Superbug Vaccine Based on Biofilm Sugar

Scientists are developing a vaccine for drug-resistant bacteria based on the biofilms they produce that protect them from antibiotics. The discovery that these "superbugs" produce a sticky substance which induces an immune response in animals has lead to the concept of producing an antibody for at-risk patients in hospitals, the elderly and anyone else who might come in contact with them. The sticky substance is a complex sugar called PNAG (poly-beta-1,6-N-acetylglucosamine). The sugar alone doesn't induce an immune response, but needs to be chemically altered.

Superbug infections have become a considerable problem in hospitals worldwide, making research into their control and prevention of infections very important. One such microorganism, multiple-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, (MRSA) is a strain of a microbe that occurs naturally on our skin, but can get out of control in immunocompromised people, or if it enters an open wound. Only certain strains are resistant to antibiotics, but those can be lethal, prompting an interest in research on the mechanisms of biofilm production.

Of course, finding a vaccine against superbugs won't eliminate the need for stringent hygenic measures in hospitals, and I agree with the UK charity, MRSA Action, that finding a vaccine isn't necessarily the answer to the problem. Of course, prevention of infection would mean everyone entering the hospital would have to get the shot before undergoing treatment, "just in case", which certainly won't sit well with those opposed to vaccines.