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| Super-engineered vaccines created to help end polio | Super-engineered vaccines created to help end polio |
| (1 day later) | |
| Scientists have "super-engineered" polio vaccines to prevent them mutating into a dangerous form that can cause outbreaks and paralysis. | Scientists have "super-engineered" polio vaccines to prevent them mutating into a dangerous form that can cause outbreaks and paralysis. |
| The oral vaccines contain weakened live polio viruses and the genetic redesign locks them into that weakened state. | The oral vaccines contain weakened live polio viruses and the genetic redesign locks them into that weakened state. |
| The US and UK teams have now created upgraded vaccines against all three types of polio. | The US and UK teams have now created upgraded vaccines against all three types of polio. |
| However, better vaccines still need to reach every child in order to stop the disease. | However, better vaccines still need to reach every child in order to stop the disease. |
| Polio can spread into the nervous system, causing paralysis. Cases have fallen by more than 99% since the late 1980s and about 20 million people who would have been paralysed can walk thanks to vaccines. | Polio can spread into the nervous system, causing paralysis. Cases have fallen by more than 99% since the late 1980s and about 20 million people who would have been paralysed can walk thanks to vaccines. |
| The original or "wild" poliovirus is now contained to small pockets of Afghanistan and Pakistan and the oral vaccines play a pivotal role in the attempt to rid the world of polio. | The original or "wild" poliovirus is now contained to small pockets of Afghanistan and Pakistan and the oral vaccines play a pivotal role in the attempt to rid the world of polio. |
| "The issue is they're genetically unstable," Dr Andrew Macadam, from the UK's MHRA, told BBC News. | |
| It takes only one mutation to turn the safe polio vaccine back into a virus that can move out of a child's stomach, invade their nervous system and cause paralysis. | It takes only one mutation to turn the safe polio vaccine back into a virus that can move out of a child's stomach, invade their nervous system and cause paralysis. |
| And if those viruses spread from an immunised child - through their contaminated faeces - there is a risk of infecting the unvaccinated and triggering an outbreak. | And if those viruses spread from an immunised child - through their contaminated faeces - there is a risk of infecting the unvaccinated and triggering an outbreak. |
| There are now more cases of "vaccine-derived polio" than of the wild poliovirus and the polio detected in London's sewers last year was connected to the oral vaccine. | There are now more cases of "vaccine-derived polio" than of the wild poliovirus and the polio detected in London's sewers last year was connected to the oral vaccine. |
| Polio: Do we have to worry about it once again? | Polio: Do we have to worry about it once again? |
| So the researchers have genetically altered the weakened virus even further to make it much harder for it to start causing paralysis again. | So the researchers have genetically altered the weakened virus even further to make it much harder for it to start causing paralysis again. |
| "By genetically modifying this part of the virus, we could modify this region so it couldn't revert and this I think has been remarkably successful," Dr Macadam said. | "By genetically modifying this part of the virus, we could modify this region so it couldn't revert and this I think has been remarkably successful," Dr Macadam said. |
| Prof Raul Andino, from University of California San Francisco, said he was "super-proud" of the scientific effort showing the vaccine was "50 to 100 times more stable". | Prof Raul Andino, from University of California San Francisco, said he was "super-proud" of the scientific effort showing the vaccine was "50 to 100 times more stable". |
| A man in an iron lung, to keep him breathing after polio paralyses the chest muscles | A man in an iron lung, to keep him breathing after polio paralyses the chest muscles |
| In March 2021, the World Health Organization made the researchers' vaccine against type-two polio available for emergency use. Since then, it has been used more than 650 million times. | In March 2021, the World Health Organization made the researchers' vaccine against type-two polio available for emergency use. Since then, it has been used more than 650 million times. |
| Now, in the journal Nature, the researchers have detailed the creation of stable vaccines against polio types one and three. | Now, in the journal Nature, the researchers have detailed the creation of stable vaccines against polio types one and three. |
| The first-stage human trials of the upgraded vaccines have already been conducted - and, the researchers say, the data, which is still being analysed, is "very promising". | The first-stage human trials of the upgraded vaccines have already been conducted - and, the researchers say, the data, which is still being analysed, is "very promising". |
| The trio represent the first new polio vaccines in 50 years. | The trio represent the first new polio vaccines in 50 years. |
| "I don't think there's any question that they're helpful, the new vaccines address the instability question, but it doesn't address the coverage issue," Dr Macadam said. | "I don't think there's any question that they're helpful, the new vaccines address the instability question, but it doesn't address the coverage issue," Dr Macadam said. |
| 'Impressive science' | 'Impressive science' |
| Tackling the last 1% of polio cases has proven stubborn. The original goal was to completely eradicate polio by the year 2000 - but delivering vaccines to some of the poorest and most conflict-ridden parts of the world has been a challenge. | Tackling the last 1% of polio cases has proven stubborn. The original goal was to completely eradicate polio by the year 2000 - but delivering vaccines to some of the poorest and most conflict-ridden parts of the world has been a challenge. |
| Prof Alan Barrett, from the Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, at the University of Texas, called the "super-engineered" vaccines a feat of "impressive science". | Prof Alan Barrett, from the Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, at the University of Texas, called the "super-engineered" vaccines a feat of "impressive science". |
| "[But] will it lead the endgame to the finish line? That is a big question," he added. | "[But] will it lead the endgame to the finish line? That is a big question," he added. |
| Joseph Swan, from the World Health Organization and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, said more stable vaccines were a "significant part" of the plan for a polio-free world. | Joseph Swan, from the World Health Organization and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, said more stable vaccines were a "significant part" of the plan for a polio-free world. |
| But, he said: "Simply having these new and better tools will not get us over the finish line - vaccination, not just vaccines, is what will end polio." | But, he said: "Simply having these new and better tools will not get us over the finish line - vaccination, not just vaccines, is what will end polio." |
| There was now a "unique opportunity" to eradicate wild poliovirus - but vaccine-derived polio outbreaks were causing problems in places facing "complex humanitarian emergencies", in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Yemen. | There was now a "unique opportunity" to eradicate wild poliovirus - but vaccine-derived polio outbreaks were causing problems in places facing "complex humanitarian emergencies", in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Yemen. |
| The oral polio vaccine is no longer used in the UK and other countries with established healthcare systems as they have moved to the polio injection. | |
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| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Medical research | Medical research |
| Genetics | Genetics |
| Vaccination | Vaccination |