On Wednesday, the World Health Organization issued a call to develop a vaccine against a bacterial infection that annually causes the deaths of 150,000 infants or stillbirths. The UN agency, along with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, noted in their report that Group B Streptococcus (an infectious bacteria) which causes sepsis and meningitis, poses a much larger health problem than previously thought.
The report reveals that this type of bacteria leads to half a million preterm births each year and many cases of permanent disability. While the document confirms the scale of the phenomenon, with approximately 100,000 infant deaths and 50,000 stillbirths each year, it also highlights "gaps" in data collection, suggesting that the actual number of victims may be higher.
Philippe Lambach, a medical officer in the WHO’s Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals department, pointed out that "new research demonstrates that Group B Streptococcus presents a significant underrecognized threat to the survival and well-being of newborns, leaving devastating impacts on countless families around the world."
Due to the destructive effects of this type of bacteria, the WHO joined its partners in calling for "accelerating the development of a vaccine for mothers against Group B Streptococcus, which could yield enormous benefits for countries worldwide," according to Lambach.
Joy Lawn, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, emphasized that developing a vaccine could save hundreds of thousands of lives, expressing regret over the lack of progress in this area, despite the idea being proposed more than three decades ago.
On average, 15% of pregnant women, approximately twenty million annually, carry this type of bacteria in their vagina. This bacteria can be transmitted to the fetus in the womb or during childbirth. Every year, 40,000 children suffer from neurological disorders due to Group B Streptococcus. Currently, women carrying this bacteria are treated with antibiotics to reduce the risk of transmitting the infection to the child.
