Preclinical tests have been promising and tests are perspective in humans. Disease kills one million people a year.
A candidiasis Invasive is a fungal infection that can be fatal to immunocompromised patients – who goes through transplants or chemotherapy, for example.
The most frequent infections appear in genitals, folds of the skin, nails, mouth and digestive system. In patients with low immunity, it may enter the bloodstream, infecting internal organs and causing invasive candidiasis.
Invasive candidiasis affects 1.5 million patients per year. And is fatal to two thirds of the infected: about One million people dies annually.
Now, a vaccine against this disease.
Scientists at the University of Minho School of Sciences (ECUM), after several attempts, created a spherical nanoparticle of fat (liposomes), that transports and presents two fungus proteins Candida albicans to the immune system. He recognizes them and attacks the fungus when he see him again.
“These infections are difficult to diagnose in time and treatdue to toxicity and resistance to antifungals, but our experimental vaccine has managed to stimulate the immune system to recognize and combat the fungus; We believe that may reduce mortalityprolonged hospitalizations and associated costs, and may be an important advance in the protection of patients at risk, ”explains researcher Paula Sampaio, from the ECUM’s Molecular and Environmental Biology Center (CBMA).
Scientists already tested the vaccine in animals, com success: In preclinical tests, vaccinated animals recorded fewer symptoms, higher survival rate and improvement of the organism’s general condition after infection.
Clinical tests are followed in Humans, to gauge the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.
The World Health Organization put the Candida albicans among the most urgent fungi in scientific and medical research.
“Candidiasis is a opportunistic infection, Sometimes confused with other conditions, which makes diagnosis difficult and reduces the public perception of its severity; The absence of sensitization campaigns and weak general knowledge about fungal infections also lead to undervalued in the debate on public health, ”says Paula Sampaio.
The essential, more than efficient diagnoses, is to have therapies that save more people.
