Scientists at Ohio State University have successfully tested a new vaccine against norovirus in mice. According to the study, the vaccine induced high levels of antibodies, white blood cells, and other parts of the immune response. This particular vaccine is not amplified using cell culture, but is amplified using a vector-based technique similar to the one being tried with HIV and Hepatitis C vaccine trials. This vaccine uses vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) as the vector and vehicle of delivery of recombinant virion fragments to confer immunity. This novel technique seems promising for combating norovirus.
While this seems like a promising vaccine, norovirus does not cause a significant amount of mortality, though it does cause some morbidity. It usually lasts for just a day or two and then passes on. Is it worth creating a vaccine against this virus if it doesn’t cause mortality?
-Tim
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110315130056.htm
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