ATHENS, Ga. — A vaccine created by researchers at the University of Georgia is being tested to determine if it protects against several kinds of fungal infections while not impacting the gut’s microbiome.
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The vaccine is called NXT-2 and targets pathogenic fungal infections.
In pre-clinical trails, the vaccine has proven effective against the three most infections, which are responsible for more than 80% of deadly infections.
Current treatments can’t seem to keep up as fungi build resistance to medication.
Some antifungal drugs impact the gut’s microbiome, naturally occurring fungal and bacterial communities in the gut, which affects health.
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The vaccine protects against multiple fungal infections without hurting the naturally occurring fungi and bacteria in the digestive tract.
“Preserving the balance of the organisms that comprise the gut microbiome is critical,” Norris said. “And these results support the further advancement of the first broadly protective fungal vaccine,” said Karen Norris, corresponding author of the study and a professor in UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
Fungal infections kill millions each year. The infections also cost billions in healthcare expenses, can double hospitalization costs, the length of hospital stays and the risk of death in hospitalized patients, according to a previous UGA study.
There are currently no effective vaccines to protect against fungal infections.
Read more about the report here.
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