Very common as they are in adult women, we’re sure you treat patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) mostly with antibiotics, especially when other options fail. That’s a necessary evil because although antibiotics address UTIs, they also alter the gut microflora leading to several other intestinal problems. What if there was a vaccine that could selectively target the causative agent of such infections? Researchers at Duke University have developed a vaccine against uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) that causes UTIs in humans.
It is made of a peptide-polymer nanofiber that penetrates the mucosa and guides the immune system to recognize and fight UPEC by exposing it to three peptides residing on the bacterial surface. Interestingly, the vaccine is formulated as a rapid-dissolving sublingual tablet that dissolves in saliva. In mice and rabbit models, the vaccine effectively…
