New vaccine against typhoid could eventually be used for babies

Researchers from the child health and human development division of the US National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, have developed a new vaccine against Salmonella typhi, the bacterium that causes typhoid fever (N Engl J Med 2001;344:1263-9).

An estimated 16-30 million cases of typhoid fever occur annually, resulting in 600 000 deaths. It is spread by the faecal-oral route and is therefore quite common in impoverished areas where sanitation is poor and malnutrition is rampant.

The new vaccine produces a good immune response, is well tolerated, and is effective in protecting young …