Rheumatic Fever Vaccine A Step Closer

Researchers in Australia and Thailand believe they are a step closer to identifying a suitable antigen for inclusion in a vaccine against rheumatic fever, a disease affecting mainly children and young adults that arises as a delayed complication of infection of the upper respiratory tract with hemolytic group A streptococci.

Until recently, immunity against these organisms was thought to be strain-specific, ie a different vaccine would have to be developed for each strain of the bacteria. Now, the researchers believe they have identified a highly-conserved region of the M protein of the bacteria which may be a target for protective antibodies.

The researchers have found that nearly all aborigines and Thais in areas where exposure to streptococci is high have have antibodies to a synthetic version of the conserved peptide.