Progress made on group B streptococcus vaccine
Saturday, October 31, 2009 - 09:28
in Health & Medicine
Scientists supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, have completed a Phase II clinical study that indicates a vaccine to prevent Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection is possible. GBS is the most common cause of sepsis and meningitis in newborns in the United States, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It can also cause severe illness in pregnant women, the elderly and adults with chronic illnesses. Colonisation of the genital or gastrointestinal tract is a critical risk factor for infections due to GBS...