Why Is Eradicating Typhoid Fever So Challenging: Implications for Vaccine and Therapeutic Design

AUTHOR

Yi-An Yang, Alexander Chong, and Jeongmin Song.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:
Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) and S. Paratyphi, namely typhoidal Salmonellae, are the cause of (para) typhoid fever, which is a devastating systemic infectious disease in humans. In addition, the spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) S. Typhi in many low and middle-income countries poses a significant risk to human health. While currently available typhoid vaccines and therapeutics are efficacious, they have some limitations. This review discusses how scientists are trying to combat typhoid fever, why it is so challenging to do so, which approaches show promise, and what we know about the pathogenesis of S. Typhi chronic infection.
RESULTS:
As an important initial step to contain and ultimately eradicate S. Typhi, we need to better understand the pathogenic mechanism by which S. Typhi establishes persistent and chronic infections, as it would offer insight into the rational design of improved vaccines and new therapies against S. Typhi infection.

 

Click here to view the article, published in Vaccines.