Clues to develop E.coli anti-bacterial vaccine

Scientists at Novartis Pharmaceuticals have discovered the bacterial ingredients they hope to use to develop a vaccine against a range of dangerous human diseases caused by E.coli infection.

E.coli is a common bacterium that normally lives in animal and human intestines, but some strains of this type, such as E.coli 0157, can cause illness in humans.

Dangerous strains of E.coli are often the cause of 80% of urinary tract infections, which can destroy the kidneys, and are the second leading cause of meningitis and septicemia. Infant.

E.coli is also behind many food-related infectious diseases when it is found that this bacterium is also found in many freshly fertilized fresh meat and vegetables products.

This is also a type of bacteria that spreads easily between people and equipment.

The potential market for the E.coli vaccine is very large and attractive, but the study of this vaccine has so many obstacles because each strain of E. coli has a very different genetic structure.

However, scientists at Novartis' lab in Italy say their approach is to take the gene map of the bacteria instead of using the bacteria itself as a starting point and have helped overcome those above obstacles.

The researchers used genetic maps to select hundreds of common antibodies to pathogenic E.coli strains. They argue that these antibodies can protect people against infection.