UNAM creates vaccine against diarrhea

• April 20, 2024

The infantile diarrhea acute infection caused by the enterotoxigenic bacterium could stop causing havoc among the population pediatric from Latin America, Asia and Africa, with an intranasal peptide vaccine created at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

The intranasal vaccine against Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC, for its acronym in English) was developed by a group of scientists, led by Yolanda López Vidal , of the Microbial Molecular Immunology Program, of the Faculty of Medicine (FM) of the UNAM.

With the application in shape intranasal a larger area of ​​the paranasal sinuses is highly vascularized, and once ETEC infection occurs, the antibody-producing plasma cells search for the source of the transmission so that they are the effectors at the site of the infection. infection .

In addition, syringes are eliminated, the dose administered in comparison with those to be applied orally, a large number of people are immunized in relatively short times, and are induced antibodies and cells of the immune response at the intestinal level.

The vaccine of the university students is highly efficient, just a few drops intranasal to reduce the number of episodes of diarrhea in pediatric population and tourists.

Highly efficient

"Although the critical period for immunization would be the first two years of life, if the infection E. coli enterotoxigenic is frequent and symptomatic, with diarrhea and dehydration, for a highly effective coverage should not be neglected to children between three and five years, although the frequency is attenuated as time passes, "said the university researcher.

In the case of tourists from the first world, it would be convenient to apply it before leaving their points of origin, to avoid "traveler's diarrhea" in countries where this bacterium has a strong presence.

"Oral-fecal transmission (for food contamination) of E. coli enterotoxigenic in the Third World continues as one of the main risk factors of diarrhea for foreign visitors, "said Lopez Vidal.

World vaccine

The inoculation already has a patent in Mexico and, since September 2009, another in the United States. In addition, its registration is managed in Europe, as well as in Asia and Oceania; In these last two regions, acute infantile diarrhea is an endemic problem and, consequently, the antigen could have a greater demand.

Every year more than 300 thousand deaths are reported by Enterotoxigenic E. coli In the world, 70% of them occur in Latin America, Asia and Africa. With the application of this inoculation, mortality could be reduced by bacterial diarrhea, particularly in children under five years of age, and also in travelers.

Diarrhea, considered a disease of underdevelopment, becomes fatal if other pathogens are added to the infection, as well as malnutrition and lack of growth of the patient.

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