:
The overall aim of REBAVAC was to organise a European wWorkshop in which several worldwide most leadingimportant experts in vaccine research and immunology had the occasion to meet with healthcare providers, industry representatives and public health experts to discuss the followingcritical issues.
- the use and improvement of currently available conjugate polysaccharide vaccines to fight antibiotic resistant bacteria;
- the results of clinical trials on development and persistence of immunity to polysaccharides in infants, children, adults and elderly people after vaccination with polysaccharide and conjugated vaccines and the impact on polysaccharide switching;
- the contribution of innate and adaptive components of the immune system in eliciting and boosting immune responses to conjugate vaccines;
- the role and the function of the carrier protein(s) in the elicitation and persistence of protective immune responses and to evaluate if there a risk of carrier proteins overload in first-second year of life;
- the immune memory acquisition after vaccination and the importance of adequate vaccination schedules;
- the current status of protein-based vaccines;
- novel vaccination strategies for antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Expected and obtained results:
The workshop indeed provided European researchers with the newest trends and directions of research in the area of vaccines to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. And it was a good occasion to envisage the exploitation of new vaccination strategies.
The outcomes of the workshop is are expected to give an input to compel the European research and industry to move forward towards more efficient/efficacious vaccines and vaccination strategies, and to find novel immunization ways to optimise the use and formulation of currently available vaccines to fight antibiotic resistance.
A position paper on "Future trends in vaccine development to defeat antibiotic resistant bacteria" aiming to give directions to the European and non European vaccine research on the development of novel vaccines and vaccination strategies to defeat antibiotic resistant bacteria is in preparation
Potential applications:
The impact of the scientific workshop and of the correlated activities planned by REBAVAC project is expected to be very strong in the field of developing new strategies against antibacterial resistant infections.
The involvement of both the European industry and research groups in the vaccine field should should ensure a promotion offuel the design of novel vaccination strategies, that hopefully will leading to an improvement of theimproved control of of infectious diseases and therefore of thestronger well- being in the whole worldfor everyone.
Coordinator:
CEO ALTA Srl
Via Fiorentina 149
53100 Siena, Italy
Tel. +39 057750518
Fax +39 0577593815
E-mail: tagliabue@altaweb.eu
