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World-First Gum Disease Vaccine Developed

World-First Gum Disease Vaccine Developed
World-First Gum Disease Vaccine Developed

A team from the University of Melbourne has developed a world-first vaccine for gum disease. The vaccine will eliminate, or at least significantly reduce, the need for surgery and antibiotics for severe gum disease. Gum disease, or periodontitis, affects one in three adults worldwide and more than 50% of Australians over the age of 65. Commonly associated with diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, dementia and certain types of cancer, periodontitis is a chronic disease that destroys gum tissue and bone supporting teeth, leading to tooth loss. The vaccine targets enzymes produced by specific bacteria to trigger an immune response which in turn produces antibodies that neutralize the pathogen’s destructive toxins, China’s Xinhua news agency reported. Clinical trials of the vaccine in humans are expected to begin in early 2018.

 

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