Abstract
The sneaky meningococcus is a bacterium that can cause terrible disease. Development of an effective vaccine has been extremely difficult. Meningococcal vaccines developed in the 1990s are based on the bacterial capsule, a shield that protects the bacteria and that is used to instruct our body to combat this terrible disease. These vaccines work against four types of meningococcus: A, C, W, and Y. However, they do not work against meningococcus B. Scientists had to invent a completely new way to make vaccines, reading the bacterial DNA to search for new protective components. With this new approach, named reverse vaccinology, three new bacterial components were discovered: NadA, NHBA, and fHbp. When combined with a fourth component (PorA), they form the 4CMenB vaccine. This vaccine has reduced meningococcal disease in infants by 75% in the UK. Today, 4CMenB protects children all around the world.
Highlights
The sneaky meningococcus is a bacterium that can cause terrible disease
Scientists had to invent a completely new way to make vaccines, reading the bacterial DNA to search for new protective components
CARRIER PROTEIN A molecule obtained from bacteria which is highly attractive for T cells
Summary
You may not have heard of it, but there is dangerous microscopic organism called Neisseria meningitidis, known as meningococcus. It is a bacterium, made of one single cell. CARRIER PROTEIN A molecule obtained from bacteria which is highly attractive for T cells. CONJUGATE VACCINE A vaccine composed of the bacterial capsule attached to a carrier protein. It can activate both B and T cells, and to protect children from meningococcus type A, C, W, and Y
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