Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine have developed a vaccine against norovirus by piggybacking on vaccines for rotavirus. The researchers added a protein from a strain of norovirus to a harmless strain of rotavirus. Mice that received the experimental vaccine produced neutralising antibodies against both viruses, leading to hopes that the breakthrough could allow for the distribution of a bivalent vaccine to protect against both stomach bugs. The next step will be to find out whether the vaccine works in preventing sickness and death due to norovirus.
Norovirus, also known as the “winter vomiting bug,” is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the world, affecting millions of people annually. With its highly contagious nature, norovirus can easily spread through contaminated food and water, as well as person-to-person contact. In recent years, outbreaks of norovirus have increasingly become a public health concern, … Read more
