The Pasteur Institute at the heart of research

Meningococcal infections, antibiotic resistance in newborns, early diagnosis of endometriosis, infectious diseases amplified by climate change… Researchers at the Pasteur Institute are working on major health issues.

Meningococcal infections

In France, approximately 500 to 600 people per year are affected by serious meningococcal infection. This bacteria can cause severe meningitis, requiring immediate diagnosis to avoid fatal complications.

The laboratory of Pr Muhammed-Kheir Tahaat the Pasteur Institute, is dedicated to monitoring this disease at the national level. Responsible for the National Reference Center (CNR) for meningococci, in conjunction with Santé Publique France, his team analyzes the bacterial strains of infected patients to identify mutations or resistant strains, as well as to follow the progress epidemics. The objective is to detect any emergence of new variants and to adapt vaccine and therapeutic responses.

Between 2015 and 2022, the team highlighted a worrying resurgence among young adultswhich led to a reassessment of vaccination strategies in France. The laboratory is also working on the development of faster and more precise diagnostic tools to enable early and effective treatment. These innovations could greatly improve survival rates and reduce the after-effects often left behind by illness.

Antibiotic resistance in newborns

One of the Institut Pasteur’s priority research areas concerns antibiotic resistance, a growing threat on a global scale. In newborns, the situation is even more delicate, because their immature immune systems make them particularly vulnerable to bacterial infections.

Bich-Tram Huynhan epidemiologist at the Pasteur Institute, and his team are studying how newborns acquire resistant bacteriaparticularly during childbirth by transmission from mother to child. The goal of this research is to identify the exact sources of acquisition of these bacteria and to better understand how these resistances develop in the first hours of life.

Studies are currently being carried out in several countries in Asia and Africa, notably in Madagascar, Senegal and Cambodia, to analyze local conditions of bacterial transmission. These regions, where access to care and antibiotics is often limited, represent environments conducive to the appearance and spread of resistant bacteria. Ultimately, this research will make it possible to propose prevention strategies. more efficient and adapted to local contexts, but also to define global recommendations to combat the spread of antibiotic resistance in infants.

Endometriosis: towards faster diagnosis

Endometriosis is a inflammatory disease chronic which affects approximately 10% of women worldwide. It is characterized by the presence of tissues similar to the uterine lining outside the uterus, causing often disabling pain, particularly during menstruation. Endometriosis remains largely underdiagnosedwith an average delay of several years before a diagnosis is made.

At the Pasteur Institute, Camille Berthelotspecialist in comparative genomics, and his team, are working on a innovative method which could revolutionize the detection of endometriosis. Their goal is to identify a biological marker that would allow early, non-invasive screening, thus saving patients from years of medical wandering. This advance would also allow to optimize support women, by reducing complications linked to severe forms of the disease.

If this method succeeds, it could transform not only the diagnosis, but also the understanding even mechanisms of endometriosis, thus opening the way to new treatments more effective.

Infectious diseases and global warming

Global warming amplifies the spread of certain infectious diseasesparticularly those transmitted by mosquitoes, such as dengue, Zika or chikungunya. These diseases, historically limited to certain tropical regions, are beginning to affect areas previously spared, particularly in Europe, where the tiger mosquito is spreading.

Anna-Bella Faillouxentomologist at the Pasteur Institute, conducts research to understand the links between climate change and increased infectious risks. She studies transmission dynamics of these viruses, particularly in mainland France, where cases of autochthonous dengue fever have already been reported. Global warming disrupts mosquito migrationss which are more and more numerous in the territory. Between January 1 and April 19, 2024, 1,679 imported cases of dengue fever were recorded in mainland France, i.e. 13 times more than the year 2023 over the same period according to Public Health France.