Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
United Press International - November 23, 2005
PITTSBURGH, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- A team of Pittsburgh scientists say the development of effective vaccines for people with compromised immune systems may be feasible.
The researchers say they've developed an approach that protects against pneumocystis pneumonia in mice lacking the same population of immune cells that HIV destroys in humans.
The vaccine platform was developed by researchers at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, in collaboration with scientists from the University of Pittsburgh and Louisiana State University.
The scientists say their research suggests the immune system can be primed to ward off other infections as well, such as those caused by the flu, smallpox or exposure to anthrax, even in patients who have the highest risk for infection.
The study appears in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
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