Did you know that, currently, there are vaccinations to confer protection against cholera? However, there are difficulties associated with this vaccine. For example, current vaccines are relatively ineffective in young children. This is particularly worrisome, as cholera kills an estimated 21,000-143,000 people per year, with young children bearing an undue burden. Additionally, available vaccines only work for a limited period, meaning that repeated doses must be given. However, Technology Networks reports, researchers are working to develop a more effective – and durable – cholera vaccine. 

Current vaccinations, which are given orally, utilize dead or destabilized (weak) Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) bacteria. As you may have guessed, V. cholerae is the infectious agent behind this condition. Once administered, the immune system begins to create antibodies against O-specific polysaccharide (OSP), which is expressed on the bacteria’s surface. 

But how could researchers improve this to make it more effective? They hypothesized that vaccinations could confer more durable and longer-lasting protection if they could somehow connect OSP with  Qβ. Since Qβ, a virus-like particle, is able to infect bacteria, researchers believed this bonded pair could cause V. cholerae death and protect against cholera. 

To test this hypothesis, researchers created vaccines with the OSP-Qβ combination and administered them to mice models. Three doses of this vaccination not only provided long-lasting and durable responses, but strengthened the immune response, and significantly increased V. cholerae death rates. While these promising findings have so far only occurred in the mice models, it does warrant further consideration for the future of next-gen vaccination development. 

Take a look at the findings published in ASM Journals. 

About Cholera

As explained above, becoming infected with V. cholerae bacteria causes cholera, an acute diarrheal illness. Each year, an estimated 2.9 million people are diagnosed with cholera. The bacteria is typically spread through dirty drinking water, feces from an infected person, or food contamination. As a result, those in areas with unsafe food or water systems, or poorly maintained sewer systems, are at the highest risk of developing cholera. Right now, cholera is most commonly found in areas like Haiti, Africa, and Southeast Asia. 

Symptoms most commonly appear within 2-3 days following infection. However, in other cases, symptoms may appear within just a few hours or up to five days following infection. 

In many cases, cholera is easily treated. Only around 10% of people develop severe cases which, without treatment, can be serious and life-threatening. Therefore, for those with severe symptoms, it is important to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. In mild cases, mild-to-moderate diarrhea will be the only symptoms. However, severe cases may manifest with:

• Pale diarrhea, which may be severe
• Nausea and vomiting
• Severe dehydration (which may lead to a 10% loss in body weight)
• Irritability or restlessness 
• Fatigue
• Leg cramps
• Sunken eyes
• Rapid heart rate
• Dry mucous membranes
• Low blood pressure
• Seizures
• Coma 

Learn more about cholera.