Injecting mice with simple baker’s yeast protects against the fatal fungal infection, aspergillosis, according to research published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology.
The work could lead to the development of a human vaccine that protects immunocompromised people against a range of life-threatening fungal infections, for which current therapy often fails.
Researchers gave mice three injections of killed Saccharomyces (baker’s yeast), one week apart. Vaccinated mice were able to survive high doses of Aspergillus – the fungus that causes aspergillosis. Mice that survived also showed a reduced infection load in their organs.
Aspergillosis is the leading fungal killer among immunocompromised individuals. It is an invasive infection that attacks the lungs, can disseminate to other organs, such as the brain, and can lead to kidney and liver failure. The disease currently has very high mortality as the current available therapy has a high failure rate.
Read more at Journal of Medical Microbiology