Is a new improved vaccine coming soon?

a microbiology newsletter - september, 2021

CANDIDA AURIS

What can be done to detect, treat, and prevent this deadly new resistant pathogen?

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What happens to your skin microbiome

after a day at the beach?

Ocean bacteria and viruses take up residence, but for a limited amount of time.

As an individual initiates their first stride into the piercing cold ocean, our lungs are not the only part of our body greeted by the shock of the drastic change in environment. A brutal battle, invisible to the naked eye, has detrimentally affected those complex organisms who call our skin microbiome “home.”

In a 2019 study, scientists examined the survival of organisms introduced by the ocean onto the human skin. What researchers found may surprise those who enjoy swimming in the sea.

After spending an afternoon on the shore and partaking in water-related activities, organisms previously living on the skin are washed away and replaced with new ones. (2) As a result, this new environment causes changes to the composition and diversity of the microbiome. Potential pathogens along with hazardous organisms are introduced onto the body which could result in vulnerability to infections. (5)

Subjects of these studies were selected according to the strict criteria below:

1. Subjects could not be undergoing any antibiotic treatments.

2. Application of sunblock was prohibited.

3. Individuals must classify themselves as a non-frequent ocean swimmer.

4. Subjects were not able to shower the morning of the experiment along with a full twenty-four hours after the zero hour sample was taken.

Individuals were swabbed four times throughout a twenty four hour period to assess how long the newly introduced microbes could survive. (5) After the sixth hour, the microbiomes of the individuals had lost most of the invasive organisms from the ocean and regenerated the original organisms seen before swimming. By the twenty-four hour mark, the skin microbiome returned to nearly normal. (3)

Marisa Chattman Nielsen, MS, a Ph. D. graduate from the University of California, Irvine, noted, “Ocean water is a unique exposure, because not only does it wash off normal skin bacteria, it also deposits foreign bacteria onto the skin. This is very different than a shower or even a pool, because those water sources usually have a low concentration of bacteria.” (2)

Organisms such as Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Vibrio spp., intestinal parasites, viruses and over fifty more species of bacteria found in storm-water and untreated raw sewage runoff can severely impact an individual’s health. This is especially of concern with a growing homeless population that does not properly dispose of solid waste.(2)

Stephen Morse, PhD, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University says, “Don’t swim where you see ‘red tides’ or fish die-offs. The authorities will almost always close these places to recreational use anyway. Immunocompromised people and weak swimmers should be especially careful. If you think you caught a disease or injured yourself while swimming, see a doctor.” (2)

One of the most concerning issues is the rapid change occurring as we speak. Rising temperatures due to climate change could lead to a substantial increase in infections from swimming as a result of more suitable conditions for specific hazardous organisms. (4,6)

To eliminate posing a threat to your health, scientists suggest practicing good hygiene after enjoying a day at the beach. Luckily, with a quick shower, foreign organisms and potential pathogens can be washed from the skin. (1,5,6) Chattman Nielsen reminds us, “This research isn’t meant to scare anyone. We already know that people can get infections from their environment, and the ocean is no different. Much of the bacteria found in the ocean does not cause human disease. Enjoy your time at the beach, and don’t forget to take a quick shower when you’re done.” (2)

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

By Emily Edds

Microbiology Intern

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Phraseology

"Parting Shot"

To find the origin of the term "Parting shot" you have to go back in time over 2,000 years. The Partians were an ancient race who lived in north-east Persia. They were renowned archers and horsemen and were known for their practice of confusing the enemy by pretending to flee and firing arrows backwards while retreating - not the easiest thing to do on a galloping horse. The tactic must have been successful as in first century B.C. Parthia stretched from the Euphrates to the Indus rivers, covering most of what is now Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.

A "parting shot" was first described in England in 1678:

"You wound, like Parthians, while you fly, and kill with a retreating eye."

The Novavax protein antigen vaccine

Is a New and Better

Vaccine Coming Soon?

A new player in the field of Covid vaccines could be arriving soon. The trials so far are encouraging for both safety and efficacy. It even has some advantages over the Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J vaccines that have become so familiar to us.

Novavax, headquartered in Maryland, has enrolled over 30,000 volunteer individuals in the US and Mexico in their Phase 3 clinical trials of their new COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine is both innovative and “old school” in that it uses viral protein (antigen) rather than mRNA.

Here are the characteristics of this upcoming vaccine:

Clinical trials so far, show 90% effectivity against Covid-19 overall, and 100% protection from moderate to severe disease.

In people at high risk of developing complications from COVID-19 (people 65 years or older and people under age 65 with certain comorbidities or with likely regular exposure to COVID-19), the vaccine showed 91% efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 disease.

It is a protein based vaccine engineered from the first strain of SARS-CoV-2 virus. It uses recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen derived from the coronavirus spike (S) protein. This antigen can neither replicate nor cause COVID-19 infection.

The vaccine is created using a genetically modified baculovirus which infects a culture of Sf9 moth cells, which create the spike protein and display it on their cell membranes. The spike proteins are then harvested and assembled onto a synthetic lipid nanoparticle about 50 nanometers across, each displaying up to 14 spike proteins. This complicated manufacturing process takes weeks rather than days as with the mRNA vaccines.

The adjuvant used is Novavax' patented saponin-based Matrix-M™ to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies.

It demonstrated efficacy of 96.4% against the original virus strain, 86.3% against the Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant and 89.7% efficacy overall.

It is stored and stable at refrigerator temperature (2 to 8 deg. C), so it can use existing supply chain modalities.

It requires two injections, 21 days apart, and possibly followed by a booster six months later.

Analysis of sera from primary vaccination series showed cross-reactive functional antibodies to Alpha, Beta and Delta variants, all of which increased 6- to 10-fold with the secondary booster injection.

Early human trials showed strong antibody responses, was well tolerated with no serious adverse events and few side effects. Injection-site tenderness and pain, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain were the most reported side events.

Novavax was originally backed by $388 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation (CEPI), a non-profit founded by Bill Gates in 2015

Novavax has previous experience with recombinant and nanotechnology for the development of novel vaccines. NanoFlu™, its quadrivalent influenza nanoparticle vaccine, met all primary objectives in its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in older adults and will soon be advanced for regulatory submission.

This new COVID-19 vaccine may find its greatest use as a booster (known as a heterologous booster) to the previously released vaccines, which have shown rare but concerning adverse effects, such as blood clots and myocarditis (heart inflammation). Due to the low rate of side effects and adverse events shown so far, the Novavax may be the preferred booster vaccine of choice as our immunity eventually wanes with the Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J vaccines.

References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

by Jay Hardy, CLS, SM(NRCM)

CEO

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