MRC UNIT THE GAMBIA

Scientists Identify Protective Antibodies Against Strep A, Paving Way for Life-Saving Vaccine

- Researchers at the University of Sheffield and MRC have identified specific antibodies that protect children against Strep A, a bacterial infection that kills 500,000 people annually worldwide. - The study tracked children in The Gambia and discovered that while maternal protection fades, young children rapidly develop immune responses to parts of the bacteria. - These findings, published in Nature Medicine, represent the first identification of protective antibodies in humans and could enable development of a vaccine to save hundreds of thousands of lives. - The breakthrough addresses a critical knowledge gap that has historically hindered vaccine development against this potentially deadly bacterial infection.