What is it about?
This study shows that intravaginal treatment of gonococcal infection in female mice with microencapsulated IL-12 induces persisting recallable immunity against re-infection with N. gonorrhoeae, even of antigenically diverse strains, dependent on T-cell production of IFNγ and B-cell production of antibodies.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
Genital infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea) is a significant cause of reproductive tract morbidity in women, leading to pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal factor infertility, and increased risk for ectopic pregnancy. WHO estimates that 78 million new infections occur annually worldwide. In the USA >350,000 cases are reported annually, but the true incidence is probably >800,000 cases/y. Increasing resistance to currently available antibiotics raises concern that gonorrhea might become untreatable. Normally, infection does not induce immunity against re-infection. Our novel approach to treatment aims to redirect the immune response against N. gonorrhoeae to generate a state of protective immunity that eliminates the existing infection and guards against re-infection.
Perspectives
This study fits well with our previous published work and shows that it is possible to induce a state of protective immunity against the bacterium that causes gonorrhea. In turn this reinforces our approach to developing an effective vaccine, which will be needed as the gonococcus is becoming increasingly resistant to available antibiotics and is assuming "superbug" status.
Professor Michael W Russell
University at Buffalo Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Intravaginal Administration of Interleukin 12 during Genital Gonococcal Infection in Mice Induces Immunity to Heterologous Strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, mSphere, January 2018, ASM Journals,
DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00421-17.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
