Vaccine Breakthroughs May Help Beat Tuberculosis, Which Still Kills
News outlets report on promising innovations in the fight against TB, with a vaccine that can be freeze-dried and stored at higher temperatures for months, and early progress with mRNA vaccines. NPR reminds us the disease, which sometimes seems a "relic" of the past, still kills 1.6 million yearly.
NPR:
A Promising MRNA Vaccine-In-The-Works Could Finally Knock Out TB
Tuberculosis may seem like a relic of the past in wealthy countries, yet it still kills more people worldwide than any other infectious disease besides COVID – with about 1.6 million people dying from TB annually. And the one approved vaccine – invented more than a century ago – is only reliably protective when given to children. Now, scientists at South Africa's University of Cape Town have taken a major step toward creating an mRNA vaccine against TB that could work for people of all ages. (Aizenman, 3/6)
Forbes:
Breakthrough For Tuberculosis—One Of The World’s Biggest Killers—As New Vaccine Shows Promise In Early Trials
Researchers on Monday announced promising results for a tuberculosis vaccine that can be freeze-dried and safely stored at higher temperatures for months, hailing a major breakthrough in the fight against one of humanity’s biggest killers and a major step towards overcoming one of the big barriers to vaccine distribution in poorer parts of the world. (Hart, 3/6)
On bird flu and mpox —
The New York Times:
U.S. Considers Vaccinating Chickens as Bird Flu Kills Millions of Them
The Biden administration, keeping a watchful eye on an outbreak of avian influenza that has led to the deaths of tens of millions of chickens and is driving up the cost of eggs — not to mention raising the frightening specter of a human pandemic — is contemplating a mass vaccination campaign for poultry, according to White House officials. The bird flu outbreak, which began early last year, is the biggest in the nation’s history, affecting more than 58 million farmed birds in 47 states, as well as birds in the wild. It has already spilled over into mammals, such as mink, foxes, raccoons and bears, raising fears that the virus that causes it, known as H5N1, could mutate and start spreading more easily among people. (Stolberg and Anthes, 3/6)
Bloomberg:
Moderna Eyes Testing Mpox, Bird Flu Vaccines In Humans This Year
Moderna Inc. is eyeing possible human testing of shots to fight mpox and bird flu this year, as the Covid-19 vaccine maker expands into more public-health immunizations. The company is exploring messenger RNA vaccines for a number of such pathogens, most of them in the early stages of development, President Stephen Hoge said Monday in an interview. Moderna expects to advance its vaccines for mpox and bird flu to clinical trials after completing initial work on them, he said. (Peebles, 3/6)
On the spread of meningitis —
AP:
GOP Panel Ready To Block New Student Vaccination Mandates
Wisconsin Republicans are preparing to again block a new policy from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers that requires students to get vaccinated twice against meningitis and tightening student chickenpox vaccination mandates. The Legislature’s GOP-controlled rules committee is set to hold a public hearing on the policy Tuesday. A committee vote to block the policy could soon follow, perhaps within days. (Richmond, 3/7)
News-Medical.net:
Adults And Children Mostly Have Only One Of The Classical 'Triad' Of Meningitis Symptoms, Research Shows
Prompt recognition of symptoms and treatment is vital for good outcomes in cases of meningitis. However, new research to be presented at this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases shows both adults and children mostly have only one of the classical 'triad' of commonly related symptoms (fever, altered mental state and neck stiffness), and rarely have all three, with a substantial proportion (one in seven) having none. (Henderson, 3/3)
