First Vaccine Managed To Protect Against Gonorrhea

Scientists from New Zealand have shown the result of their study and published it in the Lancet journal, where they described the way a vaccine for the first time managed to protect against gonorrhea infection.

The research was lead to find a vaccine for meningitis B, so the scientists developed the needed vaccine in the year 2004. Approximately one million adolescent people took part in the research and were vaccinated. After the two year research data analysis, scientists have found that more than 30% of gonorrhea cases had fallen. More than 14 000 young people have their gonorrhea infection cut by three times. Scientists consider the bacterium that causes meningitis is very close to those bacterium, causing gonorrhea.

"This is the first time a vaccine has shown any protection against gonorrhoea. At the moment, the mechanism behind this immune response is unknown, but our findings could inform future vaccine development." - Dr Helen Petousis-Harris, one of the researchers from New Zealand.

"There are high hopes that now there's going to be some cross-protection. We are still a long way before we develop a vaccine for gonorrhoea, but we have now some evidence that it is possible." - said Dr Teodora Wi, from the WHO

The WHO estimated the vaccine development as vital maybe because many antibiotics failed gonorrhea treatment. Researchers also mind that  the body doesn’t build up resistance to the disease no matter how many times it was infected.