Research in brief

Section snippets

Novel antibodies identified against Klebsiella pneumoniae

Klebsiella pneumoniae, a common cause of hospital-acquired infections, often infects immunocompromised patients whose adaptive immune system is weakened; however, many of these individuals retain a functioning complement system as part of their innate immunity. Development of complement-enhancing antibodies against specific bacteria may therefore boost the immune response. Researchers in Europe used a dual-staining method of human B memory cells to identify 29 new monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)

Fractional doses of pneumococcal vaccines

Many countries cannot afford to sustain the WHO-recommended pneumococcal vaccine programme for infants. Fractional dosing regimens may enable such countries to maintain their vaccination programmes. Researchers in Kenya assessed the immunogenicity of fractional doses versus full doses of GlaxoSmithKline's ten-valent (PCV10) and Pfizer's 13-valent (PCV13) pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in 2100 healthy infants. Participants received two primary doses plus one booster dose of PCV13 or PCV10 given

Decline of mpox antibody responses after vaccination

Between 2022 and 2023, researchers assessed the durability of immunity derived from mpox vaccination or infection in individuals who were immunised or infected in 2022, examining serum samples from a US repository from 22 adults who received two vaccine doses, 26 who received one dose, and three who had confirmed mpox infection. The investigators found that whether individuals received either one dose or two doses, binding antibody responses to the mpox antigens M1R, B6R, A35R, A29L, and H3L,

Helicobacter pylori screening and gastric cancer incidence

In a randomised trial, investigators in Taiwan assessed whether inviting individuals to undertake Helicobacter pylori stool antigen screening (HPSA) along with their regular biennial faecal immunochemical test (FIT) would reduce gastric cancer incidence and mortality compared with FIT alone. Unadjusted data showed no difference between the groups for gastric cancer incidence. However, when data were adjusted post-hoc for differences in participation, length of follow-up, and baseline

HIV-1 broadly neutralising antibodies

Broadly neutralising mAbs against HIV-1 reduce plasma viraemia in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) who are not on antiretroviral therapy (ART). In a phase 1/2a trial, researchers in the USA assessed a combination of three broadly neutralising HIV-1 mAbs—PGT121, PGDM1400, and VRC07-523LS—in six adults without HIV (to whom the combination was given as a single intravenous dose) and 12 PLWHIV with ART interruption (who could receive up to six monthly infusions). Four of the six participants without