Vaccine trial for shigellosis starts here as CDC alerts to drug-resistant infection
Just as federal public health officials issued an alert to increasing cases of drug resistance to a diarrheal disease in the United States, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is starting a clinical trial on a vaccine for the illness, shigellosis.
Dr. Robert Frenck, infectious disease specialist and director of the Gamble Vaccine Research Center at Cincinnati Children's, is heading the trial for the vaccine.
Here are his answers to our questions about the disease and vaccine trial:
What's shigellosis, and what are its symptoms?
Shigellosis is an infection caused by shigella bacteria. It is usually self-limiting (it likely will go away) in the United States and other developed countries but can cause bloody diarrhea, a fever and significant discomfort. In developing countries, children may be at risk of dying.
Who gets shigellosis?
Parents might learn that their very young child – generally under 5 years old – has shigellosis. Child care providers have shut down when a child is diagnosed with the illness because it spreads rapidly and easily.
American troops and travelers overseas in developing countries, which may have less ability to prevent disease spread, also may be at risk for shigellosis.
What does the clinical trial look like and who can enroll in it?
The Cincinnati Children's trial involves taking an oral vaccine – and then being exposed to shigella. That means they'll take an oral dose of the bacteria themselves so researchers can learn whether the vaccine is effective at preventing the illness. Four groups of people will take part in the trial, and yes, you can apply to join it.
If you take part you will be compensated at about $4,500 for the eight months of the trial.
Can shigellosis be treated since it's bacterial? If it can, why develop a vaccine?
Yes. Shigellosis is often treated with antibiotics. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's alert to drug-resistant shigella bacteria signals a problem for people who need treatment for it.
"Shigella is developing resistance to almost every antibiotic we have," Frenck said.
Who's sponsoring the trial and why?
The National Institutes of Health is sponsoring the vaccine clinical trials at Cincinnati Children's and Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. The U.S. Army is interested in providing troops an effective vaccine, and such a vaccine would save many children around the world who are at high risk and can die from it.
How can you sign up for the clinical trial?
To see if you qualify for the trial or want to know more about it, go to this Cincinnati Children's shigella information form, call Cincinnati Children’s at 513-636-7699 or email gambleprogram@cchmc.org.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: CDC alerts to drug-resistant shigellosis as vaccine trial starts here
