“Researchers Race to Develop First Urinary Tract Infection Vaccine to Combat Antibiotic Resistance”

Urinary tract infection is very common in the population, and especially among women. If you have already had one infection, the chances are high that you will get it again.

Between 20 and 40 percent of women will experience recurrent urinary tract infections, according to PEDIATRIC. The condition is difficult to treat, and can result in greatly reduced quality of life for those affected.

Researchers at The University of Texas wanted to do something about this. They have thrown themselves into the race to be the first in the world to develop a vaccine.

– This research is very important, and I hope it will yield results, says vaccine researcher Gunnveig Grødeland.

– Serious

Urinary tract infection is characterized by a burning or stinging pain when you urinate, and severe pain in the lower abdomen.

– It affects the quality of life, but can also lead to serious complications such as pyelonephritis and blood poisoning if the infection is not controlled, says specialist director Svein Rune Andersen at the Department for Infection Control and Vaccines at FHI.

Although the infection may go away on its own, antibiotics are often the only treatment. It is not unproblematic.

Antibiotic resistance has been described as the biggest health threat of our time, as it can make a number of infections more difficult to treat.

– A reduced need for antibiotic treatment will be beneficial both for the individual and with regard to the development of antibiotic resistance, which is a serious threat to all treatment of infectious diseases, says Andersen.

– Can help millions

The researchers from Texas point out that repeated urinary tract infections can often be difficult to treat.

– Even if you get the bacteria out of the bladder, they remain elsewhere in the body. And they can easily become resistant to the antibiotics that have been used. When patients develop antibiotic resistance, they will eventually run out of alternatives.

Researcher Nicole De Nisco at the University of Texas has previously stated this in a press release.

The researchers are developing a so-called whole-cell vaccine, which injects the entire bacterium into the body and encapsulates it. Thus, the bacterium stays in the body longer, which gives the immune system time to build up good responses that can protect against infection.

The researchers are hopeful, and believe the vaccine has the potential to help millions of patients.

– Showing that this works against recurring urinary tract infections will be a significant breakthrough, says De Nisco.

– Very important

Vaccine researcher Grødeland is eagerly following developments.

– The research has certainly shown promising results on mice, although there is still a long way to go before the vaccine can be tested on humans. I hope the research will result in a working vaccine, she says.

According to Grødeland, there is still a lot of work to be done, and she believes that any approval could be several years away.

– But it looks super cool. At the stage the researchers are at now, they are conducting basic research that lays the groundwork for future solutions. That is why this work is very important, she says.

Andersen at FHI points out that there are several research groups working on developing a vaccine against urinary tract infection. Although he is positive about the work, he does not take the victory for granted.

– The results so far can be described as interesting, but more research is probably needed before a possible vaccine becomes available, says Andersen.

He also points out that the results originate from mice, and thinks it is difficult to assess how good the study is.

– According to the researchers, the vaccine gives a good immune response and protects the animals against a lethal injection with live bacteria. It is currently unclear whether the vaccine will provide protection against urinary tract infection, says Andersen.

An important piece

The researchers will test the vaccine against urinary tract infection, but also against other bacterial infections.

– The data so far can substantiate that the vaccine will be an important part of the strategy against future antibiotic resistance. When we are left with no more functional antibiotics, this could be a new and more functional way of fighting specific bacteria, says Grødeland.

Andersen believes it is too early to say anything about the extent to which the vaccines will eventually lead to less antibiotic use, as it is more difficult to develop a vaccine against bacteria compared to viruses.

– There can be many different bacteria that can cause a urinary tract infection, he says.